Overview

Workforce Partnership grants provide funding to organizations such as employers, industry and sector associations, regional organizations and Indigenous organizations to support labour market adjustment strategies and workforce development, including initiatives to attract and retain workers through partnerships.

Effective partnerships can improve the capacity of organizations to deal with workforce demands, implement labour force adjustments, address workforce issues and support economic growth on a regional and/or provincial level.

The Government of Alberta is working in partnership with the Government of Canada to provide employment support programs and services.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

• for-profit businesses
• non-profit organizations
• industry associations, employer organizations
• employee organizations
• local planning groups, economic development organizations, community action groups
• organizations with charitable status
• Indigenous groups, organizations, or communities on or off reserve
• municipalities

Eligible projects

Eligible applicants can apply for different partnership grants based on the activities and outcomes desired.

Labour Market Partnership projects focus on developing information and best practices to support labour market adjustment strategies. Examples of Labour Market Partnership activities:

• researching and analyzing of labour market trends
• developing strategic plans for the partnership to prepare for future skill requirements and prevent skills shortages
• promoting current labour market needs or heightening awareness of labour market issues such as skills shortages
• sharing best practices in human resource development and career or employment training

For detailed requirements, criteria and expected outcomes, read the Labour Market Partnerships Guidelines

Note, these guidelines supersede the Alberta Works Online Manual content.

Workforce Attraction and Retention Partnership projects focus on piloting and testing different workforce development tools and initiatives to attract and retain workers. Examples of Workforce Attraction and Retention Partnership activities include:

• connecting stakeholders to knowledge and resources that will support their attraction and retention efforts
• piloting, testing or applying tools, techniques and processes that assist in the attraction and retention of workers

For detailed requirements, criteria and expected outcomes, read the Workforce Attraction and Retention Partnerships Guidelines

Note, these guidelines supersede the Alberta Works Online Manual content.

Program priorities

Workforce Partnership priorities to support industry, sector and regional job creation and workforce recovery are:

• encourage workforce development across various foundational and emerging sectors to support a diversified Alberta economy as identified in Alberta’s Recovery Plan
• enable job creators to increase employment through attraction and retention initiatives
• address the impacts of workforce and sectoral adjustments by increasing industry or employer capacity to build a resilient workforce
• build industry and employer capacity to increase and enhance workforce participation of newcomers, youth, Indigenous peoples, women, mature workers and people living with a disability

How to apply

Applicants must submit a project proposal.

Prior to submitting a proposal or to get more information on developing a proposal and the application process, reach out to one of the applicable program contacts below.

Indigenous partnership projects

For more information on how to apply for Indigenous partnership projects contact an Indigenous Partnership Coordinator at ipc@gov.ab.ca. Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Regional projects

For more information on how to apply for regional projects contact a Workforce Consultant at wfc@gov.ab.ca. Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Industry and sector provincewide projects

For more information on how to apply for industry and sector provincewide projects contact an Industry Workforce Partnerships Specialist at iwp@gov.ab.ca. Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis at this time.

Application grant documents

Prior to submitting a proposal, organizations are required to review the appropriate guidelines and read the appropriate Grant Agreement template for public bodies or non-public bodies which outlines the terms and conditions of a grant.

Organizations submitting a proposal must also complete and attach the Application for Grant form with their proposal.

• Grant Agreement Template – Non-public bodies (PDF, 671 KB)
• Grant Agreement Template – Public bodies (PDF, 566 KB)
• Application for Grant (DOCX, 114 KB)