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The US Labor Department has offered ₹742 crore worth of grants to states under its RESTART initiative to fund youth training and apprenticeships to rejoin the job market. Check application dates, eligibilty and other details here.
The United States Department of Labor has offered ₹742 crore ($81 million) worth of grants to states and eligible entities under its RESTART initiative to “develop programs to train ex-offenders for high-need American jobs and assist them in being productive contributors to the US economy”.
In a notice on its official website, the labor dept said this is aimed at funding training and apprenticeships for eligible youth in order to facilitate their re-entry into the job market and gain employment.
Reentry employment opportunities: What is this?
According to the website, the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program provides funding, authorized as Research and Evaluation under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, for justice-involved youth and young adults and adults who were formerly incarcerated.
“Our goal is to develop strategies and partnerships that facilitate the implementation of successful programs at the state and local levels that will improve the workforce outcomes for this population,” it states.
The Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training aka RESTART initiative is part of this program's competitive grants award.
What is RESTART Initiative? All you need to know
As per the website, RESTART provides youth between 15-17 years of age, young adults between 18-24 years of age, and adults aged 25 years and above — who have criminal records, were jailed or involved in the criminal justice system, with training that support in-demand industries and services.
It added that “evidence-based research suggests (this) increases the likelihood of successful employment outcomes”.
What does this include?
- Assessment of prior learning and skills;
- Pre-apprenticeships;
- Work-based learning through On-the-Job Training and Registered Apprenticeships;
- Artificial intelligence, financial, and digital literacy training; among others.
Training will focus on in-demand skilled trades such as advanced manufacturing, domestic mineral production, information technology including AI, nuclear energy, occupations essential to the build out of AI infrastructure, shipbuilding occupations, and transportation.
From eligibility to application process — Top FAQs answered
Who are the eligible applicants?
- These include nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- State governments.
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Grantees are required to partner with a local reentry organization, the state apprenticeship agency (SAA), the state workforce development board (SWDB), a criminal justice system partner, and at least three employers within the industries targeted by this program.
What is the last date for applications?
- Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 15 Apr 2026.
- There are a total of 17,270 REOs available.
What is the maximum and floor funding that could be awarded?
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $81 million (approx ₹742 crore)
- Award Ceiling: $5,100,000 (around ₹46.7 crore)
- Award Floor: $1,000,000 (about ₹9.1 crore)
How to apply for the grants?
The grants from the labour department are open to eligible organisations as listed above. In order to apply, follow these steps:
- Register yourself on the official US grants website here — grants.gov.
- Click on the ‘Open Grant Opportunities’ tab.
- Read through the available options and chose the application that fits your purpose.
- Complete the requirements and submit the application for evaluation by the department.
- The awarded grants will be managed through the US federal government's GrantSolutions website.
What to do if you have trouble with the application process?
- Questions regarding this FOA may be emailed to Alexander Heron at RESTART_FOA-ETA-26-17@dol.gov.
About the Author
Jocelyn Fernandes
Jocelyn Fernandes is a journalist and editor with nearly 13 years of experience covering the business, corporate, economy and markets beats in news.<b...Read More
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