Clean Energy Career Pathways Training

NYSERDA will accept applications requesting a minimum of $250,000 and a maximum of $1.5 million per project commensurate with the scale of training proposed.

Applicants must contribute a minimum cost share of 25 percent toward the total project budget.

The minimum cost share required for projects exclusively serving Disadvantaged Communities and/or Priority Populations is 10 percent. Projects that are led by or include New York State Minority and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certified by NYS Empire State Development and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB) certified by NYS Office of General Services (OGS) are also eligible for a 10 percent cost share provided that these entities perform at least sixty-five percent (65%) of the NYSERDA funded labor hours to perform the Scope of Work.

Applicants are encouraged to partner with other entities as helpful to ensure a comprehensive proposal.

The project team must demonstrate previous success in preparing trainees for jobs, administering support for job preparedness and placements, and conducting technical training. Additionally, the project team must possess relevant qualifications to deliver energy-related training.

The Applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Be registered to do business in New York State.
• Have a business address for a formal business location within New York State.
• Demonstrate satisfactory integrity and capacity to perform the requirements of an Agreement with NYSERDA through completion of the Solicitation Proposal and Vendor Responsibility Questions [PDF].
• Have the legal authority to hire employees and conduct business in New York State.

The Applicant/Project Team must meet the following requirements:

• Must have a New York State training location suitable to delivering the proposed training program.

Funding is available for training that advances skills in the following clean energy technology areas:

• Energy efficiency and building electrification (EE/BE) (e.g., energy auditing, insulation, heat pumps, building controls, building operations and maintenance);
• Renewable energy;
• Energy storage (deployed wholesale bulk storage; “retail” commercial, non-residential, and community storage; and residential building storage);
• Smart grid; and
• Electric vehicle charging stations (installation, operation and maintenance).

All proposed projects must meet the following:

• Take place in New York State and exclusively serve residents of New York State;
• Be carried out by an experienced applicant or project team ;
• Include rigorous and high-quality technical skills training along with career preparation designed to prepare individuals for clean energy jobs. The training program must have adequate hours of clean energy technical training content. Determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis considering factors such as overall training program hours relative to clean energy technical training content, industry standards, employer support, and more.
• Ensure that at least 50% of individuals who participate in training meet the criteria of Disadvantaged Communities and/or Priority Populations;
• Include wraparound services and/or stipends as needed to support individuals with barriers to training and/or employment. NYSERDA will fund wraparound services only after other sources of funding have been exhausted;
• Detail a thorough recruitment and screening plan to attract candidates to the program;
• Clearly describe the proposed training, including training format, dates, and locations, as well as targeted audience, industry, occupations, wages, and skills;
• Include partnerships, demonstrated in letters of commitment, with employers to interview program graduates and provide pathways to full-time jobs;
• Propose clear job placement goals for trainees, with a minimum of 70% of program graduates to be placed into full-time jobs (including Registered Apprenticeships) within six months of training completion;
• Demonstrate a sustainability plan to ensure continuation of training after NYSERDA funding is exhausted; and
• Be completed within thirty (30) months.