Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA WB 17 01
The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program is a U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration) discretionary grant opportunity focused on increasing womens participation and long-term success in occupations where they have historically been underrepresented, especially registered apprenticeship pathways and other nontraditional jobs. The program is built around providing practical, on-the-ground technical assistance to employers and labor unions so they can recruit, prepare, integrate, and retain more women in apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations (often abbreviated as A/NTO). Rather than funding general workforce services, WANTO is aimed at helping workplace and training systems change in specific, measurable ways that make these careers more accessible and sustainable for women.
A central feature of the grant is support for developing or strengthening training pipelines that help women enter these fields. Grantees may establish, expand, or enhance pre-apprenticeship programs or nontraditional skills training that directly prepares women for careers in A/NTO. In practice, this can include designing curriculum aligned to apprenticeship entry requirements, helping partners create clear transition agreements from pre-apprenticeship into registered apprenticeship or employment, and addressing common barriers to entry such as lack of prior exposure to the occupation, limited access to hands-on training, or uncertainty about how to navigate apprenticeship application processes.
The program also emphasizes changing workplace culture and practices through education and continuous engagement. Another allowable technical assistance activity is providing ongoing orientations for employers, unions, and workers on what it takes to create a successful environment for women in A/NTO. This can involve training and guidance on topics like inclusive onboarding, preventing and responding to harassment and discrimination, ensuring fair work assignments and advancement opportunities, improving jobsite facilities and policies where needed, and building supervisor and peer support so women are not isolated once placed.
Retention is treated as a core outcome, not an afterthought. WANTO funds can be used to set up support groups and facilitate networks for women in A/NTO to improve retention. That typically means creating structured peer communities, mentoring connections, and problem-solving networks that help women persist through the early stages of apprenticeship or employment, when attrition can be highest. These networks can also provide feedback loops to employers and unions about barriers women are encountering, allowing partners to make practical adjustments that keep participants on track.
WANTO is intentionally broad in the industries it can support, as long as the focus remains on occupations where women are traditionally underrepresented or concentrated in lower-wage roles. The announcement highlights that applicants may propose technical assistance covering the full range of such industries, including (but not limited to) advanced manufacturing, energy, healthcare, information technology, and transportation. This reflects the programs aim to open access to higher-wage, skill-based career pathways across the economy, not just in one sector.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is identified as FOA WB 17 01 under CFDA 17.201. It was offered as a grant with an award ceiling of $500,000, with an expectation of making 4 awards. The agency published the opportunity on July 24, 2017, with an original closing date of August 23, 2017. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, which commonly signals that the Department of Labor may allow applications from certain types of organizations beyond standard categories, depending on the specific eligibility language in the FOA.
Overall, the WANTO Technical Assistance Grant Program is designed to help employers and unions move from intention to implementation by providing targeted assistance that builds womens entry routes (through pre-apprenticeship and skills training), improves day-to-day workplace inclusion (through orientations and guidance), and strengthens retention supports (through networks and peer groups). The end goal is not only increased recruitment of women into apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations, but also better outcomes once they are hired or registered, so participation translates into career completion, advancement, and lasting presence in these fields.Apply for FOA WB 17 01
- The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (“WANTO”) Technical Assistance Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.201.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 24, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 23, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program - FAQs
What is the WANTO Technical Assistance Grant Program?
The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program is a U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration) discretionary grant focused on increasing womens participation and long-term success in occupations where women have historically been underrepresented, especially registered apprenticeship pathways and other nontraditional occupations.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The program is designed to provide practical, on-the-ground technical assistance to employers and labor unions so they can recruit, prepare, integrate, and retain more women in apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations (A/NTO). The goal is to support specific, measurable changes in workplace and training systems that make these careers more accessible and sustainable for women.
Is WANTO meant to fund general workforce services?
No. Based on the description provided, WANTO is not aimed at funding general workforce services. It focuses on targeted technical assistance that helps employers, unions, and related training systems change in concrete ways that improve womens access to and success in A/NTO pathways.
Who is the federal agency behind WANTO?
The grant opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA).
What types of organizations does WANTO support through technical assistance?
The program is centered on providing technical assistance to employers and labor unions. Applicants eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement.
What does A/NTO mean in this grant context?
A/NTO is an abbreviation for apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations. In this program, it refers to jobs and career pathways (including registered apprenticeship) where women have historically been underrepresented.
What types of activities can WANTO grant funds support?
Allowable technical assistance activities described include: developing or strengthening training pipelines (including pre-apprenticeship and nontraditional skills training), creating transition agreements into registered apprenticeship or employment, providing orientations and guidance to improve workplace inclusion, and building retention supports such as peer networks and support groups for women in A/NTO.
Does WANTO support pre-apprenticeship programs?
Yes. Grantees may establish, expand, or enhance pre-apprenticeship programs that directly prepare women for careers in apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations.
What does it mean to strengthen a training pipeline for women?
In practice, strengthening a pipeline can include designing curriculum aligned to apprenticeship entry requirements, helping partners create clear transition agreements from pre-apprenticeship into registered apprenticeship or employment, and addressing common entry barriers such as limited exposure to the occupation, limited hands-on training access, or uncertainty about apprenticeship application processes.
Is registered apprenticeship specifically emphasized in WANTO?
Yes. The opportunity highlights increasing womens participation in registered apprenticeship pathways, along with other nontraditional occupations.
What workplace-focused technical assistance is allowed under WANTO?
The program allows ongoing orientations for employers, unions, and workers on creating a successful environment for women in A/NTO. Topics can include inclusive onboarding, preventing and responding to harassment and discrimination, ensuring fair work assignments and advancement opportunities, improving jobsite facilities and policies where needed, and building supervisor and peer support so women are not isolated after placement.
Does the grant address workplace culture and retention, not just recruitment?
Yes. The description treats retention as a core outcome and emphasizes changing workplace culture and practices through education and continuous engagement, alongside recruitment and preparation efforts.
How does WANTO approach retention of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional jobs?
WANTO funds can be used to set up support groups and facilitate networks for women in A/NTO to improve retention. This can include structured peer communities, mentoring connections, and problem-solving networks, especially to support women through early stages of apprenticeship or employment when attrition can be highest.
Can womens networks funded by WANTO provide feedback to employers and unions?
Yes. The description notes that these networks can create feedback loops to employers and unions about barriers women are encountering, enabling practical adjustments that help participants stay on track.
What industries can WANTO support?
The grant is intentionally broad in the industries it can support, as long as the focus is on occupations where women are traditionally underrepresented or concentrated in lower-wage roles. The announcement cites examples including advanced manufacturing, energy, healthcare, information technology, and transportation, but notes that coverage is not limited to these sectors.
Is WANTO limited to one sector like construction or manufacturing?
No. Based on the provided description, WANTO can cover a wide range of industries as long as the focus remains on womens participation and success in underrepresented occupations.
What is the FOA identifier for this opportunity?
The opportunity is identified as FOA WB 17 01.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 17.201.
What is the award ceiling for WANTO grants?
The award ceiling for this opportunity was $500,000.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The opportunity indicated an expectation of making 4 awards.
When was this funding opportunity published and when did it close?
The agency published the opportunity on July 24, 2017. The original closing date was August 23, 2017.
What does it mean that eligibility is listed as "Others"?
The eligibility category is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. This commonly signals that the Department of Labor may allow applications from certain types of organizations beyond standard categories, depending on the specific eligibility language in the FOA.
What is the overall outcome WANTO is trying to achieve?
The end goal is to increase recruitment of women into apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations and improve outcomes after placement, so participation translates into apprenticeship completion, advancement, and lasting presence of women in these fields.
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