This CST grant program will award up to $6.8 million to selected nonprofit partnerships. It is in accordance with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Section 40513 and codified in 42 U.S.C. 18802. CST funding is only available to specific nonprofit partnerships. The nonprofit partnership must include equal participation of at least the following entities, as depicted in the graphic in the Objective Section below:

• One industry partner: public employers, private employers, or industry/trade associations; and
• One labor organization: labor union, labor management organizations, joint labor management training program, worker center, or workers organizations (42 U.S.C. 18802(a)(1)-(2)).

Nonprofit partnerships may also include workforce investment boards; community-based organizations; qualified service and conservation corps; educational institutions; small businesses; cooperatives; State and local veterans agencies; and veterans service organizations.

To be eligible, the nonprofit partnership must also demonstrate:

• Experience in implementing and operating worker skills training and education programs;
• The ability to identify and involve in training programs, target populations of individuals who would benefit from training and be actively involved in activities relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy industries; and
• The ability to help individuals achieve economic self-sufficiency (42 U.S.C. 18802(a)(3)).

The goals of the CST program are to:

• Increase enrollment and participation in existing energy efficiency career skills training programs.
• Improve access to classroom instruction and on-the-job training opportunities for underserved, underrepresented, disadvantaged communities.
• Provide participants with the necessary skills and industry-recognized certifications required to pursue a career in the energy efficiency industry.
• Place participants in good jobs to ensure economic self-sufficiency and career success.

Applications submitted must address the following strategic priorities:

• Prepare workers and/or young people for in-demand, high-quality jobs in the building energy efficiency sector and connect them with these jobs.
• Expand existing training programs to reach disadvantaged community members, for example, by conducting specific outreach to these communities and offering supportive services to all program participants, e.g., child-care assistance, transportation assistance, career navigation and mentorship programs.

The objective of this announcement is to issue between two (2) and ten (10) awards between $400,000 and $1,100,000 to selected eligible entities, also known as performers. SCEP may fund two workstream options to strengthen the clean energy workforce:

• Expanding existing training pathways, and
• Enhancing existing energy efficiency career skills.

SCEP manages CST in partnership with its Partnership Intermediary, ENERGYWERX. This collaboration is possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) process established by the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions. This agreement enables ENERGYWERX to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy training solutions.

This solicitation builds on the CST selection announced in July 2024. Potential performers may wish to review this selection to understand the types of projects that DOE expects to fund via this opportunity.

• To ask questions and better understand the CST program and application requirements, attend the Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (IW/OSS) on January 15, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET to learn more.
• ENERGYWERX and DOE will host an open office hour for potential performers on February 5, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET. DOE encourages participants to come prepared with questions.