Grant program authorization

(a) In general The Diversity and Inclusion Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Education as appropriate, shall award grants on a competitive basis to eligible registered entities to create or expand diversity in registered apprenticeship programs. (b) Target programs In issuing grants under subsection (a), the Diversity and Inclusion Administrator shall target registered apprenticeship programs in traditional and nontraditional apprenticeship industries or occupations, such as for programs demonstrating demand in construction, welding, electrical engineering, plumbing, information technology, energy, green jobs, advanced manufacturing, health care, or cybersecurity. (c) Use of funds A grantee under this section may use funds— (1) to establish or expand partnerships with organizations that provide African-American participants and other nontraditional program participants access to financial planning, mentoring, and supportive services that are necessary to enable an individual to participate in and complete a program under the national apprenticeship system; (2) to conduct outreach and recruitment activities, including assessments of potential African-American participants and other nontraditional participants for, and enrollment of such participants in, a program under the national apprenticeship system; (3) to conduct outreach, engagement, recruitment, and coordination of activities, for the purpose of establishing industry or sector partnerships and opportunities under the national apprenticeship system, with— (A) employers; (B) industry associations; (C) labor and labor-management organizations; (D) qualified intermediaries; (E) education and training providers; (F) State or local workforce agencies; (G) potential sponsors; (H) community-based organizations; (I) communities with high numbers or percentages of individuals who are African American and other individuals from populations that the Secretary determines to be nontraditional apprenticeship populations; (J) small- and medium-sized businesses; or (K) rural communities; (4) to carry out grant requirements, including program evaluation and reporting requirements; and (5) to conduct any activities as described in the application that would advance the purposes of the grant. (d) Grant recipient report Each recipient of a grant under this section shall— (1) submit to the Diversity and Inclusion Administrator a report at the conclusion of the grant period, which shall include— (A) a description of how the funds received through the grant were used to increase the participation of individuals who are African American, Hispanic, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or Native American in the program; (B) the total number of active program participants; (C) the total number that obtained unsubsidized employment in a field related to the apprenticeable occupation; (D) the total number of program participants that completed the program in which they were enrolled; (E) the average time to completion for each program; (F) the average cost per participant during the most recent program year; and (G) the percentage of participants who received additional support services; and (2) submit each report under paragraph (1)— (A) to the registration agency; and (B) to the Diversity and Inclusion Administrator. (e) Eligible entity defined In this section, the term eligible entity means— (1) a program sponsor; (2) a State workforce development board or State workforce agency, or a local workforce development board or local workforce development agency; (3) an education and training provider, or a consortium thereof; (4) if the applicant is in a State with a State apprenticeship agency, such State apprenticeship agency; (5) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization; (6) an industry or sector partnership, a group of employers, a trade association, or a professional association that sponsors or participates in a program under the national apprenticeship system; (7) a Governor of a State; (8) a labor organization or joint-labor management organization; (9) a community organization working in partnership with one or more registered apprenticeship programs; or (10) a qualified intermediary.