Veterans Accelerated Learning for Licensed Occupations Project | FOA ETA 19 06

Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ETA 19 06

The Veterans Accelerated Learning for Licensed Occupations Project (FOA ETA 19-06) was a U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration discretionary funding opportunity designed to help veterans and transitioning service members (TSMs) earn state occupational licenses faster and with fewer unnecessary barriers. The core idea was to make the pathway from military training to civilian, state-licensed careers more direct by closely comparing what service members already learned in the military with what states and civilian training programs require for licensure. Instead of forcing veterans to repeat training they effectively already completed, the project focuses on recognizing military learning, pinpointing what is missing, and filling only those missing pieces in an efficient way.

A central feature of the opportunity is the detailed identification of "gaps" between military education/training and civilian licensing requirements for comparable occupations. The announcement highlights a common issue: military training may be judged as equivalent to only part of a civilian course, such as receiving 1 or 2 credits toward a 3-credit requirement, leaving a partial-course deficit that still blocks progress. When these shortfalls appear across multiple required courses, veterans can end up spending significant time and money completing redundant or misaligned coursework. This grant opportunity was structured to systematically surface those mismatches and translate them into clear, actionable learning requirements rather than leaving veterans to navigate fragmented credit decisions on their own.

To address these gaps, the project calls for development of a "bridge curriculum" that targets only the missing competencies veterans need to meet civilian program and licensing standards. Importantly, the bridge content is intended to be created as open educational resources (OER), meaning the materials can be shared and reused broadly rather than locked behind a single institution or proprietary platform. The aim is to create practical, modular learning resources that help veterans quickly cover partial-course content or specific skill areas that military training did not include, so they can enter and complete the remaining education required for a state license aligned with their career goals.

In addition to creating bridge training, the opportunity also emphasizes reducing barriers by improving how civilian education and training programs award credit for military learning. The project seeks to identify situations where schools or training providers can waive required courses outright, award academic or training credit based on military experience, or provide advanced standing within existing programs. In practice, that means using military training more effectively as a recognized substitute for portions of civilian curricula, helping veterans move past entry-level requirements and into the remaining training that genuinely adds new value toward licensure.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the Department of Labor expected to have substantial involvement in the work as it progresses (for example, coordination, guidance, or collaboration on deliverables). The award ceiling was $2,500,000, and the agency anticipated making about three awards. The funding activity category was Employment, Labor and Training (CFDA 17.207). The opportunity was posted on April 10, 2019, with an application deadline of May 10, 2019, and applications were due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, suggesting the applicant pool could include certain types of organizations beyond the standard categories, depending on the specifics provided in the FOA.

Overall, the grant is aimed at making occupational licensure more attainable for veterans and transitioning service members by (1) mapping military learning to civilian licensing requirements with precision, (2) eliminating needless repetition through credit and advanced standing, and (3) building targeted OER bridge materials to close only the real gaps that remain. The intended outcome is a faster, more cost-effective route to state licenses and, ultimately, quicker entry into stable civilian careers that require formal licensure.

• The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Veterans Accelerated Learning for Licensed Occupations Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.207.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 10, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2019 The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is May 10, 2019. Applications must be received no later than 40000 p.m. Eastern Time.. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FOA ETA 19 06

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