Iowa Workforce Development Communications
For Immediate Release
Date: September 15, 2026
Contact: Jesse Dougherty
Telephone: 515-725-5487
Email: [email protected]
Printer Friendly Version of Press Release (PDF) (121.69 KB) .pdf
Iowa Launches New Grant Program to Expand Capacity for Training Workers in High-Demand Careers
Career Training Physical Expansion Grants will help grow apprenticeship programs statewide.
DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) today is announcing the launch of the Career Training Physical Expansion Grant Program (CTPE), a new state-funded initiative designed to help Iowa community colleges, trade unions, and private sector apprenticeship programs expand their physical capacity to train more workers in high-demand fields.
Grant Details
- Applications for the CTPE grant program are now being accepted on iowagrants.gov.
- Grant applications will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026.
- A grant webinar for interested applicants will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. (Register for the CTPE Webinar – Zoom)
The competitive grant program will award a total of $3.5 million in grant funding statewide, with the money administered through reimbursement upon the completion of approved project activities or through the confirmation of programs expanding their capacity. The maximum allocation per individual award is $1 million. Of the total available funding, $1.5 million is to be specifically reserved for healthcare-related programs to reflect Iowa’s critical workforce needs in this sector.
Eligible applicants include Iowa’s community colleges and unionized or nonunionized private sector apprenticeship programs. Interested organizations are encouraged to review grant documents and instructions at workforce.iowa.gov/CTPE.
“Today’s grant announcement and the subsequent investment to follow will help ensure that Iowa’s workforce training programs keep pace with the needs of today’s employers,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “Whether through expanding physical capacity or improving facilities, we are giving Iowans more opportunities to skill up and strengthening the talent pipeline in the areas most critical for economic growth.”
Funding for the CTPE program will directly support the construction of new (primarily in-person) training facilities, expansion or modification of existing facilities, or the purchase of essential equipment, enabling Iowa training providers to increase regional training capacity for occupations experiencing strong workforce demand across the state.
Learn more at workforce.iowa.gov/CTPE.
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