Train Your Workforce with Small Business Grants
Local Texas businesses can receive grant funding to train new and existing workers through Lamar State College Orange. The state pays for the training, and you get skilled employees.
Perfect for businesses with under 100 employees who need quick, straightforward training funding.
Designed for larger-scale training initiatives that require partnership between businesses and colleges.
How to Apply for Funding
- Contact LSCO Workforce Education to discuss your training needs and goals
- Identify Training Courses from our catalog that meet your business needs, or request a custom workforce training plan
- Submit Application to Texas Workforce Commission (we'll help with this process)
- Start Training once funding is approved – usually within 30-60 days
About Texas Workforce Commission Grants
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) administers state funding programs designed to strengthen Texas businesses by developing skilled workers. These grants connect businesses with local colleges to provide customized job training that meets specific industry needs. The programs have successfully helped thousands of Texas employers improve productivity, reduce turnover, and build competitive advantage through a more skilled workforce.
The Skills for Small Business grant supports businesses with fewer than 100 employees. The program focuses on training new and incumbent workers. Up to $2 million is available for supporting our state's small employers. With over 433,000 small businesses in Texas, small employers are a key part of the business community.
Small businesses can apply to Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) for training provided by a local community college. TWC will process the application and work with colleges to fund the courses. The business is then able to select the courses to customize training to their needs.
- This program emphasizes new and incumbent employees for small businesses.
- The program funds $2000 per new employee and $1000 per incumbent employee.
- Funding for training is for full-time employees.
- All training must be provided by a public community or technical college.
- Employers must pay the prevailing wage in their local labor markets.
- Common training courses include: Customer Services, Quickbooks, CPR, Sales/Marketing.
- Managers and business owners may be eligible to participate, dependent on job duties.
The Skills Development Fund Grant assists businesses, labor unions, and community and technical colleges by financing customized job training for new or existing jobs in local businesses. This grant successfully merges business needs and local job training opportunities into a winning formula for putting people to work.
This program, through the Texas Workforce Commission, is designed to help Texas public community and technical colleges and a higher education extension agency finance customized job training for their local businesses. The funds provide training for specific skills for workers who will be hired by the businesses. Businesses and labor unions that form partnerships with local community colleges and technical schools or the higher education extension agency may apply.
For more information visit the TWC Skills Development Fund website.