The Indiana Department of Workforce Development is accepting applications for a major apprenticeship expansion grant. Funded through the U.S. Department of Labor's State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF) program, this opportunity provides dedicated funding for Registered Apprenticeship Programs and Certified Pre-Apprenticeships in education and advanced manufacturing sectors.
What the Grant Covers
This grant focuses primarily on Related Technical Instruction (RTI) costs—the classroom-based learning that apprentices need alongside their on-the-job training. Each award includes funding for RTI, mentoring support, administration, and case management. Award recipients will participate in "AiHub," a community of practice where grantees share best practices and address common challenges to support the industry's growth.
RTI funding covers class tuition, testing/certification/licensure fees, as well as required tools, books, and materials. Mentoring funds support structured training and stipends for qualified mentors. Case management encompasses program management, compliance reporting, grant-required data entry, and audit-ready record-keeping—tasks that can be automated with a free apprenticeship data management platform like Craft, thereby reducing administrative overhead.
Eligible Applicants:
To be considered for this grant, applicants must meet the following criteria. Eligible entities must either already have, or be able to obtain, registered bidder status with the State of Indiana and must maintain an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov/ throughout the grant period.
Eligible entities include:
- Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary Organizations
- Accredited Postsecondary Institutions
- Regional Workforce Development Boards
- Current Group Sponsors
- Trade Associations
- Other qualified nonprofit or public entities capable of fulfilling program responsibilities
Who Should Apply
Eligible applicants include Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary Organizations, accredited postsecondary institutions, workforce development boards, group sponsors, trade associations, and qualified nonprofit or public entities. All applicants must partner with at least one Indiana employer currently operating or applying for a Registered Apprenticeship or Certified Pre-Apprenticeship within six months.
How Funding Works
Education Categories:
- Teacher RTI: $60,000 - $120,000 (5-10 participants minimum)
- Paraeducator: $43,750 - $50,000 (7-8 participants minimum)
- Counselor: $65,000 (5 participants minimum)
- Principal: $39,000 (3 participants minimum)
- Pre-Apprenticeship: $21,562 (25 participants minimum)
Advanced Manufacturing Categories:
- Machine Tool (CNC Machining): $109,500 (12 participants minimum)
- Industrial Electrical (PLC): $109,500 (12 participants minimum)
- Industrial Maintenance: $109,500 (12 participants minimum)
- Industry 4.0 (Smart Tech/AI): $109,500 (12 participants minimum)
- Quality Control & Logistics: $109,500 (12 participants minimum)
- Robotics: $109,500 (12 participants minimum)
- Pre-Apprenticeship: $21,562 (25 participants minimum)
Application Details:
- Apply for multiple categories (total award cap: $400,000 per round)
- Grant period: July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2027
- No match requirement
- Application deadline: December 1, 2025
Performance & Reporting Requirements
Grantees must submit quarterly reports within 15 days of the end of each quarter, including performance narratives, financial data, and evaluation metrics. All participant data must be entered into Indiana Career Connect for federal reporting, and RAP participants must be entered into RAPIDS.
Success metrics include enrolling a total of 293 minimum participants, creating five new RAPs, and expanding 10 existing programs. Craft integrates with RAPIDS and provides real-time dashboards to track these performance metrics, streamlining quarterly reporting and ensuring audit-ready compliance with USDOL and WIOA requirements.
What You Can't Fund
The grant prohibits wage subsidies, costs outside the approved scope, and the supplanting of other committed funds.
How Craft Supports Your Grant
At Craft Education, we help Indiana grantees, employers, and training providers maximize apprenticeship impact through:
- A free data tracking and compliance platform to simplify RTI tracking, RAPIDS integration, and quarterly reporting requirements
- Program design and implementation support that aligns with USDOL and state compliance standards
- Strategic consulting to ensure sustainability beyond the grant period
By leveraging Craft Education's no-cost technology and expertise, grantees can focus their funding on instruction, participant support, and employer engagement—while we handle the data, compliance, and outcomes tracking. Our role-based access enables seamless collaboration between employers, training providers, and intermediaries—essential for AiHub participation and multi-partner grants.
Ready to strengthen your application? Contact Robert Owens (robert.owens@crafteducation.com) to schedule a conversation and explore how Craft can help maximize your SAEF-3 grant impact and support apprenticeship success in Indiana's education and advanced manufacturing sectors.
