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Southeastern WisconsinWIRED Initiative
Innovation Fund:Round I
April 11, 2008
Technical Assistance Forum
April 21, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.State Fair Park, Youth Center www.milwaukee7-rwa.org
Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED: Round I Innovation Fund Application Guide
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Table of Contents
I.
Purpose of the WIRED Innovation Fund………………………….……..……3II.
Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED Initiative Background…………………..3III.
Available Funds……………………………………………………………………..4IV.
Eligible Applicants and Partnership Requirements………………………….6V.
Source of Funds, Allowable Uses of Funds, andGeneral Administrative / Fiscal Requirements………………………….…..7VI.
WIRED Funding Priorities & Principles………………………………………..8VII.
Exploratory Investment Application Process: Letter of Interest………….9VIII.
Demonstration Investment Application Process……………………………10IX.
Evaluation & Selection Criteria………………………………………………...13X.
Announcement of Awards………………………………………………………..14XI.
Contact……………………………………………………………………………….14
ATTACHMENTS:A.
Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED Implementation Plan Goal MatrixB.
Budget Worksheet
Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED: Round I Innovation Fund Application Guide
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I.
Purpose of the WIRED Innovation Fund
In the global innovation economy, the competitiveness of our region is only as strongas our talent base. Southeastern Wisconsin leaders understand this and arecommitted to reshaping workforce talent development in the seven counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha. A$2.5 million
Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED Innovation Fund
will be dedicated totransforming talent development into a force for regional economic development. Over2008-09, Southeastern Wisconsin’s
Innovation Fund
will invest in projects totransform education, economic, and workforce development to create a pipeline of talent to grow our region’s economy in the 21
st
Century. This Innovation Fund willinvest in programs, projects, and activities that provide new and improved talentdevelopment solutions to the business, jobseeker, and worker communities. The Innovation Fund will create a portfolio of investments in 2008 and 2009. As itsname suggests, this fund will support innovation. Investments may include new waysof delivering demand-driven technical training to jobseekers or some other targetpopulation. Investments may also support programs that prepare adults who lackbasic skills and educational credentials and then connect them into career pathways.Additionally, or alternately, investments may support cross-industry training in workplace and business competencies so that workers can succeed in the 21
st
century workplace. It is also possible that investments may promote Science, Technology,Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and careers. The
Innovation Fund
will invest in workforce solutions that are regional, replicable,strategic, sustainable, transformational, targeted, industry-driven, and innovative. This Innovation Fund will invest in projects and activities that help to achieve WIREDImplementation Plan goals, priorities, and strategies. Successful applicants mustreview and understand Milwaukee 7’sStrategic Economic Frameworkand theImplementation Planfor the Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED Initiative, whichrepresents the region’s blueprint for building a talent development system that is fullyintegrated with regional economic development. The documents can also be found at:
http://www.milwaukee7-rwa.com/wiki/show/Learn%20More
II.
Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED Initiative Background
The Southeastern Wisconsin WIRED Initiative is a $5.1 million project funded by theU.S. Department of Labor to address the critical role that talent plays in regionaleconomic development. The region’s
WIRED Initiative
represents an intensive,collaborative effort to promote talent development as a key component of SoutheasternWisconsin’s economic development strategy. It unites Milwaukee 7 economiccollaborative efforts with key efforts in talent development, most notably with theRegional Workforce Alliance (RWA) that emerged from the State of Wisconsin’sGrowing Regional Opportunities in Wisconsin (GROW) grant. The WIRED Initiative will invest in programs, projects and activities to prepare workers in our region to compete for 21
st
century high growth jobs, particularly in“driver industries,” in a manner that both leverages and supports Milwaukee 7regional economic development efforts. While RWA’s mission is to transformSoutheastern Wisconsin’s workforce development system into one that provides talent
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