WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of approximately $81 million in grant funding to assist people reentering their communities after being incarcerated by helping them gain experience and secure employment in skilled trades and high-demand industries. The Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training initiative grants will enable organizations to provide training programs to formerly incarcerated individuals in skilled trades and high-demand industries. The department will give priority consideration to applicants focused on shipbuilding as well as those partnering with Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors. “Through our RESTART Program, the Labor Department is offering Americans with a criminal background an opportunity to learn in-demand skills and find mortgage-paying jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “The Trump Administration remains committed to building a skilled workforce that will drive our economy into the future and help every American worker become self-sufficient.”Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the RESTART grants will provide individuals with criminal records or those once involved in the criminal justice system the training necessary for employment in targeted industries. Such training and employment services include pre-apprenticeships; work-based learning; AI and digital literacy training; credential attainment; and paid work experiences, with a specific focus on placing participants into the proven model of Registered Apprenticeships.The department intends to fund up to 20 RESTART projects nationwide, with approximately $30 million allotted for national or regional intermediary organizations serving youth and young adults and up to $5.1 million for individual awards. The remaining funds will be awarded to states, territories, and tribes to support state-led projects that integrate RESTART grant activities with the public workforce system under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. These grants will leverage existing workforce infrastructure and ensure effective strategies can be sustained after the grant period.  Read more about grant funding opportunities, including technical assistance and grant guidance webinars. Learn more about RESTART grant eligibility and how to apply.