Strong Workforce Program (SWP)

More and Better Career Technical Education to Increase Social Mobility and Fuel Regional Economies with Skilled Workers

To develop more workforce opportunities and lift low-wage workers into living-wage jobs, California took a bold step in 2016 to create one million more middle-skill workers. At the recommendation of the California Community College Board of Governors, the Governor and Legislature approved the Strong Workforce Program, adding a new annual recurring investment of $248 million to spur career technical education (CTE) in the nation’s largest workforce development system of 113 colleges.

California Community College's Strong Workforce Program

Applying for SWP: Local Funds

About the Application

• Applications are created in NOVA. For first time users, of the NOVA system, please contact the strongworkforcehelpdesk@cccco.edu and provide the necessary information. Access to NOVA and a password with then be created for you.
• Any proposal in the NOVA system may be accessed by clicking on Local Share or Regional Share Projects in the left-hand navigation window.
• SCC’s proposals may be accessed by selecting SCC in the institution drop-down menu.
• Create a user account and password in Launchboard at Cal-PASS Plus. This website will provide information to determine outcome metrics.
• Funding requests can be made for industry sectors, across College Career Education, or for a specific program.
• For new funding requests for a specific program, complete the Labor Market (LMI) Request form and submit to your Dean/Manager.
• Dean/Manager forwards an LMI request to Gabriel Meehan, AVP for submission to the Center of Excellence (COE) for labor market data.
• The COE returns LMI within one week indicating that the project is fundable or not fundable.
• While waiting for the LMI report, begin the application process in NOVA.
• Input project title, start date, end date, # of years, project description, and the rationale for the project. Contact information for the project lead as well as other contact information for the lead institution and other participating institutions.
• Select the projects that meet the intent of the 25 SWP task force recommendations (i.e. increasing CE enrollments that lead to successful workforce outcomes)

Task Force Recommendations

• Input LMI, outcome metrics, Task Force recommendations, work plan, and budget by object codes.
• Refer to the Local Share Manual (link on NOVA) for instructions on how to complete the plan.
• "Email Preview PDF" from the preview tab to Gabriel Meehan, AVP for College Approval, and submission to District Office.
• For users who wish to request funds for an existing application, ask the AVP to un-certify the application.
• Then update the existing project application with start date, end date, # of years the project will run. Then complete the budget information by object code with the funding request for the year of application.
• If funds requested exceed funds available, the requests will be ranked based on an ability to meet SWP outcomes as well as the submission date.
• The AVP notifies the relevant dean or manager when the proposal is certified and requests a budget spreadsheet by account codes based on the application in NOVA.

If funds are requested for a full-time position, there will be an additional review process at the college and at the District. This will delay your application process for several weeks.

Strong Workforce Program Forms