Business Training Grants FAQ

Eligibility Questions

Q: My business is a nonprofit. Can I apply?
A: If your nonprofit is not considered governmental, you can apply. Political organizations and government entities, except Wyoming county and memorial hospitals and emergency medical providers, are not eligible.

Q: I’m a new business. Can I apply?
A: Yes! You’ll need a Letter of Support from your local Economic Development Entity. Once verified, you can register and start your application. Just submit it within the first 7 days of the month.

Q: I’m the only employee and don’t have unemployment insurance or workers’ compensation. Can I apply?
A: Yes! You will still need to register with Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Workers’ Compensation (WC).

Application Timing and Training

Q: When should I apply for a training grant?
A: Per the grant rules, the application must be submitted 30 to 110 days PRIOR to the start date of the training. Just be sure to account for the open application window during the first 7 days of the month.

Q: What training qualifies for a grant?
A: Training must be directly related to the trainee’s role and upgrade the trainee’s specific skill level or correct a skill deficiency. It should:

• Enhance productivity, efficiency, or profits
• Reduce employee turnover
• Enhance employee effectiveness or wages

Q: Can I apply for leadership training?
A: Yes, if it’s specific to your industry or occupation. General leadership training might not qualify.

Grant Coverage

Q: What costs does the grant cover?
A: It covers:

• Tuition, registration, and class fees
• Training materials
• Travel expenses (like airfare, mileage, and rental cars)
• Instructor fees where the instructor is NOT an employee of the business requesting grant funding.
• Fees for continuing education unit, licenses or certifications earned during training

Q: What costs are not covered?
A: It doesn’t cover:

• Lodging and meals
• Wages or fringe benefits
• Admin expenses
• Equipment or software
• Exams not included in training
• Merchandise from the training
• Additional activities while at training (golfing, sightseeing, etc.)

After You Apply

Q: How will I know if my application is approved?
A: You’ll get an email from the grant portal If approved which will guide you through the next steps!

Q: My application was returned for revisions. What do I need to do?
A: Please review the revision notes in the email from the WDTF team and provide the appropriate updates via the Grant Management Portal to resubmit. Please note that revisions need to be received within 2 business days in order to be considered for approval. An application will only be sent back two times for revisions / clarification, if not made within those two attempts, the grant will be denied. 

Q: What if my application gets denied?
A: Depending on the reason for the denial, you may submit a new application with the necessary changes. 

Q: I need more time to complete my training, can I change my end date of training that was approved?
A: Yes, an amendment request will need to be submitted through the Grant Portal for consideration. The amendment must be submitted at least 20 days prior to the end date of training in order to be processed.

Q: One of my trainees can’t attend. What should I do?
A: You can substitute another trainee before the start date. Just submit a request to the WDTF team through email or your portal.

Final Steps

Q: When is the Final Report issued and due?
A: A Final Report will be issued as a task on the funding award 45 days after the end date of training for the grantee to complete. The Final Report must be submitted within 45 and 135 days after training ends. The system will also send due date reminders as the deadline approaches. If the Final Report is not submitted within 135 days, the report will be automatically closed for submission and the grant will be denied for payment. 

Q: Do I need new documents for the Final Report?
A: Yes, you will need to upload actual receipts for the approved eligible expenses that were included in the application. 

Q: I uploaded an agenda in my application. Do I need to submit a new one in my Final Report?
A: Yes, per the grant rules outlined, an agenda needs to be provided again at final reporting. 

Q: My final report was sent back for revisions, what does that mean?
A: Please review the revisions requested in the email sent. Revisions typically mean WDTF needs more information, information providing is not aligning with the application details, or we are missing documentation or need revised documents. These revisions must be corrected and resubmitted within five (5) business days in order to be reviewed and processed. If the revisions are not submitted within that timeframe, the task will be closed for submission and the grant will be denied for payment. 

Q: Do all trainees need to write a summary?
A: No, however, the training summary must be conclusive feedback of all trainees that attended. 

Q: I had to terminate one of the trainees. Can I still get reimbursed?
A: Yes, you are eligible to get reimbursed for their expenses only if the employee met the required 45 day employment retention period as outlined in the Letter of Agreement.

Q: When will I get reimbursed?
A: After training is done, your Final Report is submitted and approved, and all expenses are verified.

Q: How will I get reimbursed?
A: You will get reimbursed by whatever preferred method is outlined in your W9.

Support

Q: Who do I reach out to for help?
A: Please reach out to our WDTF team at dws-wdtf@wyo.gov for any assistance you need!