Federal Announcements

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the appointments of 30 members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship to advise the Secretary of Labor on issues related to the national apprenticeship system. Through their work on the committee, members will leverage their knowledge and experience to provide advice and recommendations on ways to use the apprenticeship training model to improve equitable access to career pathways for America’s workers and jobseekers.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced a new $24 million funding opportunity for workforce training programs with a focus on training in clean energy jobs that do not require a four-degree.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of nearly $200 million in grants to continue to support public-private partnerships that expand, diversify and strengthen Registered Apprenticeship.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the availability of $63 million to accelerate the growth of domestic manufacturing of residential heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and other heat pump systems and components.

The U.S. National Science Foundation is investing $9.75 million to advance novel solutions for complex societal and economic challenges inspired by biological systems. NSF's investment awards 15 multidisciplinary teams to Phase 1 of the NSF Convergence Accelerator's Track M: Bio-Inspired Design Innovations.

The Department of Defense announced seven awards totaling $192.5 million through the Defense Production Act Investments Program to establish domestic manufacturing capabilities for critical chemicals.

The Department of Defense announced new opportunities for American businesses to advance biotechnology as part of President Biden's efforts to strengthen and build the resiliency of America's defense industrial base and secure its supply chains. Biomanufacturing has the potential to support the U.S. military and our allies and partners by generating needed materials — from fuels and chemicals to food and medical supplies.

The U.S. Department of Energy finalized Congressionally-mandated energy efficiency `standards for residential cooking products that will reduce household utility costs while improving appliance reliability and performance. These standards reflect a joint recommendation from a wide range of stakeholders, including the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Consumer Federation of America and energy efficiency advocates.

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced two of the first-ever NSF Regional Innovation Engines as a part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The two awardees are focused on regenerative medicine and driving innovation in textile manufacturing in regions anchored in North Carolina.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $171 million for 49 projects across 21 states to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the development of innovative decarbonization technologies. Advancing next-generation technologies that reduce harmful emissions is a key component of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to tackle the climate crisis, create new, good-paying jobs across the nation, and strengthen America’s manufacturing and industrial competitiveness.