Quick Response Training Grants

Quick Response Training (QRT) grants, administered by Workforce Florida, provide funding for customized training to new or expanding businesses. Through this customer-driven program, Florida is able to effectively retain and attract businesses creating new high-quality jobs. The grants are structured to be flexible and "respond quickly" to meet the business’s training objectives. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, Workforce Florida awarded Quick Response Training grants totaling nearly $5.9 million to support the creation of 3,990 new jobs and provide skills upgrade training for 4,888 existing full-time employees. On average, trainees’ wages increased by more than 47 percent within a year of completing QRT-supported training. QRT was recognized in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 report, Enterprising States: Dream Big, as a contributing factor to Florida’s No. 1 ranking for workforce and job training programs.

Program requirements:
New, existing or expanding Florida businesses applying for a QRT grant must:

• Produce an exportable good or service
• Create new, full-time, permanent, high-quality jobs in qualified targeted industries (pdf, 9K)
• Require customized entry-level skills training of 24 months or less which is not available at the local level
• Meet ES202 Wage Requirements (pdf, 893K)

Funding priority given to businesses on a first-come, first serve basis:

• Creating high skill/high wage jobs in qualified targeted industries (pdf, 9K)
• Offering jobs located in a distressed, urban inner city, rural area, Enterprise Zone or Brownfield area
• Whose grant proposals have the greatest potential for economic impact that contribute in-kind and/or cash matches

Reimbursable training expenses are allowed in the following areas:

• Instructors’/trainers’ salaries
• Curriculum development
• Textbooks/manuals

Quick Links

1. QRT Program Guidelines (MS Word, 43K)
2. QRT Application (MS Word, 300K)
3. QRT Fact Sheet (pdf, 187K)
4. QRT FAQs
5. Northwest Florida QRT Successes (pdf, 201K)
6. South Florida QRT Successes (pdf, 203K)

Debbie McMullian
dmcmullian@workforceflorida.com