Upstate Advanced Manufacturing Skills Alliance

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Upstate Advanced Manufacturing Skills Alliance is a nonprofit in South Carolina, built by local manufacturers, that trains the next generation of machinists, welders and industrial maintenance technicians. We run a hands-on training center with CNC machines and a welding lab, teach short, intensive programs that lead to nationally recognized credentials and help graduates find jobs with the employers who helped design the training. We also train workers companies already employ, so that people can move up and companies can keep their best people.

Manufacturing is a major employer across our region, and many of its jobs pay well above the average for jobs that do not require a four-year degree. But manufacturers tell us they cannot find enough skilled workers. Many experienced machinists and welders are close to retirement, and young people and career changers often have never seen what a modern plant looks like. Today's manufacturing jobs use computers, precision measurement and advanced equipment, and employers need workers with basic skills in safety, blueprint reading and quality before they can be trained on the job. Meanwhile, many adults in our community are out of work or stuck in jobs with no future, and many would thrive in a plant if someone gave them the training and a first chance.

With this grant we will enroll about 60 adults in Year 1 in four cohorts of about 15, in two tracks: CNC machining and welding. We expect about 51 to complete training. Each earns credentials such as those from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) or the American Welding Society, plus OSHA safety training. A stipend, childcare and transportation help and a Career Coach remove barriers. Our goal is that at least 80% of graduates are working in manufacturing within 90 days. We also deliver short courses for about 90 current employees of local plants, paid for by their employers. We do not promise any participant a job.

Our Year 1 budget is about $632,000, growing to about $968,500 by Year 5 as we add an industrial maintenance track, instructors and a second career coach and serve about 146 adults a year. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 10 by Year 5. Employer-sponsored seats and incumbent worker training, plus workforce board and state training contracts, grow from about 30% of our income in Year 1 to about 53% in Year 5, so grants fall from about 65% to about 40%.

We are asking the Palmetto Workforce Foundation for $120,000 for one Manufacturing Training Instructor, participant stipends, credential exams, training materials and metal stock, and childcare and transportation support. Employers, contracts, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Lamar Jenkins, the Executive Director and a former plant manager. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Upstate Advanced Manufacturing Skills Alliance is a nonprofit organization in South Carolina. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity (or a program of one, through a fiscal sponsor), governed by a volunteer board of directors. We will provide our IRS determination letter, board list and most recent financial statements with this proposal.

Our mission. To build a skilled, diverse manufacturing workforce for our region by training people for careers in advanced manufacturing and helping employers grow their own talent.

What we believe. Modern manufacturing offers stable careers with good pay, benefits and room to grow, and it needs people of every background. The best training is built by employers and taught by people who have done the work. Safety is the first skill and the most important one. Adults should be able to train without losing their income, and companies should be able to upskill their own workers without leaving the workforce behind. Training should lead to credentials that employers across the industry recognize, so that workers can take them anywhere.

How we started. The Alliance began when the owners of three machine shops and a fabrication plant sat down with a community college instructor and a workforce board director to talk about the same problem: none of them could find enough machinists or welders. They arranged an evening class in the back of one shop, using donated machines and instructors from their own staff. In two years, 44 adults took the class, 36 completed it, 31 earned a credential and 28 were hired by local manufacturers, several of whom had never hired from outside their own families before. More companies asked to join, and the workforce board asked whether we could offer training regularly. This proposal asks for support to build a staffed, professionally run training center.

What we offer:
- CNC machining training. About 12 weeks of hands-on training in machine shop safety, blueprint reading, precision measurement, manual and CNC machining and quality control, leading to credentials from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) and OSHA 10-hour general industry safety certification.
- Welding training. About 12 weeks of hands-on training in welding safety, blueprint and weld symbol reading, and the common welding processes, leading to entry-level credentials offered by the American Welding Society and OSHA 10-hour safety certification.
- Industrial maintenance training (beginning in Year 3). About 14 weeks of training in electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, safety and troubleshooting, leading to credentials such as the Certified Production Technician credential from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council.
- Incumbent worker training. Short courses for current employees of local manufacturers, such as blueprint reading, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, statistical process control and lean manufacturing, paid for by their employers.
- Supports. A stipend, childcare help, transportation help, work boots and safety gear.
- Career coaching and placement. Resume help, interview practice, plant tours, introductions to employers, follow-up for 12 months after hire and advice about apprenticeship and further education.
- Apprenticeship connections. Graduates may enter registered apprenticeships in machining and welding sponsored by our employer partners, and training with us can count toward them.
- Manufacturing Day and school partnerships. Events and plant tours that show students and families what modern manufacturing is like.

What we do not do. We do not promise any participant a job or a wage. We do not charge participants for any part of the program. We do not guarantee that a participant will pass a credential test. We are not an employer or a staffing agency.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes two manufacturing owners, a plant manager, a union representative, a community college dean, a woman who works as a welder and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization and employer partnerships, the Program Director leads the training, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. Fourteen manufacturers have signed letters offering instructors, plant tours, equipment donations, interviews and sponsored seats, and the local workforce board has invited us to apply to be an approved training provider. We have a letter of intent for a 12,000 square foot industrial building with three-phase power, a shop and a classroom. Before we begin, an attorney will review our lease, our employer and equipment donation agreements and our participant policies.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Manufacturing is a cornerstone of South Carolina's economy and has attracted new investment across the state. Many manufacturers report that they cannot find enough skilled workers to fill open jobs, and a large share of the current workforce will retire in the next decade. At the same time, the nature of the work has changed. Modern plants use computer-controlled machines, robotics and quality systems, and they need workers with technical skills, not just a willingness to work.

The gaps we see:
1. Skills and credentials. Many jobs require a basic knowledge of safety, measurement, blueprint reading and machine operation, and employers prefer applicants with a recognized credential. Applicants without them are often not considered.
2. An aging workforce. Many experienced machinists and welders are nearing retirement, and their knowledge needs to be passed on.
3. Perceptions. Many young people, parents and job seekers think of manufacturing as dirty, dangerous or dead-end, and have never seen a modern plant. As a result, fewer people consider it.
4. Cost and time. Training at private schools can cost thousands of dollars, and college programs take longer than many adults can afford. Adults who must support a family cannot go without pay.
5. Costs beyond tuition. Tools, boots, safety gear, exam fees, childcare and transportation add up, and can stop a person who has paid tuition.
6. Barriers to being hired. People who are older, who have gaps in their work history, who have a criminal record or who are new to the area may be screened out, though many are excellent employees.
7. Employers cannot train from scratch. Small and mid-sized manufacturers often do not have the staff or time to train new workers, and many do not have a way to upskill their current workers for new technology.
8. Underrepresentation. Women make up only about a quarter of manufacturing workers nationally, and Black and Latino workers are underrepresented in many skilled trades roles. Programs need to reach them.

What the evidence says. Training programs built as sector partnerships, where employers help design the curriculum, provide equipment and instructors, and hire graduates, tend to produce better employment and earnings results than programs without strong employer ties. Results vary, and we will measure and report our own.

How we know people want this. In our pilot, 44 adults enrolled, 36 completed, 31 earned a credential and 28 were hired. Fourteen manufacturers have signed letters offering to interview, hire and send current employees. The workforce board has a waiting list of eligible adults interested in manufacturing.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add the number of manufacturing job openings and the share of workers expected to retire in our region from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and employer letters, the typical hourly wages for machinists, welders and industrial maintenance technicians in our area from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and local postings, the unemployment rate in our target communities from the Census Bureau and the number of adults on the workforce board's waiting list.

Who benefits first. Adults 18 and older in our service area who are unemployed or underemployed and want a career in manufacturing, including laid-off workers, young adults who did not go to college, veterans, women, people with a record and career changers. Also manufacturers and their current employees.

Products & Services

What the grant will pay for and what we will do.

1. Recruit and screen. We recruit through the workforce board's career centers, high schools, churches, veterans' groups, reentry organizations, women's organizations and employers. Applicants attend an information session and a plant tour, complete a short application and interview and take a brief assessment in math and reading. We look for reliability, attention to detail and a desire to learn. Participants must be 18 or older and eligible to work in the United States. About 15 adults join each cohort, with four cohorts in Year 1.

2. Teach CNC machining. About 12 weeks, 30 hours a week, in our machine shop: safety and OSHA 10-hour training, shop math, blueprint reading, precision measurement with micrometers and calipers, manual milling and turning, CNC programming and operation using CAD and CAM software and quality control. Participants earn credentials from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills in measurement, materials and safety, and in machine operation, and complete projects that match industry parts.

3. Teach welding. About 12 weeks, 30 hours a week, in our welding lab: welding safety and OSHA 10-hour training, blueprint and weld symbol reading, safe use of cutting and grinding equipment and the common welding processes. Participants practice until they pass entry-level welding tests under standards of the American Welding Society, and earn credentials offered through that organization.

4. Add industrial maintenance in Year 3. About 14 weeks on electrical systems, mechanical drives, hydraulics, pneumatics and troubleshooting, with credentials such as the Certified Production Technician.

5. Remove barriers. Each participant receives a training stipend of $700 over the program, tied to attendance, plus work boots and safety gear, and help paying for credential exams, childcare, bus passes or gas cards. We pay for these directly to vendors, exam bodies and providers whenever possible. Participants who receive unemployment benefits are helped to ask the state agency how training and stipends affect their benefits.

6. Coach every participant to a job. The Career Coach and Employer Liaison works with each participant from the first week: resumes, interview practice, plant tours and mock interviews with employers, introductions to hiring managers and follow-up on every application. About 24 participants in Year 1 are in seats sponsored by employers who plan to interview them. We do not promise any participant a job.

7. Support the first year. The Career Coach checks in at 30, 90, 180 and 365 days after hire, helps with problems such as schedules or rides, and helps graduates plan the next credential, apprenticeship or college course.

8. Train current employees. The Employer Training Manager works with plants to identify skills gaps and delivers short courses on site or in our center, such as blueprint reading, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, statistical process control and lean manufacturing, paid for by the employers. About 8 courses reach about 90 employees in Year 1. We help employers use state and federal incumbent worker training funds where they qualify.

9. Connect to apprenticeships. We help employers register and fill apprenticeships in machining and welding, and give graduates credit for what they learned with us where sponsors agree.

10. Show the way. Each October, our Manufacturing Day open house and plant tours bring students, parents and job seekers to see modern manufacturing.

How we will measure results. We track enrollment, attendance, completion, credentials earned, test pass rates, employment in manufacturing at 90 days, 6 months and 12 months, wages and hours, and retention. For incumbent worker training, we track employees trained, employer satisfaction and later promotions. We report results by gender, race and background so that we can find and fix gaps, and we ask every participant and employer for feedback.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 60 adults enroll in four cohorts, with at least 85% completing, about 51 completers.
- At least 85% of completers earn at least one industry credential.
- At least 80% of completers are working in manufacturing within 90 days.
- At least 75% of those who are hired are still employed at 6 months.
- At least 25% of participants are women or people of color, in line with our recruitment goals.
- About 8 incumbent worker courses reach about 90 current employees, and at least 90% of employers say they would buy another.
- About 14 employers take part, with at least 8 interviewing or hiring graduates.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Foundation, including where we fall short. We do not promise a job or a wage to any participant.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The people. Adults 18 and older who live in our service area and want a career in manufacturing, and current employees of local manufacturers. We welcome everyone, whether or not they have manufacturing experience, a diploma or a clean record, and we reach out especially to laid-off workers, young adults who did not go to college, veterans, women, people of color, people with a criminal record, older workers and career changers. Participants must be authorized to work in the United States, as employers and funders require. The work involves lifting, standing and working around machinery, and we explain the physical requirements honestly.

Where we work. Our training center is a leased industrial building near a bus line and the region's main industrial corridor. Plant tours and incumbent worker courses are held at employers' sites and at our center.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 60 adults in four cohorts, about 51 completers and about 41 working within 90 days, with 24 seats sponsored, and about 8 incumbent worker courses for about 90 employees.
- Year 2: about 75 adults, about 64 completers and about 51 working within 90 days, with 33 seats sponsored.
- Year 3: about 94 adults, adding the industrial maintenance track and a third instructor, about 80 completers and about 64 working within 90 days, with 44 seats sponsored.
- Year 4: about 117 adults, with a second Career Coach, about 99 completers and about 79 working within 90 days, with 58 seats sponsored.
- Year 5: about 146 adults, with a fourth instructor, about 124 completers and about 99 working within 90 days, with 73 seats sponsored.
Over five years we expect to enroll about 490 adults and about 420 to complete training, plus about 300 current employees a year by Year 5 through incumbent worker courses.

Who else benefits:
- Manufacturers. They gain trained, credentialed workers, a way to upskill their own staff and a partner who helps them keep new hires.
- Families. A manufacturing job often pays a living wage with benefits, and a parent who finishes training becomes a role model.
- Students and schools. Plant tours and Manufacturing Day show students real careers.
- The region. A skilled workforce helps existing plants grow and helps attract new ones, and wages earned by graduates are spent locally.
- Taxpayers. Graduates who work pay taxes and need less public assistance, though we do not promise specific savings.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add the number of manufacturing job openings and expected retirements in our region, the typical wages for the target jobs, the number of manufacturers who have signed letters and the number of people on the workforce board's waiting list. These come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, employer letters and the workforce board.

Competitive Landscape

Other options people have, and how we fit.

- Technical colleges. The state's technical colleges offer strong machining, welding and industrial maintenance programs, often for credit and sometimes for a degree. They are essential partners. Their programs usually run during the day over a semester or longer, and rarely provide stipends, childcare help or job placement. We work with them, align our credentials and refer students both ways.
- Private welding and machining schools. Some offer fast training for a high price, and results vary. Our programs are free to participants.
- Employer-run training. Larger plants train their own workers, and many smaller plants cannot. We offer small and mid-sized manufacturers shared training they can use.
- Apprenticeships. Registered apprenticeships provide excellent paid training, but only employers can sponsor them, and many small employers do not have the time. We help them register and fill apprenticeships, and our graduates enter with a head start.
- High school career and technical programs. They introduce students to the trades. We partner with them and invite students to our open house.
- Workforce board programs. The workforce board funds training for eligible adults and job search help. We are applying to be an approved training provider so that eligible adults can use workforce funds with us.
- Staffing agencies. They place people quickly, often at lower wages and without training. We encourage direct-hire jobs with employers who invest in workers.
- Online courses. Useful for concepts, but machining and welding must be learned by hand.

The gap we fill. In our region, no program combines employer-designed, hands-on machining and welding training with industry credentials, stipends, childcare and transportation help, career coaching, apprenticeship connections and incumbent worker upskilling in one place.

Our partners:
- Fourteen manufacturers, including machine shops, fabricators and plants, which provide instructors, equipment, plant tours, interviews and sponsored seats.
- The local workforce development board, which refers participants and may sponsor seats.
- A technical college, which provides credit pathways, testing and instructors.
- A union and apprenticeship sponsors, which provide pathways.
- Reentry and veterans' organizations, a women in manufacturing group and several churches, which help recruit.
- The state department of commerce, which helps with employer connections and training funds.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How participants, employers and supporters will find us and how we keep them engaged.

Reaching participants:
- The workforce board's career centers. Career advisors refer adults who are eligible and interested.
- Employers. Manufacturers tell applicants who are close to qualifying about the program and offer plant tours.
- Community partners. Churches, libraries, reentry organizations, veterans' groups, women's organizations, high school counselors and neighborhood centers share flyers and host information sessions.
- Graduates. Our best recruiters are graduates who now work in plants. They speak at information sessions and on social media, with their permission.
- A simple website and a text number in English and Spanish, with start dates and an easy way to sign up.
- Social media, local radio and newspapers, featuring welders and machinists, including women.
- Manufacturing Day. Each October, an open house and plant tours show the community what modern manufacturing is like.

Making it easy to join:
- Information sessions are held in the evening and on Saturdays, with a meal and childcare, and include a plant tour.
- Training is offered in the morning and the evening, so that people who work part-time can attend.
- The program is free, and we tell applicants up front about the schedule, the stipend, the physical demands, credential tests and any background checks and drug tests employers require.
- We do not require a diploma to start, and we help applicants who need it with the application and with adult education.

Keeping participants engaged:
- Small cohorts of about 15 and hands-on work from the first week, so participants see themselves making real parts and welds.
- If a participant misses two classes, the Program Coordinator calls the same week to solve the problem.
- A goal-setting conversation in week one and progress reviews every two weeks.
- Projects that match real industry parts, and visits from employers who see them.

Reaching employers:
- The Executive Director and Employer Training Manager visit plants, explain the program and the incumbent worker courses and invite them to join our advisory council.
- Employers can interview students, join graduation and give feedback on the curriculum, and are asked to consider fair chance hiring.
- We follow up after a hire and offer support to the employer and the worker.

Reaching supporters. Manufacturers, banks, businesses and individuals are invited to sponsor a seat, a cohort or the equipment fund. We share results twice a year with funders and partners as totals.

Outreach budget. Employer engagement, Manufacturing Day and outreach are about $8,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 5% a year. The sign, outreach brochures and website are paid for once from startup money ($3,000).

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 3: Attorney review of the lease, employer and equipment donation agreements and participant policies, sign the lease, upgrade power, ventilation and compressed air, hire the Program Director, two Manufacturing Training Instructors, the Career Coach and the Employer Training Manager, buy and install the equipment and apply to be an approved training provider.
- Month 4: Instructor training, equipment safety checks and orientation with employers. Recruit and interview applicants for Cohort 1.
- Months 5 to 7: Cohort 1 (CNC machining) and Cohort 2 (welding) run. Recruit the next cohorts. First incumbent worker courses.
- Months 8 to 10: Cohorts 3 and 4 run. Cohorts 1 and 2 graduates begin job search with the Career Coach. First employment results.
- Months 11 and 12: Year-end review of results, a report to funders and employers and planning for Year 2.

Space. A leased industrial building of about 12,000 square feet near a bus line, with a machine shop, a welding lab, a classroom for 20, a small office, a loading dock and accessible restrooms. Training center space and utilities are about $54,000 a year in Year 1. An electrical service upgrade, ventilation, compressed air, flooring and lighting for the shop are a one-time cost of $30,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $10,000.

Equipment. We buy about $90,000 of equipment once at the start: a used CNC milling machine and CNC lathe with tooling ($36,000), manual mill, manual lathe, saw, grinder and hand tools ($10,000), a welding lab with four booths, welding machines and fume extraction ($24,000), precision measurement and quality tools ($5,000), twelve laptops with CAD and CAM software access, classroom furniture and a projector ($9,000), and machine guarding, first aid and eyewash stations, fire extinguishers and lockout and tagout kits ($6,000). Manufacturers may donate additional equipment under written agreements. After Year 1, we set aside about $10,000 to $16,000 a year to replace and add equipment, including the industrial maintenance training stations in Year 3. Equipment maintenance, tooling and software licenses are about $24,000 a year in Year 1, and training materials, metal stock and consumables are about $36,000.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Program Director, two Manufacturing Training Instructors, a Career Coach and Employer Liaison, an Employer Training Manager and a part-time Program Coordinator. A third instructor and the industrial maintenance track begin in Year 3, a second Career Coach in Year 4 and a fourth instructor in Year 5. Instructors have industry experience and hold the credentials they teach.

Safety. Safety comes first. Every participant completes OSHA 10-hour general industry training and shop-specific safety training in the first week, and receives personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, steel-toe boots, welding helmets and flame-resistant clothing. Machines have guards and emergency stops. Participants may not operate any machine until they have been trained and checked off by an instructor, and an instructor is always present. We follow lockout and tagout procedures, hot work and fire safety rules and posted emergency plans. The welding lab has fume extraction and ventilation. First aid kits, eyewash stations and fire extinguishers are placed throughout, and instructors are trained in first aid and CPR. In an emergency, staff call 911. We record and review every incident and near miss, and we inspect equipment on a set schedule.

Credentials and standards. Credential exams are given by the credentialing bodies or approved testing sites, and fees are paid from our budget. We do not guarantee that any participant will pass. Credential exams and certification fees are about $14,000 a year in Year 1.

Stipends. Stipends are paid in installments tied to attendance and are for training time, not wages. An attorney and our accountant review how stipends and training are treated for tax and benefit purposes before we begin. Participants who receive unemployment benefits are helped to ask the state agency how training affects their benefits and work search rules.

Employer relationships. We never accept payment for a hire. Employers pay for training seats and incumbent worker courses under written agreements, and a participant is free to apply anywhere. Equipment donation agreements are reviewed by an attorney, and we record the value of donated equipment for the donor. We ask employers to follow fair chance and equal opportunity practices and to be honest with participants about drug testing and background checks.

Equal opportunity. We follow all laws on equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations, and we welcome women, people of color, people with disabilities and people with a record. A woman instructor or mentor is available to every cohort, and we have a written policy against harassment.

Support controls. Childcare, transportation and exam fees are paid directly to providers, transit agencies or testing bodies whenever possible. Each payment is approved by the Program Director and recorded, and the board reviews a list each quarter.

Privacy. Participants' information is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, and shared with employers or funders only with the participant's written permission, except where the law requires. We report results to funders only as totals, never with a participant's name.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, property, professional liability, equipment and workers' compensation insurance, and we confirm that the training is covered. Insurance is about $16,000 a year in Year 1. Grant money is tracked separately so we can show each funder how their money was spent, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Management & Organization

Who leads the organization.

Lamar Jenkins, Executive Director. Lamar leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and employer and workforce board partnerships, supervises staff and reports to the board. He spent 18 years in manufacturing, including 8 years as a plant manager, and helped start our pilot class. Planned salary: $64,000 a year.

Program Director. Leads the curriculum and instruction, supervises instructors, oversees safety and credentials and works with employers on content. Must have manufacturing or industrial training experience and teaching skills. Planned salary: $62,000 a year.

Manufacturing Training Instructor (industry-certified). Teaches CNC machining, welding and later industrial maintenance, with hands-on experience and the relevant credentials. Two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4 and four in Year 5, at a planned salary of $58,000 each. The Palmetto Workforce Foundation grant would support the first Manufacturing Training Instructor.

Career Coach and Employer Liaison. Coaches participants, builds relationships with employers, arranges plant tours and mock interviews and follows graduates for 12 months. One in Years 1 to 3 and two from Year 4, at a planned salary of $46,000 each.

Employer Training Manager. Builds relationships with manufacturers, delivers incumbent worker courses, helps employers register apprenticeships and manages employer agreements. Planned salary: $52,000 a year.

Program Coordinator (part-time). Handles applications, attendance, stipends, childcare and transportation support, records and scheduling, about 25 hours a week. Planned pay: $26,000 a year.

Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance.

Staff in each year: 7 paid staff in Years 1 and 2 (six full-time and one part-time), 8 in Year 3, 9 in Year 4 and 10 in Year 5.

Guest instructors and mentors. About 20 machinists, welders and managers who teach sessions, give talks and mentor participants.

The board. A seven-member volunteer board approves the budget, reviews results twice a year and helps raise money. Board members serve three-year terms. The board's certified public accountant chairs the finance committee. The board's manufacturers, union representative and welder help keep the program grounded in what employers and participants need.

People who help us. An outside accountant who reviews our books every year, an attorney who reviews our lease, employer and equipment donation agreements, an insurance agent who understands industrial training, a safety consultant and an employer advisory council that meets each semester to tell us what skills they need and what is working.

Training. Instructors complete training in adult learning, trauma-informed teaching and safety before the first cohort, and attend at least two trainings a year.

Money management. Grant money is tracked separately for each funder. The Executive Director and a board member must both approve any payment over $2,500.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Open the training center, run four cohorts (CNC machining and welding) and enroll about 60 adults, with about 51 completers and at least 80% of completers working in manufacturing within 90 days. Deliver about 8 incumbent worker courses. A balanced budget of about $632,000, with a small surplus of about $22,000. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Enroll about 75 adults and graduate about 64. Begin 12-month follow-up with Year 1 graduates and hold the first employer advisory summit. A balanced budget of about $664,000, with a small surplus of about $20,800. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add the industrial maintenance track and a third instructor, enrolling about 94 adults and graduating about 80. A balanced budget of about $761,500, with a small surplus of about $19,800. 8 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Career Coach, enrolling about 117 adults and graduating about 99. Invite graduates to mentor new participants. A balanced budget of about $854,000, with a small surplus of about $19,400. 9 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth instructor, enrolling about 146 adults and graduating about 124, with employer, workforce board and state contracts covering about 53% of our budget. Report five years of results and share our curriculum with other communities. A balanced budget of about $968,500, with a small surplus of about $19,400. 10 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Applications, enrollment, attendance and completion by cohort.
- Credentials earned and test pass rates, and safety incidents.
- Employment in manufacturing at 90 days, 6 months and 12 months, wages and hours, and retention.
- Incumbent workers trained, employer satisfaction and later promotions.
- Participant and employer satisfaction.
- Seats and courses paid for by employers, and workforce board and state contracts.
- Results by gender, race and background so that we can find and fix gaps.
- Stipend and support payments, and the cost per graduate and per placement.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews attendance, progress and safety every week. After each cohort, staff, instructors and our employer advisory council review the results and change what is not working. Twice a year, the board reviews results and we share them with funders and partners as totals. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $120,000 from the Palmetto Workforce Foundation for one Manufacturing Training Instructor, participant stipends, credential exams, training materials and metal stock, and childcare and transportation support, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Manufacturing Training Instructor salary, $58,000.
- Other: Participant training stipends, $22,000 (other funds add $20,000).
- Other: Credential exams and certification fees, $8,000 (other funds add $6,000).
- Supplies: Training materials, metal stock and consumables, $20,000 (other funds add $16,000).
- Other: Childcare and transportation support, $12,000 (other funds add $4,000).

Other money in the program. Employer-sponsored seats and incumbent worker training, workforce board and state training contracts, other grants and local donors pay the other $46,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($64,000), the Program Director ($62,000), the second Manufacturing Training Instructor ($58,000), the Career Coach and Employer Liaison ($46,000), the Employer Training Manager ($52,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), equipment maintenance, tooling and software licenses ($24,000), training center space and utilities ($54,000), employer engagement, Manufacturing Day and outreach ($8,000), insurance ($16,000) and evaluation, data and administration ($16,000).

Year 1 budget: about $632,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $22,000 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $412,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), employer-sponsored seats and incumbent worker training $130,000, workforce board and state training contracts $60,000 and donations and local sponsors $30,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $64,000; Program Director $62,000; two Manufacturing Training Instructors $116,000; Career Coach and Employer Liaison $46,000; Employer Training Manager $52,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; participant training stipends about $42,000 ($700 for each of 60 participants); childcare and transportation support about $16,000; credential exams and certification fees about $14,000; training materials, metal stock and consumables about $36,000; equipment maintenance, tooling and software licenses about $24,000; training center space and utilities about $54,000; employer engagement, Manufacturing Day and outreach about $8,000; insurance about $16,000; evaluation, data and administration about $16,000; and about $27,600 a year for the wear on equipment.

About employer income. An employer may pay $4,000 for a seat for a participant it plans to interview, and about 24 seats are planned in Year 1 ($96,000), growing to 73 by Year 5. Employers also pay for short courses for their current employees, about $34,000 in Year 1, growing to about $68,000. A sponsor pays for training, not for a hire, and a participant is free to apply anywhere. Workforce board and state contracts are competitive and have rules about eligibility and reporting. Approval as a workforce training provider can take months. The amounts are planning estimates, not promises. Payments often arrive weeks after we bill, so we plan for about $50,560 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $160,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $90,000 of equipment (the CNC machines, the manual machine shop, the welding lab, measurement tools, laptops and classroom furniture, and safety equipment), $30,000 for the electrical upgrade, ventilation, compressed air, flooring and lighting, $10,000 for the lease deposit and first month of rent, $10,000 for the opening supply of metal stock, consumables and protective equipment, $3,000 for fire inspection, permits and state approvals, $7,000 for an attorney's review of the lease, employer and equipment donation agreements and participant policies and for accounting setup, $3,000 for the sign, brochures and website, and $7,000 for background checks, instructor safety certification training and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($160,000), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $10,600) and a cash cushion of about $148,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $319,000. We start with $35,000 of our own savings and $300,000 in startup support from a community foundation, three manufacturers and our board, $335,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $632,000 in Year 1 to about $968,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $412,000, $364,000, $371,500, $369,000 and $388,500 in Years 1 to 5. Employer-sponsored seats and incumbent worker training grow from $130,000 to $360,000, workforce board and state training contracts grow from $60,000 to $150,000 and donations and local sponsors grow from $30,000 to $70,000. We add the industrial maintenance track and a third instructor in Year 3, a second Career Coach in Year 4 and a fourth instructor in Year 5. Grants fall from about 65% of our income in Year 1 to about 40% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $234,400, at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is for employer payments and public training contracts to cover a growing share of the cost, since employers get the skilled workers they need and the state benefits from higher employment and wages, and for manufacturers, banks and businesses to sponsor seats and equipment. We will also apply to state and federal workforce and apprenticeship funds and offer custom training to companies outside our region for a fee.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A participant is hurt in the shop. We train every participant, supervise all equipment use, require protective equipment, follow lockout and tagout rules, inspect equipment, carry insurance and review every incident.
- A recession slows hiring. We work with many employers, track hiring trends, adjust cohort sizes and expand incumbent worker training, which grows when companies want to retain people.
- Equipment is costly to buy and maintain. We buy used equipment, accept donations under written agreements, keep a maintenance budget and replace equipment on a schedule.
- Too few applicants or too many dropouts. We recruit through many channels, hold information sessions with plant tours, meals and childcare, call after two missed classes and build in supports.
- Approval as a workforce training provider takes longer than planned. We plan with fewer sponsored seats in Year 1 and keep a cash cushion.
- Instructors are hard to hire. We start recruiting early, offer competitive pay and partner with employers to share experienced workers as part-time instructors.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow employer and contract income and donors each year.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: one welding or machining class of about 10 participants in a partner employer's shop in the evening, taught by a volunteer instructor from the company, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Resumes and credentials for your Executive Director, Program Director and Instructors.
- Your curriculum outlines and the credentials each track leads to.
- Letters from manufacturers about interviews, plant tours, equipment donations, sponsored seats and hiring plans.
- A letter from the workforce board, or proof you have applied to be an approved training provider.
- The letter of intent for the lease, or a letter from the landlord.
- Results from your pilot class, shown as totals.
- Your participant application, stipend policy, attendance policy, shop safety policy, lockout and tagout procedures and incident report form.
- Proof of liability, equipment and workers' compensation insurance, or quotes.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $412,000 in Year 1, then $364,000, $371,500, $369,000 and $388,500.
- Employer Sponsored Seats and Incumbent Worker Training: $130,000 in Year 1 (24 seats at $4,000 plus about $34,000 of incumbent worker courses), then $180,000, $240,000, $300,000 and $360,000 (73 seats plus about $68,000 of courses in Year 5).
- Workforce Board and State Training Contracts: $60,000 in Year 1, growing to $150,000.
- Donations and Local Sponsors: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $70,000.
- Participants: 60 in Year 1 (four cohorts of 15), then 75, 94, 117 and 146, with about 85% completing.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $64,000, Program Director $62,000, Manufacturing Training Instructor $58,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Career Coach and Employer Liaison $46,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Employer Training Manager $52,000, Program Coordinator (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Participant Training Stipends $42,000 ($700 per participant, growing about 25% a year), Childcare and Transportation Support $16,000, Credential Exams and Certification Fees $14,000, Training Materials, Metal Stock and Consumables $36,000, Equipment Maintenance, Tooling and Software Licenses $24,000, Training Center Space and Utilities $54,000, Employer Engagement, Manufacturing Day and Outreach $8,000, Insurance $16,000, Evaluation, Data and Administration $16,000. The other costs grow between 4% and 25% a year.
- Equipment: $90,000 at the start, then $10,000 to $16,000 a year (including industrial maintenance stations in Year 3).
- Startup costs: $160,000, paid once from $335,000 in startup money.
- About 8% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs