Understanding the key elements and approaches to Sectoral Employment Program design is critical to writing a successful grant application and implementing an effective program focused on equitable assessment, selection, and training processes for all participants.

This section includes three tools that provide an overview of sectoral employment program design, along with new approaches grounded in evidence-based practices:

• Sector Program Design Approach: Offers step-by-step guidance on how to design and implement a sector partnership program.
• Career Readiness Curriculum: Provides detailed modules and instructional guides for career readiness, informed by behavioral science research and a racial equity approach.
• Promising Practices for Integrated Education and Training Programs that Serve Beginning-Level Learners: Shares lessons from the field for designing bridge programs and stackable credentials within the sectoral employment program model.

Sectoral employment programs are designed to address the intersection between a persistent need for skilled workers in a specific occupation and a target population’s need for employment or career advancement. Identifying a target occupation and developing a deep understanding of its requirements are critical first steps in program design.

This section includes two tools to support that process:

• Using Labor Market Information Tool: Provides guidance on how to find and analyze labor market data to identify in-demand occupations in a region, pinpoint employers hiring in target occupations, and assess the landscape of existing training programs in the area.
• Questions to Ask Employers About Occupational Demand: Helps program designers engage with employers to gather information about ongoing occupational vacancies, hiring requirements, and potential training needs. This tool also encourages conversations around how certain hiring requirements may reflect unconscious bias or structural racism—opening the door for deeper dialogue and more equitable program design.
• Sector Program Design Approach: Steps 1 and 2 suggest steps to follow to identify an occupational target.

Sectoral employment programs are designed to address the intersection between a target population’s need for employment or career advancement and a current, persistent need for skilled workers in a specific occupation. Effective program design begins with identifying a target population that—when provided with appropriate support—can benefit from the program and succeed in the target occupation. The Defining a Target Population tool supports program designers to:

• Develop a detailed population profile, including both assets—such as resilience, cross-generational knowledge, multilingualism, problem-solving skills, and diverse cultural perspectives—and potential challenges that may impact program completion and employment outcomes.
• Assess program feasibility by determining whether the target occupation is a strong match for the identified population.

An effective recruitment strategy is critical to both participant and program success. It ensures that program seats are filled with individuals from the target population who are well-positioned to benefit from the program.

The Recruitment Step-by-Step Tool outlines the objectives of recruitment services and offers a structured, step-by-step approach to designing those services. It includes detailed guiding questions to support the design process, informed by promising practices that center diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).

Successful sectoral employment programs implement screening and selection processes that identify individuals who—with appropriate support—are likely to benefit from the program, complete it successfully, and obtain employment. These programs also conduct robust intake and assessment activities to:

• Understand each participant’s goals, strengths, and skill development needs
• Identify potential challenges to success
• Develop a plan to leverage assets, build skills, address barriers, and achieve goals

The Candidate Screening and Assessment Tool provides detailed guiding questions to support the design of these processes. This section also encourages programs to critically review their assessment and selection practices to identify how implicit bias, stereotyping, and structural barriers may be influencing outcomes—and to adjust practices accordingly to promote equity and inclusion.

Successful sectoral employment programs incorporate wraparound case management, coaching, and support services that are customized to meet each participant’s individual needs. The objective is to ensure that participants can successfully complete the program, gain and maintain employment, and be prepared for long-term career success.

The Support Services Step-by-Step Planning Tool provides a framework for developing a clear understanding of participants’ likely support service needs. It guides programs in designing a model and implementation plan based on the specific needs identified during the assessment process.

These support services may be essential for helping participants address historical and existing barriers embedded within systems, policies, and practices.

Best practice sectoral employment programs incorporate training content and instructional approaches that are customized to meet the needs of a target population and prepare them for success in a specific occupation—or a set of occupations with similar skill requirements.

These programs are designed with an understanding of how best to support participants in mitigating the impact of white supremacy culture. They accommodate a wide range of learning styles and focus on both knowledge acquisition and skill building.

This section includes the Training Program Design Tool, which provides:

• Detailed guiding questions
• Suggested steps for designing training that is equitable, responsive, and aligned with workforce needs

The primary goal of a Sectoral Employment Program is for participants to be hired and retained in a target occupation. The tools in this section are designed to help you develop an effective employer engagement and placement services strategy.

It includes four tools that address key components of employer partnerships and job placement:

• Employer Engagement Tool: Outlines the objectives of employer engagement and provides detailed questions to guide you through the process of building and sustaining strong employer relationships.
• Placement Services Planning Tool: Defines the goals of job placement services and offers guiding questions to support the design of effective placement strategies.
• Questions to Ask Employers About Occupational Demand: A resource to help you engage employers and gather key information about hiring demand, job requirements, and opportunities within a targeted occupation.
• Sector Program Design Approach Tool: Offers a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to designing and implementing a sectoral employment program partnership. Steps 1 and 3 specifically focus on employer engagement and partnership development.

An effective sectoral employment program ensures that program graduates not only secure employment but are also prepared to retain their jobs and advance in their careers.

The Retention Services Planning Tool outlines the objectives of retention and advancement services and provides a structured, step-by-step approach to designing these services. It includes detailed guiding questions to support you in creating a strategy that promotes long-term employment success for participants.

Each Step-by-Step Tool for the six core elements of sectoral employment program design—Recruitment, Assessment and Selection, Case Management and Support Services, Education and Training Services, Placement Services and Employer Engagement, and Retention and Advancement Services—includes sections on staffing, data management, resource planning, and budgeting.

The Program Management Planning Step-by-Step Tool helps you compile the staffing and resource components identified across each program element to create a comprehensive program management plan and budget for your entire program.

WCTF/Donnelly Success Grants support employment and training programs that are designed and led by sector partnerships. These partnerships include two or more employers with hiring demand for a target occupation, along with training, referral, case management, coaching, and support services organizations—all of which are essential to both participant and program success.

For resources specific to employer partnerships, see the section titled “Placement Services and Employer Engagement.”

The tools in this section support the development of sector partnerships beyond employer partners, including training and service providers:

• Sector Partnership Development Tools and Resources: Offers links to step-by-step tools and guidance for developing and sustaining effective sector partnerships.
• Sector Program Design Approach: Provides comprehensive guidance for building both a sector partnership and a program.
• Training Provider Partnership Tool: Presents a step-by-step process for selecting, contracting with, and collaborating effectively with a training provider.

Best practices in program design and management include the identification of specific, measurable objectives, clear metrics to assess program effectiveness, and processes for collecting and analyzing data to inform continuous improvement. These practices help determine whether each program component is achieving its intended outcomes and where adjustments may be needed.

The Outcome Development and Continuous Improvement Tool provides a framework for:

• Developing program objectives and success metrics
• Creating a data collection and analysis plan
• Establishing a process for continuous improvement, centered on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB)

The Form Titan Questions document outlines each question asked and the information you will be required to submit in the online application form. You will be able to save your application and come back to it using your FEIN, however, you cannot advance through the form pages to view the next sections until you have completed the previous pages.

Program Narrative Application Guidance provides information on the purpose of each question in the Program Narrative form, explains terminology, describes how proposal reviewers will assess responses and how each section and question relate to other parts of the Program Narrative Form, Budget Form, and Memoranda of Agreement. Use it as a guide to completing the Program Narrative form.

Budget Guidance walks you through each section of the budget form. It includes guidance on what proposal reviewers will look for and how they will use the information in the budget forms/sheets, common issues to avoid in each form/sheet, and a checklist for developing your budget.

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)Guidance. It consists of an explanation of the purpose of MOAs/LOCs, what proposal reviewers will be looking for in the MOAs/LOCs and how the information relates to the information you provide in your Program Narrative and Application Summary forms. It also includes tools and resources to assist you in developing MOAs/LOCs, a sample MOA format and language, and a sample LOC format and language.

The Application FAQs include questions and responses from previous WCTF/Donnelly Success Grant RFP rounds. There are two FAQ documents – one for Program Design grant applications and one for Donnelly Implementation Grant applications. Review these questions and responses to inform your application development and deepen your understanding of the application and review process.