Labor-Management Cooperation Grant Program | FMCS 2018

Opportunity Information: Apply for FMCS 2018

The Labor-Management Cooperation Grant Program (Funding Opportunity Number FMCS 2018) is a discretionary federal grant offered by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) under the authority of the Labor-Management Cooperation Act of 1978. The program is designed to support labor-management cooperation efforts by funding committees that bring workers and employers together to prevent conflict, improve workplace relationships, and develop practical, jointly supported solutions to shared challenges. FMCS specifically looks for applications from labor-management committees organized at the plant level, within an industry, or across a geographic area or region, including area-wide partnerships that address issues affecting multiple employers and workers in a community.

In this particular grant cycle, FMCS places special emphasis on proposals that respond to the realities of the 21st century economy and a fast-changing workplace. The agency highlights interest in projects tackling job security and skills development, improving working conditions for an increasingly mobile workforce, and creating consensus-based approaches to workplace standards. Other priority themes include strengthening organizational effectiveness, supporting economic development, and improving competitiveness not just for a single workplace but for entire communities. The opportunity also calls attention to workforce pipeline concerns, especially strategies for hiring, engaging, and retaining the next generation of workers, reflecting the need to sustain talent as demographics, expectations, and labor market conditions shift.

The funding opportunity is categorized across several public-purpose areas, including business and commerce, community development, education, employment/labor/training, and health, reflecting how labor-management cooperation can intersect with productivity, local economic stability, training systems, and worker well-being. The program is listed under CFDA number 34.002 and uses the standard grant instrument.

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category); and small businesses. While eligibility includes these organizational types, the description makes clear that FMCS is seeking applications grounded in labor-management committees at the plant, industry, or geographic/area-wide level, meaning strong proposals typically reflect a structured, collaborative partnership between labor and management rather than a single party acting alone.

Financially, the grant program has an award ceiling of $400,000 per award, with an expectation of about five awards being made during this cycle. The opportunity record was created on March 12, 2018, and the original closing date for applications was May 31, 2018. Overall, the program aims to invest in cooperative, forward-looking labor-management initiatives that strengthen workplaces and communities by building durable partnerships and producing workable, jointly agreed solutions to modern workforce and economic challenges.

• The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in the business and commerce, community development, education, employment, labor and training, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Labor-Management Cooperation Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 34.002.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 12, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Small businesses.

Apply for FMCS 2018

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