Manufacturing Business and Workforce Retention Grant Pilot

Manufacturing Business and Workforce Retention Grant Pilot is sponsored by Prosper Portland. This grant supports Portland manufacturing businesses in workforce training to improve efficiency, retention, and competitiveness.

Manufacturing Business and Workforce Retention Grant Pilot - Prosper Portland Manufacturing Business & Workforce Retention Grant Pilot The Manufacturing Business & Workforce Retention Grant Pilot is designed to support Portland-based manufacturing businesses with workforce training investments that improve operational efficiency, employee retention, and competitiveness, particularly in cases where jobs are at risk or businesses are considering relocation or expansion.

Funds are limited in this pilot program, and recipients will be selected through a competitive process. Applications are now closed for this program.

To be eligible, the applicant must meet all of the following: Have a current City of Portland business license and State of Oregon business registration; Be a for-profit manufacturing business with at least ten existing manufacturing employees in the City of Portland, or with specific plans to have hired at least ten manufacturing employees in the City of Portland by the completion of the grant program; Be a traded sector company, selling goods and services outside of the region; Demonstrate a retention, relocation, or expansion opportunity; and Have a physical address of manufacturing operations located in, or be in the process of actively relocating manufacturing operations to the City of Portland.

Priority will be given to production & manufacturing businesses in Portland’s priority industries: Athletic & Outdoor, Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Green Cities, and Metals & Machinery.

Grant Eligibility & Selection The grant may be used for training new hires, upskilling current employees, and building training systems, with a focus on manufacturing positions, as outlined below: Supports onboarding and initial job training to ensure integration and productivity Onboarding program development and delivery Job-specific trade/technical training, both in-house and with external providers English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction or other job-related training Wages during training period Up to $3,000 per new hire for classroom or On-the-Job-Training (OJT) Retraining & Upskilling Existing Staff Supports incumbent worker development for operational efficiency and internal advancement.

Cross-training for multiple functions Training on how to use specific equipment, new procedures, processes, etc. Both in-house training and external providers are eligible Industry-recognized certifications for manufacturing production roles (e.g., OSHA, food safety, welding certification, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, etc.) Supervisory or leadership development Wages during training period Up to $3,000 per existing employee Employee Training Systems Improves in-house capacity to deliver ongoing in-house training programs for upskilling employees.

Hiring external trainers/consultants Subscribing to training platforms or e-learning tools Creating manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs), or custom training content Up to $10,000 may be used for infrastructure How much money does the grant offer?

Businesses are eligible for up to $20,000 in grants, capped at the following levels: Up to $3,000 per new hire for classroom or On-the-Job-Training (OJT) Up to $3,000 per existing employee for upskilling and retraining Up to $10,000 may be used for training infrastructure, for example, hiring trainers, creating manuals or developing custom training content What is the selection process? Funds are limited in this pilot grant opportunity.

Awardees will be selected through a competitive process. Applications will be scored based on the following priorities: Priority Industries ( Athletic & Outdoor , Food & Beverage Manufacturing , Green Cities , Metals & Machinery ) Job Creation and/or Retention Sustainability of Training Where are funds available? Funds are available citywide to businesses with manufacturing operations in the City of Portland.

What types of businesses are eligible?

To be eligible, the applicant must meet all of the following: Have a current City of Portland business license and State of Oregon business registration; Be a for-profit manufacturing business with at least ten existing manufacturing employees in the City of Portland, or with specific plans to have hired at least ten manufacturing employees in the City of Portland by the completion of the grant program; Be a traded sector company, selling goods and services outside of the region; Demonstrate a retention, relocation, or expansion opportunity; and Have a physical address of manufacturing operations located in, or be in the process of actively relocating manufacturing operations to the City of Portland.

Priority will be given to production & manufacturing businesses in Portland’s priority industries: Athletic & Outdoor , Food & Beverage Manufacturing , Green Cities , Metals & Machinery . Submit your application online by November 14, 2025 at 5pm. Applications closed on Friday, November 14, 2025 at 5pm.

Questions? Contact BusinessAdvancement@prosperportland. us 220 NW Second Ave, Suite 200 Portland, OR 97209 Prosper Portland is committed to providing meaningful access to its projects, processes, and programs.

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