The Crater Regional Workforce Development Board (CRWDB) - Local Workforce Development Area (LWDA) 15 has received funding to provide layoff aversion assistance to local small businesses during the COVID-19. The Governor authorized Rapid Response funding, through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), for employers eligible to remain open during this emergency. Layoff aversion strategies and activities are designed to prevent, or minimize the duration of, unemployment resulting from layoffs.
The CRWDB Region will offer mini grants, ranging from $2000 to $6000, to address COVID-19-related effects on small businesses and workers in the nine localities within Crater Region.
Funds may be used to clean facilities and support emergency needs to include, but not limited to, the purchase of software/programs that the employee would need to use from home to support their work and/or remote access supplies, including laptop computers and/or smart phones, which the employee would need to use from home to support their work.
For more information or if a business would like to obtain an application to apply for funds: email Sophenia H. Pierce, CRWDB Executive Director at:
spierce@petersburg-va.org
or call: 804-894-2529 (cell).