Harrisburg, PA – The Shapiro Administration today announced nearly $4.9 million in grants to 50 community organizations throughout Pennsylvania for programs to improve digital literacy among job seekers so they can be successful in finding, obtaining, and maintaining employment. In this round of digital-literacy funding – the fifth since 2021 – the Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) has awarded grants to 29 organizations with established programs and 21 organizations that will use the funding to start new programs.
L&I's digital-literacy grants program provides funding to organizations in local communities that teach residents how to effectively navigate platforms used in the job search process and the workplace, including digital fundamentals, digital citizenship, and understanding digital information – especially in communities lacking access to broadband infrastructure and high-speed internet.
“Digital-literacy programs offer every Pennsylvanian a chance to compete for a good job on a level playing field, and the Shapiro Administration is committed to supporting the programs across the Commonwealth that are connecting talented individuals with the knowledge they need to open doors to opportunity," L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker said. “With this round of funding, we're ensuring that organizations serving nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvania counties are empowered to offer this valuable service."
The following organizations will receive support from L&I for the first time to establish new digital-literacy programs with grants up to $100,000.
- ACLAMO -- Montgomery County
- Afghan Community of Erie Pennsylvania -- Erie County
- Bucks County Workforce Development Board -- Bucks County
- Caring People Alliance -- Philadelphia
- CCRES -- Chester County
- Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc. -- Chester County
- Drexel University -- Philadelphia
- East End Cooperative Ministry -- Allegheny County
- Gannon University -- Erie County
- Goodwill Southwestern Pennsylvania -- Allegheny County
- Hopeworks -- Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties
- I-LEAD, Inc. -- Berks County
- North10 Philadelphia -- Philadelphia
- Nueva Esperanza, Inc. -- Philadelphia County
- Pennsylvania Institute of Technology -- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties
- Penn State University -- Dauphin County
- South Central Workforce Development Board (SCPa Works) -- Dauphin and York counties
- Temple University -- Philadelphia
- Uplift Solutions -- Delaware and Philadelphia counties
- Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians -- Philadelphia
- WIN-Spirations, Inc. -- Allegheny County
The following organizations have been awarded continued support from L&I in grants up to $100,000 for existing digital-literacy programs.
- Agency for Community EmPOWERment of NEPA -- Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties
- Berks Latino Workforce Development Corporation -- Berks County
- Computer Reach -- Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties
- Delmont Public Library -- Westmoreland County
- Ephrata Public Library -- Lancaster and Lebanon counties
- Full Circle Computing -- Chester County
- Greater Erie Community Action Committee -- Erie County
- Herr Memorial Library -- Snyder and Union counties
- Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board -- Lackawanna County
- Literacy Pittsburgh -- Allegheny and Beaver counties
- Luzerne County Community College -- Luzerne County
- Manor College -- Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties
- Millersville University -- Lancaster County
- Montgomery County Workforce Development Board (MontcoWorks) -- Montgomery County
- North Central Workforce Development Board -- Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties
- Project HOME -- Philadelphia County
- South Central Workforce Development Board (SCPa Works) -- Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and Perry counties
- Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition -- Philadelphia
- The Literacy Center -- Lehigh and Northampton counties
- The Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon, LVA, Inc. -- Lancaster and Lebanon counties
- The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. -- Fayette County
- The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. -- Westmoreland County
- Titusville Regional Literacy Council -- Crawford County
- Titusville Regional Literacy Council -- Forest County
- Tuscarora Intermediate Unit #11 -- Mifflin County
- US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants/Erie Field Office (USCRI) – Erie County
- West Central Workforce Development Board (West Central Job Partnership) -- Lawrence and Mercer counties
- Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance -- Pike and Wayne counties
- York Literacy Institute -- York County