News Story

PROVIDENCE, RI – RIHousing recently announced the launch of the Contractor Training Grant Program, which will provide funding to help eligible contractors cover the cost of training and resources that build skills and support business growth. With $200,000 available, the program’s goal is to expand the pool of contractors who are qualified to work on RIHousing-funded residential construction projects.

Funded directly by RIHousing, the Contractor Training Grant Program will award up to $20,000 per applicant to Rhode Island-based contractors and/or their staff who want to increase their skills to work on residential construction projects within our state. Applicants will identify training or resources that would benefit their businesses and apply to RIHousing for the grant funding, which will be awarded on a rolling basis until program funds are expended.

RIHousing understands firsthand the difficulties of the current housing market. The agency is dedicated to providing funding and support for the many stages involved in housing development, including introducing this grant program to encourage contractors and their teams to augment and diversify their abilities and grow their businesses to handle larger or more complex projects.

Having an extended stable of amply qualified contractors will ultimately benefit all of Rhode Island. By offering this financial assistance, smaller businesses can acquire workforce training, like carpentry, plumbing and HVAC, and business capacity training, such as accounting, bookkeeping, and project management. These opportunities strengthen both companies and their employees while creating new job prospects. This also means there are more contractors with crews available to take on much-needed housing development projects.

“RIHousing is proud to launch our Contractor Training Grant Program, which will provide crucial financial assistance to contractors and their staff who want to increase their skills and business capacity,” said Carol Ventura, CEO & Executive Director of RIHousing. “It is critical that we provide support and resources for our contractors as we continue to work to meet the demand for more housing in Rhode Island.”

Eligible Activities
Program funds will be available for a variety of trainings and resources:

• Workforce training programs including: carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and weatherization.

• Business capacity training including: accounting and bookkeeping, construction estimating, insurance and bonding, RI MBE/WBE certification process, and project management.

• Resources to increase business capacity/worker skill including: translation services, HR and payroll, website development, marketing, and tools and equipment.

For more information, including a link to the application, visit the RIHousing website: Contractor Training Grant Program.