by , [email protected]

Boone County Schools, Northern Kentucky University and others have been invited to apply for consideration funding through Gov. Matt Bevin’s contentious new workforce development program.

The Work Ready Skills Advisory Committee, formed to select projects for the commonwealth’s new $100 million workforce bond program, has invited 91 local applicants to submit proposals for funding consideration.

The Kentucky Work Ready Skills Initiative is aimed at developing a trained, modernized workforce to meet the needs of employers and promote sustainable incomes for Kentuckians.

At least six local organizations are eligible to apply for the funds, including Boone and Kenton County Schools. There is contention about the legality of the program, the Associated Press reports.

While the state legislature agreed to borrow the $100 million for the program, Bevin vetoed the law governing the program, allowing him to write the rules himself.

Democratic House speaker Greg Stumbo has sued Bevin, asking a judge to overturn Bevin’s veto because he said it was improperly filed. The suit is pending.

The program was announced by Bevin, Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Hal Heiner, and Cabinet for Economic Development Acting Secretary Erik Dunnigan in July.

The 10-member committee met last week in Frankfort and reviewed 114 pre-applications, totaling nearly $540 million in requests.

“We hear from employers daily who are struggling to find skilled labor to fill good paying jobs that are available today,” said Heiner, who heads the new committee, in a news release.

“This initiative empowers private sector companies, secondary schools, and postsecondary institutions to partner to craft community-specific solutions.”

Individual project funding requests range from $40,000 to $28 million, with proposals from all 10 state workforce areas and all five Kentucky Workforce Investment Board (KWIB) industry sectors – manufacturing, healthcare, technology, transportation, and construction/trades.

Groups that apply for the funds must pay at least 10 percent of the project’s cost. Most of the requests came from local colleges and school districts.

The largest local request comes from Boone County Schools at $10 million in funding.

Full applications will be due to the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet by Oct. 19, and the Work Ready Skills Advisory Committee plans to reconvene in November to determine finalists.

Officials anticipate that first-round funding announcements will be made by the end of 2016, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.

Details about the Work Ready Skills Initiative are available at www.KentuckyWorkReady.com.