Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program

Nationwide

Funding Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program

Overview Eligibility Use of funds Application Other resources

USDOL ETA awarded five cooperative agreements totaling nearly $162 million so national administrators can pay Registered Apprenticeship sponsors as apprentices hit verified retention and progression milestones. Applications to be an administrator closed April 3, 2026. The five sponsor incentive programs are announced and are not yet open for formal applications.

Overview

The Employment and Training Administration’s Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program (FOA-ETA-26-19) funds national administrators who pass at least 85% of each award through to eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors. Incentive payments are tied to verified apprentice retention and progression, not to becoming a federal grantee.

This listing is the closed federal competition. The awards to the five administrators are not sponsor grants. Each administrator is building a separate incentive program. Those sponsor applications are not open yet.

Closes on: April 3, 2026

Eligibility

Eligible applicants for the original FOA were organizations able to administer a nationwide incentive program. That competition is closed. Registered Apprenticeship sponsors will apply later to an administrator program, not to this closed competition. Those applications are not open yet.

Use of funds

At least 85% of each cooperative agreement flows to RAP sponsors as pay-for-performance incentive payments. Remaining funds support administration and sponsor technical assistance.