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Indiana Customized Training Grants: A Practical Employer Guide

Indiana has no state program named customized training. The closest state options are the Skills Enhancement Fund (IEDC), which backs specialized company training tied to new capital investment, and the Employer Training Grant (DWD), which pays up to $1,000 per employee for specialty company training. WIOA also allows customized training through local boards if you commit to hire and pay a significant share.

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  • State pre-filled: IN
  • Program type pre-filled: customized_training
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HOW IT WORKS

Four steps, in this order.

  1. 1

    Define the training your company needs and who delivers it

  2. 2

    Get approval first: IEDC for SEF, DWD or your local area for ETG, your board for WIOA

  3. 3

    Run the training inside the approved dates

  4. 4

    Report, invoice and get reimbursed

3 VERIFIED PROGRAMS

Where the Indiana money comes from.

Run by Indiana Economic Development Corporation (SEF) and DWD with local WorkOne areas (ETG). Every figure is from an official page, linked on each card.

Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF), specialized company training

Typically 50% of training costs
OPEN, BY CONTRACT WITH IEDC
WHAT YOU GET

Reimbursement, typically 50%, of costs for specialized company training that supports new capital investment. Specialized training should meet industry standards or be run by a third party.

HOW MUCH

Typically 50% of eligible training costs. No dollar cap is published on the IEDC pages. At most 50% of the award can go to trainee wages and 30% to travel.

WHO RECEIVES THE MONEY

The employer, as reimbursement of eligible training costs under a grant contract with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC).

WHO QUALIFIES
  • Training supports new capital investment in Indiana
  • Training leads to a post-secondary or nationally recognized industry credential, or is specialized company training
  • Existing employees who are trained must also get a wage increase
  • Creates or keeps full-time permanent jobs for Indiana residents at the project location
Before you start: Yes. Only costs between the commencement and expiration dates in the grant agreement count.
HOW TO APPLY
  1. 1Contact IEDC through the Contact Us link on the SEF page
  2. 2Agree a training plan and grant contract before you spend
  3. 3Report each calendar year and submit training expense data with each payment request

Deadlines and windows: Costs count over two full calendar years from the commencement of the project. Annual reporting runs for about seven years. No application deadline is published.

SOURCE: IEDC.IN.GOV

Employer Training Grant (ETG), specialty company training

Up to $1,000 per employee
OPEN, THROUGH LOCAL AREAS
WHAT YOU GET

Up to $1,000 per employee for specialty company training, within the $50,000 employer cap. Local areas compare your content with similar industry training.

HOW MUCH

Up to $1,000 per employee for specialty company training; up to $5,000 for credential training; $50,000 per employer.

WHO RECEIVES THE MONEY

The employer, by electronic payment from the local workforce area after DWD approves the invoice.

WHO QUALIFIES
  • Indiana employer with an Indiana SUTA account, Secretary of State registration and a physical Indiana location
  • Training in one of six sectors: advanced manufacturing, agriculture, building and construction, health and life sciences, IT and business services, transportation and logistics
  • Occupational skills training of at least 40 hours that ties to an in-demand occupation; onboarding and informal job shadowing do not count
  • Trainees kept six months from the start of training; new hires paid a minimum wage and current employees given a raise (see FAQ for conflicting figures)
Before you start: Yes. DWD or the local area must approve your training plan and you must sign a grant agreement before training starts.
HOW TO APPLY
  1. 1Submit the online interest form on the DWD website
  2. 2Send the job description with salary range and your training plan to the local area
  3. 3Sign the training agreement, train, then submit the invoice after the six-month retention date

Deadlines and windows: Agreements run 9 months and training must begin within 3 months of the agreement start. Invoices are due within 14 days of the agreement end date. Funding is not guaranteed (manual covers the 2025 grant cycle; confirm current funding with your region).

SOURCE: IN.GOV

WIOA customized training through a local workforce board

Board contract, you share cost
THROUGH YOUR LOCAL BOARD
WHAT YOU GET

Training built for your company's special needs, with part of the cost covered by the board.

HOW MUCH

No fixed rate. The local board decides what counts as a significant employer cost.

WHO RECEIVES THE MONEY

Paid under a contract with your local board. The rules say you pay a significant share. No Indiana board page was found that lists rates.

WHO QUALIFIES
  • Training is designed for your special requirements
  • You commit to employ the person after successful training
  • You pay a significant cost of the training
Before you start: Yes. A board contract must exist before training.
HOW TO APPLY
  1. 1Call your local WorkOne business services team
  2. 2Ask whether customized training is funded in your region
  3. 3Sign the board contract before training

Deadlines and windows: Set by each board. No Indiana-wide window found.

SOURCE: ECFR.GOV
LOCAL BOARDS

Same program, different rules by board.

WorkOne West Central Indiana (Region 4)

Describes its OJT service as customized training you design with part of the trainee's wage reimbursed. No rate is published.

SOURCE: IN.GOV
AVOID THESE

What gets Indiana Customized claims denied.

  • Training costs from before the grant start date or after the end date.
    SOURCE: IEDC.IN.GOV
  • Specialty ETG training with no certificate or industry standard. Local areas compare content with similar industry training.
    SOURCE: IN.GOV
  • No hire commitment. WIOA customized training requires the employer to commit to employ the trainee.
    SOURCE: ECFR.GOV
  • Training with no tie to new capital investment in Indiana.
    SOURCE: IEDC.IN.GOV
STRAIGHT ANSWERS

Indiana Customized questions.

Does Indiana have a customized training grant by that name?

No state program with that name was found. SEF and ETG's specialty company training are the closest state options.

SOURCE: IEDC.IN.GOV
Does SEF pay for new-hire orientation?

No. SEF lists onboard orientation training for new hires as ineligible.

SOURCE: IEDC.IN.GOV
Can I use SEF and ETG together?

DWD says you can use SEF, OJT and ETG in the same company, but not ETG for the same employee.

SOURCE: IN.GOV
How long does SEF reporting last?

About seven years after the contract starts, with an annual report each calendar year.

SOURCE: IEDC.IN.GOV

How we checked. Every fact on this page comes from a state agency, a local workforce board or federal regulation, read on . Where a board publishes nothing, we say so instead of guessing. Programs and funding change often; confirm with the program before you commit. Written by Jason Meehl, founder of Reimbursa. Found an error? Email hello@reimbursa.com.

OTHER PROGRAMS IN INDIANA

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