Section 24-48.5-704 - Regional talent summit grant program - creation - administration - eligibility - application review - report(1)(a) There is created in the office the regional talent summit grant program. The office shall administer the grant program. The selection committee appointed pursuant to subsection (4) of this section is responsible for making grant award decisions in accordance with this section.(b)(I) The purpose of the grant program is to provide grants to the program facilitator to use to convene and facilitate regional summits and develop a report on the findings of the regional talent summits and to one or more regional hosts to use to support seven regional talent summits.(II) The office shall require the regional hosts and the program facilitator to complete all regional talent summits on or before July 1, 2025.(III) The office shall require the program facilitator to submit its comprehensive tactical plan to the office on or before December 1, 2025.(c) In prioritizing grant applications and awarding grants, the office, in collaboration with the selection committee, shall strive to meet the following grant program goals: (I) For a grant for a program facilitator: (A) To understand workforce development needs in regions of the state;(B) To generate a landscape analysis for each identified region that includes job projections and an overview of educational pathways;(C) To gather insight from employers about critical workforce and training needs;(D) To create regional goals for addressing talent needs;(E) To develop comprehensive tactical plans; and(F) To submit the workforce plans generated by the program facilitator as a result of the regional talent summits by December 1, 2025, to the office. The office shall provide the workforce plans to the state workforce development council which shall publish the plans in the Colorado talent report prepared pursuant to section 24-46.3-103 (3) and shall coordinate with local entities and across state agencies to support regional goals.(II) For a grant for a regional host:(A) To secure a facility to host the regional summit;(B) To determine relevant partners to attend the regional summit; and(C) To gather insight from regional employers about workforce training needs.(2) The office, through the selection committee, shall:(a) Award a grant to and execute a contract with a program facilitator. The office shall require the program facilitator to:(I) Work with the office, the department of labor and employment, the department of education, local data experts, and the department of higher education to generate a landscape analysis for each identified region that includes job protections and an overview of educational pathways;(II) Work with regional hosts to plan regional talent summits;(III) Facilitate a summit for regional attendees to identify regional economic goals and workforce development needs;(IV) Create alignment between business, education, workforce, and community partners for workforce development; and(V) Develop comprehensive tactical plans informed by the resources and needs of each region that set two-year goals and five-year goals for developing more career pathways in high-need fields in each region including a landscape analysis for each region of the state that identifies regional workforce needs, opportunities, and challenges.(b) Award a grant to one or more regional hosts. The office shall require the regional hosts to:(I) Secure a facility to host each regional summit;(II) Determine relevant business, education, workforce, and community partners to participate in each regional summit; and(III) Gather insight from regional employers about critical workforce and training needs.(c) Establish a process for an applicant to apply for a grant to fund the development of regional talent summits, which application process must be completed no later than November 1, 2024; and(d) Establish policies setting forth the parameters and eligibility for the grant program.(3) To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must, at a minimum, include with its grant application:(a) A detailed proposal and operations plan that meets the goals specified in subsection (1)(c) of this section; and(b) Information about how the proposed regional talent summit will address the economic development goals of each region.(4)(a) The office shall appoint a selection committee consisting of members who represent the office, the Colorado workforce development council, local workforce development practitioners, local education providers, institutions of higher education, education-related community-based organizations, and the statewide chamber of commerce.(b) The selection committee shall review grant applications in accordance with the processes and criteria specified in and developed pursuant to this section and shall make final determinations and award grants based on these processes and criteria.(c)(I) The selection committee shall consider regional diversity, community engagement, local partnerships, and event capacity when selecting one or more regional hosts.(II) Members of the selection committee serve without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of the members' duties.Added by 2024 Ch. 478,§ 5, eff. 8/7/2024.2024 Ch. 478, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).