Project Summary
Opportunity Now is a $92 million grant program established through HB22-1350 to foster collaboration between regional industry and education partners in developing local talent for in-demand jobs.
The program has three primary goals:
1. Meet key talent needs in regions all throughout Colorado.
2. Incentivize collaboration between educational institutions and industry partners.
3. Match Coloradans with jobs that pay a living that are in high demand.
This project aims to evaluate program outcomes by:
● Assessing the return on investment of participating in workforce training for individuals and the state by tracking entry into better-paying, in-demand jobs by region and county.To achieve these objectives, the project will use record matching of grantee data to analyze:
● Job outcomes for individuals served through Opportunity Now, with a focus on Opportunity Now’s Phase Three Pay for Performance Formula Grants and Behavioral Health Grantees.
● The earnings trajectories of those served by prioritized Opportunity Now grantees.
● The earning trajectories and postsecondary participation of Opportunity Next recipients, a scholarship program resourced through OEDIT.
Data Partners
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Colorado Department of Labor & Employment
- Colorado Department of Higher Education
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Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade