As a leader in workforce development, Commonwealth Corporation is committed to embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) into every facet of our programs, services, and workplace culture. We strive to identify and dismantle historical and existing barriers within systems, policies, and practices to ensure long-term economic opportunity and access for all.
It is within this framework that we provide guidance for potential and current grantees. It is essential to understand and mitigate the impact of white supremacy culture—including individual and institutional discrimination, structural racism, implicit bias, and stereotyping in the workplace—all of which influence workforce development. We support grantees in designing workplace programs that foster inclusive and respectful learning environments.
What does this look like? It means all participants are treated with dignity and fairness, and this approach is embedded throughout the program. It includes ensuring the training environment is free from harassment and discrimination. It also means welcoming participants with diverse backgrounds and abilities, recognizing that these differences are assets to the program. This diversity brings a wealth of experience to employers and helps build a strong, productive workforce.
CommCorp encourages partnerships with programs focused on designing equitable assessment, selection, and training processes for all participants, while also supporting and promoting cultural competence among staff.
In alignment with these values, the WCTF online library serves as your one-stop destination for accessing essential resources and program management procedures for WCTF partnerships. This centralized repository empowers grantees by providing the most current guidance on managing grants and ensuring compliance, with quick and easy access to key documents. We invite you to explore the library and reach out to the WCTF Team for any assistance—your success is our priority.
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WCTF Grantee Orientation via Teams
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meet our team
Cynthia Singer-Riordan
Associate Director
Mary-Ann Roberts
Senior Program Manager
Thomas (Tommy) Heavren
Senior Program Manager
Joelle Fabrizio
Senior Program Manager
Crystal Lopez Haynes
Program Manager
Olena Bokhenik
Program Manager
Perla Piantini
Program Manager
Abby Corsun-Ascher
Program Manager
Alyssa Yee
Program Coordinator - Sector Pathways
WCTF/Donnelly Success grants support Sectoral Employment Programs, an evidence-based workforce development model designed to address the intersection between a persistent need for skilled workers in a specific occupation and a target population’s need for employment or career advancement. The intended outcome for program participants is placement in an unsubsidized, training-related job with opportunities for career advancement.
Sectoral Employment Programs are characterized by:
- Deep engagement with employers who have current and projected vacancies in a target occupation and commit to using the program as a resource to fill those vacancies.
- Coaching and support services tailored to meet the employment transition, retention, and career advancement needs of a specific population.
- Contextualized and concurrent instruction and practice that develop both work readiness and the occupational skills required for success in the target occupation.
This section provides tools and resources to support the design of high-quality Sectoral Employment Programs. Each topic presented is a required element for a successful WCTF/Donnelly Success grant application and for programs committed to ensuring long-term economic opportunity and access for all.
Sector Program Design Overview
Understanding the key elements and approaches to Sectoral Employment Program design is critical to writing a successful grant application and implementing an effective program focused on equitable assessment, selection, and training processes for all participants.
This section includes three tools that provide an overview of sectoral employment program design, along with new approaches grounded in evidence-based practices:
- Sector Program Design Approach: Offers step-by-step guidance on how to design and implement a sector partnership program.
- Career Readiness Curriculum: Provides detailed modules and instructional guides for career readiness, informed by behavioral science research and a racial equity approach.
- Promising Practices for Integrated Education and Training Programs that Serve Beginning-Level Learners: Shares lessons from the field for designing bridge programs and stackable credentials within the sectoral employment program model.
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Identifying the Occupational Focus
Sectoral employment programs are designed to address the intersection between a persistent need for skilled workers in a specific occupation and a target population’s need for employment or career advancement. Identifying a target occupation and developing a deep understanding of its requirements are critical first steps in program design.
This section includes two tools to support that process:
- Using Labor Market Information Tool: Provides guidance on how to find and analyze labor market data to identify in-demand occupations in a region, pinpoint employers hiring in target occupations, and assess the landscape of existing training programs in the area.
- Questions to Ask Employers About Occupational Demand: Helps program designers engage with employers to gather information about ongoing occupational vacancies, hiring requirements, and potential training needs. This tool also encourages conversations around how certain hiring requirements may reflect unconscious bias or structural racism—opening the door for deeper dialogue and more equitable program design.
- Sector Program Design Approach: Steps 1 and 2 suggest steps to follow to identify an occupational target.
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Supplemental materials
Identifying the Target Population for Your Program
Sectoral employment programs are designed to address the intersection between a target population’s need for employment or career advancement and a current, persistent need for skilled workers in a specific occupation. Effective program design begins with identifying a target population that—when provided with appropriate support—can benefit from the program and succeed in the target occupation. The Defining a Target Population tool supports program designers to:
- Develop a detailed population profile, including both assets—such as resilience, cross-generational knowledge, multilingualism, problem-solving skills, and diverse cultural perspectives—and potential challenges that may impact program completion and employment outcomes.
- Assess program feasibility by determining whether the target occupation is a strong match for the identified population.
Recruitment
An effective recruitment strategy is critical to both participant and program success. It ensures that program seats are filled with individuals from the target population who are well-positioned to benefit from the program.
The Recruitment Step-by-Step Tool outlines the objectives of recruitment services and offers a structured, step-by-step approach to designing those services. It includes detailed guiding questions to support the design process, informed by promising practices that center diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
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Assessment and Selection
Successful sectoral employment programs implement screening and selection processes that identify individuals who—with appropriate support—are likely to benefit from the program, complete it successfully, and obtain employment. These programs also conduct robust intake and assessment activities to:
- Understand each participant’s goals, strengths, and skill development needs
- Identify potential challenges to success
- Develop a plan to leverage assets, build skills, address barriers, and achieve goals
The Candidate Screening and Assessment Tool provides detailed guiding questions to support the design of these processes. This section also encourages programs to critically review their assessment and selection practices to identify how implicit bias, stereotyping, and structural barriers may be influencing outcomes—and to adjust practices accordingly to promote equity and inclusion.
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Case Management and Support Services
Successful sectoral employment programs incorporate wraparound case management, coaching, and support services that are customized to meet each participant’s individual needs. The objective is to ensure that participants can successfully complete the program, gain and maintain employment, and be prepared for long-term career success.
The Support Services Step-by-Step Planning Tool provides a framework for developing a clear understanding of participants’ likely support service needs. It guides programs in designing a model and implementation plan based on the specific needs identified during the assessment process.
These support services may be essential for helping participants address historical and existing barriers embedded within systems, policies, and practices.
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Supplemental materials
- The Prosperity Agenda- Family-Centered Coaching-Meeting Families Where They Are
- Family-Centered Coaching- Family-Centered Coaching FAQ
- Family-Centered Coaching- Family-Centered Coaching Approaches
- Urban Institute- Providing Supportive Services
- National Skill Coalition- The Case for Investing in Holistic Support Services and Skills Training
Education and Training Services
Best practice sectoral employment programs incorporate training content and instructional approaches that are customized to meet the needs of a target population and prepare them for success in a specific occupation—or a set of occupations with similar skill requirements.
These programs are designed with an understanding of how best to support participants in mitigating the impact of white supremacy culture. They accommodate a wide range of learning styles and focus on both knowledge acquisition and skill building.
This section includes the Training Program Design Tool, which provides:
- Detailed guiding questions
- Suggested steps for designing training that is equitable, responsive, and aligned with workforce needs
Placement Services and Employer Engagement
The primary goal of a Sectoral Employment Program is for participants to be hired and retained in a target occupation. The tools in this section are designed to help you develop an effective employer engagement and placement services strategy.
It includes four tools that address key components of employer partnerships and job placement:
- Employer Engagement Tool: Outlines the objectives of employer engagement and provides detailed questions to guide you through the process of building and sustaining strong employer relationships.
- Placement Services Planning Tool: Defines the goals of job placement services and offers guiding questions to support the design of effective placement strategies.
- Questions to Ask Employers About Occupational Demand: A resource to help you engage employers and gather key information about hiring demand, job requirements, and opportunities within a targeted occupation.
- Sector Program Design Approach Tool: Offers a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to designing and implementing a sectoral employment program partnership. Steps 1 and 3 specifically focus on employer engagement and partnership development.
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Supplemental materials
Retention and Advancement Services
An effective sectoral employment program ensures that program graduates not only secure employment but are also prepared to retain their jobs and advance in their careers.
The Retention Services Planning Tool outlines the objectives of retention and advancement services and provides a structured, step-by-step approach to designing these services. It includes detailed guiding questions to support you in creating a strategy that promotes long-term employment success for participants.
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Program Staffing and Program Management Planning
Each Step-by-Step Tool for the six core elements of sectoral employment program design—Recruitment, Assessment and Selection, Case Management and Support Services, Education and Training Services, Placement Services and Employer Engagement, and Retention and Advancement Services—includes sections on staffing, data management, resource planning, and budgeting.
The Program Management Planning Step-by-Step Tool helps you compile the staffing and resource components identified across each program element to create a comprehensive program management plan and budget for your entire program.
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Supplemental materials
- Chicago Jobs Council Career Readiness Curriculum- “Facilitation Guidance for Approaching Racial Equity”, pp. 16-22.
- Mathematica-The Role of Navigators in IELCE/IET Career Pathways
- The Prosperity Agenda- Family-Centered Coaching- How is Coaching Different From Case Management
- Indeed- What is a Training Needs Assessment?
- Indeed- Training Needs Assessments: A Guide for Employers
Partnership Development
WCTF/Donnelly Success Grants support employment and training programs that are designed and led by sector partnerships. These partnerships include two or more employers with hiring demand for a target occupation, along with training, referral, case management, coaching, and support services organizations—all of which are essential to both participant and program success.
For resources specific to employer partnerships, see the section titled “Placement Services and Employer Engagement.”
The tools in this section support the development of sector partnerships beyond employer partners, including training and service providers:
- Sector Partnership Development Tools and Resources: Offers links to step-by-step tools and guidance for developing and sustaining effective sector partnerships.
- Sector Program Design Approach: Provides comprehensive guidance for building both a sector partnership and a program.
- Training Provider Partnership Tool: Presents a step-by-step process for selecting, contracting with, and collaborating effectively with a training provider.
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Outcome Planning
Best practices in program design and management include the identification of specific, measurable objectives, clear metrics to assess program effectiveness, and processes for collecting and analyzing data to inform continuous improvement. These practices help determine whether each program component is achieving its intended outcomes and where adjustments may be needed.
The Outcome Development and Continuous Improvement Tool provides a framework for:
- Developing program objectives and success metrics
- Creating a data collection and analysis plan
- Establishing a process for continuous improvement, centered on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB)
In this section you will find guidance to help you complete documents that are required for WCTF/Donnelly Success Grant proposals (Application Summary Form, Application Narrative Form, Budget, and MOA). It includes:
- What the proposal reviewers will be looking for
- The purpose of each question and what a complete response consists of
- Common issues to avoid
Application Summary Form
Application Summary Form Guidance provides the purpose of the form, each question, and tips on how to complete the form and align it with other application documents. We recommend that you complete the Application Summary Form after you have completed all other application documents.
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Program Narrative Application Form Guidance
Program Narrative Application Guidance provides information on the purpose of each question in the Program Narrative form, explains terminology, describes how proposal reviewers will assess responses and how each section and question relate to other parts of the Program Narrative Form, Summary Form, Budget Form and Memoranda of Agreement. Use it as a guide to completing the Program Narrative form.
Budget
Budget Guidance walks you through each section of the budget form. It includes guidance on what proposal reviewers will look for and how they will use the information in the budget forms/sheets, common issues to avoid in each form/sheet, and a checklist for developing your budget.
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Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)Guidance. It consists of an explanation of the purpose of MOAs/LOCs, what proposal reviewers will be looking for in the MOAs/LOCs and how the information relates to the information you provide in your Program Narrative and Application Summary forms. It also includes tools and resources to assist you in developing MOAs/LOCs, a sample MOA format and language, and a sample LOC format and language.
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Application FAQ’s
The Application FAQs include questions and responses from previous WCTF/Donnelly Success Grant RFP rounds. There are two FAQ documents – one for Program Design grant applications and one for Donnelly Implementation Grant applications. Review these questions and responses to inform your application development and deepen your understanding of the application and review process.
Restricted Access
As part of our commitment to advancing equity in workforce development, Commonwealth Corporation has curated a selection of DEIB-focused resources to support grantees in building inclusive, responsive, and respectful training environments. These tools are designed to help you incorporate DEIB principles into every stage of program design and delivery—from recruitment and instruction to participant support and employer engagement. Whether you're exploring frameworks like the Five Stages of DEI Maturity or seeking practical tools for trauma-informed facilitation, this page offers a growing library of materials from trusted leaders in the field. We recognize that creating equitable programs is an ongoing process, and we will continue to expand this collection as new insights and tools emerge. We encourage you to explore these resources and consider how they can deepen your organization’s impact.
- Harvard Business Review – The Five Stages of DEI Maturity
This article outlines a roadmap for organizations to assess and advance their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through five stages: aware, compliant, tactical, integrated, and sustainable. This framework also helps programs identify at which stage potential employer partners to support development of a strategy for how best to engage with them. - Annie E. Casey Foundation – Workforce Development Roundup: Resources on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A curated collection of tools and recommendations aimed at promoting racial equity within workforce development programs, particularly supporting young workers of color. - Chicago Jobs Council – Career Readiness Curriculum: Incorporating DEI Principles
This curriculum provides workforce programs with customizable, ready-to-use career readiness training for job seekers, emphasizing the integration of DEI principles. - Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston – Universal Design in Workforce Development and Career Centers
A guide promoting the application of universal design principles to create inclusive workforce development services accessible to individuals with diverse abilities. - New Moms – Executive Summary: Implementing an Executive Skills Approach
A case study detailing how integrating executive skills development into workforce programs can enhance outcomes for participants, particularly young mothers. - Women Employed – Bridge Program Lesson Plans for ESOL Learners
Comprehensive lesson plans designed to support English language learners in bridge programs, facilitating their transition into career pathways including manufacturing, healthcare, early childhood education, hospitality/culinary, information technology, and transportation, distribution and logistics (TDL.) - Corporation for a Skilled Workforce – Trauma and Resilience at Work
Resources and strategies for creating trauma-informed workplaces that support employee well-being and resilience, enhancing overall organizational effectiveness. The materials are also applicable for designing trauma-informed workforce development programs. - LINCS – Teaching Skills That Matter: Digital Literacy
Instructional materials and strategies to integrate digital literacy into adult education, equipping learners with essential skills for the modern workforce. - Boston Women’s Workforce Council – Eliminating Gender and Racial Wage Gaps
An initiative focused on closing wage gaps through data collection, employer engagement, and the promotion of equitable workplace practices.
Commonwealth Corporation is dedicated to supporting workforce training programs that meet the diverse linguistic and cultural needs of immigrant, refugee, and non-native English-speaking communities. This ESOL Resources page offers tools and strategies to help grantees design inclusive, effective programs that integrate English language development with workforce readiness. From curriculum guides and lesson plans to promising practices in Integrated Education and Training (IET), these materials reflect innovative approaches that center learner strengths and lived experiences. As the field evolves, we will continue to grow this collection to ensure grantees have access to practical, equity-driven resources. We invite you to explore the materials and apply them in ways that enhance opportunity and belonging for all participants.
- SABES English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Curriculum and Instruction PD Team - This hub provides access to high-quality professional development for ESOL instructors in Massachusetts, including workshops, coaching, program-based PD, and other resources.
- National Skills Coalition - National Skills Coalition offers a broad range of research, policy recommendations, and advocacy tools to advance workforce equity for immigrant and English learner communities. Their work includes strategies to expand access to high-quality training, integrate language learning with career preparation, and ensure equitable workforce development policies.
- CalPRO: Adult Education Professional Development Resources CalPRO (California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project) offers professional development resources to support adult educators across various instructional areas, including ESL, workforce preparation, and basic skills. While not exclusively focused on ESOL, CalPRO provides evidence-based strategies, training modules, and communities of practice that can enhance instruction for diverse learner populations in workforce development contexts.
- TESOL International – Adult Education Resources – Offers research articles, lesson plans, and teaching strategies aligned with adult ESOL needs in employment-focused contexts.
- Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)– MIRA is the largest coalition in New England dedicated to advancing the rights and integration of immigrants and refugees. Their site offers a variety of resources including policy reports, program updates, advocacy tools, and information on immigrant workforce participation, adult education, and language access.
- TENT – Bridging Language & Work: Solutions to Invest in Immigrant and Refugee Talent - Produced by The Tent Partnership for Refugees, this report outlines actionable strategies for employers and workforce programs to better support immigrants and refugees. It emphasizes language access, skills development, and pathways to meaningful employment.
Commonwealth Corporation is a quasi-public agency that was established in 1996 under the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
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