TORRINGTON, Wyo. – As fall enrollment approaches, several options for grant funding for completing an education become available through Eastern Wyoming College here.
The first grant opportunity is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Families Becoming Independent Grant program, offering funds for tuition, fees, books, and other required supplies for short-term training to those who qualify.
The grant also pays for fees related to testing and certification in the area of study. Additionally the grant can assist with costs related to travel to a test location or to the classroom if the recipient lives in rural areas.
Current qualifying programs for the TANF-FBI Grant include: CNA, CNA II, MA-C, CDL, and Plate Welding.
The second grant opportunity is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Community Partnership Initiative grant, which provides funds for tuition, fees, books, and other required supplies for long-term certificates and degrees to those who qualify. The grant also pays for fees related to testing and certification in the area of study.
Current qualifying training programs for the TANF-CPI Grant include CNA, CNA II, MA-C, CDL, Plate Welding, Pre-Nursing and Cosmetology.

Future training programs have been approved and include: Barbering Technician, Nail Technician, Skin Technician, Hair Technician, Child Development Certificate, Business Administration, Welding and Joining Technology, and Veterinary Technology. Funding for these programs will be available in October, 2017.
To qualify for either grant, students must be the financially responsible parent of at least one child younger than18 years, must be a Wyoming resident, must live in the EWC service areas of Goshen, Platte, Niobrara, Weston, Converse or Crook counties, and must earn an income less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Income guidelines are based on the number of people living in the home.
Application and the Test of Adult Basic Education, which indicates the student’s skill level in language, reading and math, must be completed. Proof of income is also required. Recipients will also receive training in seeking employment and soft skills required by employers.
Both TANF grants are provided by the Department of Family Services with the ultimate goal of helping recipients obtain jobs and end their dependence on social and/or governmental benefits.
“The impact these grants have on the participants is truly amazing,” said Linda Day, FBI Grant Coordinator. “People with a desire to start a career and support their families have used this training as a spring board to a career ladder that will take them as far as they are willing to go.
“I expect success from the participants who went from being unemployed to earning $18.00 per hour,” she said. “Of course that is not true in every case, but on the average our participants earned up to 45% more after training and certification.”
Former student Stacy Hodder utilized the FBI grant program and completed CDL training.
“I learned about the grant opportunity through flyers from the college,” Hodder said. “It provided me the opportunity to better myself and gave me more opportunities. I would encourage others to apply for the grant even if you are not sure if you qualify.”
For more information on either of these grant programs or to see if you qualify, please contact Linda Day, FBI Grant Coordinator at (307) 532-8365 or by email at linda.day@ewc.wy.edu.