You may want to outsource your training needs as a one person department. Especially if you need to develop a large amount of custom courses. This can be a costly endeavor. You may be able to demonstrate ROI in the long term but it may not be enough to sell leadership. What do you do?
Consider researching local and state grants/funds. The state wants employers to grow their workforce locally. Therefore, you'll often find grants geared towards new hires or advancing the skill set of you workforce. These grants will vary by state. For example, I am based in Michigan and found multiple grants for my Michigan-based employees. I also have employees in Portland, Oregon. However, those states didn't have any opportunities. You will have to do extensive research.
Be prepared to commit. Grants only have limited amount of funds to distribute. They are going to want a substantial amount of paperwork and information. Partner with other departments to get it done. I have found Finance, Marketing and supervisors to be my best assets.
Be patient. Most grants will take a long time. I had to wait almost a year for one grant and then six more months to start the funding. Most grants will take a substantial amount of time. Some may make you wait for extended periods but expect you to begin using the grant immediately upon approval. Just be prepared. Each grant is different.
Never get discouraged. You may win some grants and lose others. There is only so much money to distribute. Do not let that discourage you from applying for the grant again. Instead, reach out to the issuing party and ask for guidance. They want you to win the awards and are usually happy to assist. Don't be afraid to ask questions. They are the most valuable resource.
Brag. Brag. Brag. Flaunt your success when your company is awarded a grant. Communicate it to leadership and maybe the workforce. You are offsetting the costs of your company and put in a lot of work. You deserve the recognition. You'll want to be very transparent about who will qualify for the awards, who will administer the grant, and the next steps. Employees and Managers may believe the money is theirs to use. Avoid this issue by clearly defining how it will be administered to the workforce.
Overall, grants are a valuable resource. They can be a lot of work but I've seen significant value. My leadership team was also blown away by the end result. It was a huge success for my department.
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