Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF) — Discretionary
Funds workforce training reimbursements for Indiana employers that expand capital projects and hire new staff.
The Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF) is a workforce training reimbursement grant administered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to support businesses that need to upgrade employee skills in connection with a capital investment project. The grant reimburses a portion — typically 50% — of eligible training costs over a performance period of two full calendar years from project commencement. Training funded through SEF must result in post-secondary credentials, nationally-recognized industry credentials, or specialized company training for new hires and existing workers, and must demonstrably lead to an increase in wages for existing employees.
SEF is available to for-profit businesses operating in Indiana that are undertaking qualifying capital investment projects; nonprofits, universities, and research organizations are not eligible. The fund is discretionary and negotiated — there is no open application cycle or published deadline. Applications are submitted through the PIMS portal at iedcportal.iedc.in.gov following direct engagement with IEDC. SEF is rarely awarded on a standalone basis; it is most commonly packaged alongside EDGE (payroll tax credits for job creation) and HBI (capital investment tax credits) as part of a comprehensive economic development agreement.
Applicants should be prepared to document the type of training to be delivered, the credential or skill outcome targeted, the number of employees to be trained, the projected wage increases, and the total eligible training cost. Because reimbursement is on an arrears basis following project completion, the business bears the upfront training cost and subsequently claims the SEF portion. The two-year reimbursement window begins at project commencement, so coordinating the training timeline with IEDC's project start date is important for maximizing eligible costs.
Workforce training reimbursement grants (typically 50% of eligible costs) for Indiana employers upgrading employee skills tied to capital investment projects, over a two-year performance period.
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