Clean Jobs Workforce Network (CEJA Hubs)

Under DCEO's CEJA portfolio, the Clean Jobs Workforce Network funds 14 regional clean-energy workforce hubs across Illinois. The program carries about $23 million per year in state appropriations and exists to move workers into clean energy careers. Funding is grant-based and annual. Hubs provide training, job placement, and support services, and the delivery model runs through nonprofit, community college, or workforce-organization operators rather than individual applicants. The route excludes for-profit firms and individuals while allowing nonprofits, universities, and research organizations, and it gives priority to returning residents, multicultural communities, and workers displaced from fossil-fuel industries. Applicants succeed by presenting a regional operator model with a clear training-to-placement path and a strong local employer connection. That usually means local capacity, employer alignment, and enough service depth to keep participants engaged. DCEO is looking for hub operators that can serve the state's workforce transition goals, so the proposal needs concrete service delivery, regional reach, and enough organizational capacity to keep the hub active over time.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.