The Workforce Pell (WFP) Grant Program allows eligible students to use federal Pell Grant funding to enroll in approved short-term workforce training programs. This webpage serves as a resource for institutions in North Carolina seeking approval for programs to participate in the Workforce Pell Grant Program. Institutions must gain approval at the state level before applying for program approval at the federal level. The NCWorks Commission is the entity designated by the Governor to serve as the administrator of the state-level approval for Workforce Pell.

Implementation Status

The NCWorks Commission completed a period of public comment for its Commission Policy Statement on the Workforce Pell Grant Program in April 2026. The NCWorks Commission voted to approve the draft policy, CPS 04-2026, at its meeting on May 13, 2026. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) published final regulations on May 19, 2026.  The NCWorks Commission then reviewed its policy and the application process for compliance with those final rules.  Workforce Pell applications will open soon. At this time, institutions are encouraged to complete the state’s Eligible Training Provider (ETP) application process as a first step.  To register, visit NCWorks Online - Login and Registration Options and select "Provider Registration."

• Note: If your institution is already an approved Eligible Training Provider, please confirm whether your program has already been added to your organization’s Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) profile, in order to avoid submitting a duplicate program.  Once the Workforce Pell application process opens, programs previously added to the ETPL will be able to be edited, to allow for inclusion in the Workforce Pell process.

Application Process

Institutions seeking approval for eligible programs must complete a multi-step approval process: 

1. Self-Review for Basic Eligibility 

Participating Institutions should ensure that Short-term Programs meet basic eligibility criteria as defined by H.R. 1 and federal regulations and further outlined in CPS 04-2026. The state does not have the ability to adjust the following requirements: 

• Institutions must be Title IV eligible  
• Length – programs must be at least 8 and less than 15 weeks  
• Number of hours – program must be between 150 – 599 clock hours 
• Delivery - Not offered via correspondence, study abroad or direct assessment. 
• Previous Suspension - Ensure the program has not been subject to any suspension or emergency or termination action by the Secretary of Education during the five years preceding the date of the determination.  
• Limit on Instructional Partners 
• Program Start: Program has been in operation in its current format (length, hours, delivery, and confirmation that the program was not previously delivered as correspondence, study abroad or direct assessment) for at least one year. 

2. Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) Application and Approval 

The Participating Institution must apply for and be approved to be an Eligible Training Provider (ETP) in North Carolina by completing the ETP Application as outlined by CPS 11-2021, Change 2. This application is located at nc.works/ETPL (which is within the NCWorks.gov website). 

3. State Workforce Pell Grant Approval 

Following ETPL approval, the Workforce Pell Grant Program information will be considered by the NCWorks Commission when an institution has indicated in the ETP application system that it is interested in such eligibility. The Participating Institution will be required to submit additional information in the ETP application system for Workforce Pell Approval. 

4. Federal Approval 

Following approval at the state level, Participating Institutions will be able to submit their Short-term Programs for approval at the federal level to the U.S. Department of Education. Institutions are required to send notice of federal approval to the NCWorks Commission at WorkforcePell@ncworks.gov within 10 calendar days. 

For detailed instructions, documentation requirements, and in-depth procedures, please refer to the Eligible Training Provider Policy and the Workforce Pell Grant Policy. 

Timeline and Meeting Schedule

The NCWorks Commission committee charged with reviewing and approving Workforce Pell Program applicants will meet at least quarterly.

Year 1 Approval Timeline  

Subject to change at the discretion of the NCWorks Commission.

• Submissions received by July 15, 2026, will be reviewed by the August 12, 2026, NCWorks Commission meeting. 
• Submissions received by October 15, 2026, will be reviewed by the November 18, 2026, NCWorks Commission meeting.
• Submissions received by January 15, 2027, will be reviewed by the February 2027 NCWorks Commission meeting.
• Submissions received by April 15, 2027, will be reviewed by the May 2027 NCWorks Commission meeting.

Notes on this Process

• Unless otherwise noted, Workforce Pell (WFP) submissions must be complete (including all artifacts, documentation, and verification-ready materials) by the 15th day of the month preceding an NCWorks Commission quarterly meeting, in order to be considered. 
• Incomplete or late submissions automatically roll forward to the next quarterly review cycle. 
• Internal staff verification occurs between the submission deadline and the respective Commission meeting date.