Brownfields Job Training Program Newsletter - February 2026
Building Stronger Communities Through Brownfields Workforce Development
This quarter's newsletter celebrates the new FY26 Brownfields Job Training (BFJT) Grant recipients and highlights key takeaways from recent Professional Learning Community (PLC) calls on data literacy and recruitment strategies. Additionally, new job training resources are featured—including an ACRES quarterly report template and participant tracking workbook—along with upcoming training opportunities to support program success.
On this page:
- Congratulations to the FY26 BFJT Grant Recipients
- Highlights from Recent PLC Calls
- New BFJT Reporting Resources
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
- Join the Brownfields Job Training Network
Congratulations to the FY26 BFJT Grant Recipients
We’re excited to celebrate the 25 organizations that were recently awarded $12 million in BFJT Grants, including 13 first-time grantees and 3 coalition grantees! These funds will support essential workforce development programs in environmental cleanup, hazardous waste management, and related fields, equipping participants with the skills necessary for meaningful and sustainable careers.
This year's recipients represent 13 states and Puerto Rico. Through their programs, they will provide residents with valuable training for good-paying, in-demand jobs while contributing to environmental improvements and strengthening local economies.
View detailed information on all Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, past and present, using EPA's Grant Factsheet Tool.
Highlights from Recent PLC Calls
Data Literacy – February 18th, 2026
This call focused on strengthening data literacy skills to better understand community needs for BFJT programs and inform job training program design. The session covered how to identify credible data sources; analyze demographic, environmental, and public health information; and translate findings into data-informed program plans. Guest speaker Mileidy Soto, Senior Director of Training & Employment at PathStone Corporation in Puerto Rico (six-time grantee, most recently in FY26), joined the discussion to share practical insights and lessons learned.
The presentation emphasized that the effective use of verifiable, publicly available data helps applicants clearly document target community challenges, prioritize interventions, and make evidence-based decisions that guide training strategies and resource allocation, ensuring BFJT programs are responsive, defensible, and aligned with community priorities.
Key Takeaways:
- Data literacy enables applicants to translate verifiable information into clear, defensible evidence for the Community Need section and program design
- Only publicly documented, citable data sources should be used—no AI-generated or proprietary estimates
- Verifiable data supports recruitment targeting, curriculum design, resource allocation, and monitoring and evaluation
- Participant outputs (placement rates, wages, retention) should be tracked to demonstrate real impact and secure future funding
- Program narratives should reflect what the data reveals about actual community needs and opportunities
Designing a Program Pipeline – January 21st, 2026
This call focused on effective student recruitment strategies for environmental workforce programs, featuring insights from guest speakers Mac Elabed, Director of Workforce and Federal Projects at MiSide (formerly Southwest Economic Solutions, two-time grantee), and Paul McFadden, Workforce Development and Trainings Manager with the City of Rochester, NY Department of Environmental Services (four-time grantee). The discussion emphasized relationship-building, strategic planning, and targeted outreach to align recruitment efforts with community needs and labor market demand.
Key Takeaways:
- Strong relationships—both informal (word of mouth, social media) and formal (community organizations, employers)—are essential for recruitment
- Targeted recruitment should be guided by labor market demand, community priorities, and existing workforce efforts
- Clear, consistent messaging across multiple platforms helps communicate program value
- Being selective, especially early on, helps build a strong foundation for program success
- Early recruitment planning supports better alignment with program goals and community needs
New BFJT Reporting Resources
Job Training Grant Quarterly Report Template in ACRES
A new Job Training Grant Quarterly Report Template is now available in ACRES. This comprehensive template includes all of the required elements for quarterly performance reporting under grant Terms and Conditions, helping streamline reporting and ensure compliance.
View the recording from a template training session that was held on December 10, 2025.
BFJT Grant Program Participant Tracking Workbook
The Participant Tracking Workbook simplifies the process of compiling essential performance metrics for quarterly reporting, including the number of participants entering training cohorts, completing training programs, and obtaining employment after graduation. By centralizing this data in one organized workbook, grantees can efficiently track outputs and ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of their grant agreements.
Access the tracking workbook and view a short, step-by-step tutorial.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Strategies for Developing Successful Brownfields Job Training Program Curriculums Webinar | March 18, 2026
Join us for a national webinar on March 18th, 2026, 2:00-3:30PM ET, exploring best practices in brownfields job training programs. This session will focus on strategies for developing comprehensive training curriculums that meet local training needs and engage participants. Discussions will cover how to identify local training needs; design skills-based curriculum frameworks; and translate community context into program content that motivates participants and drives measurable outcomes.
Guest speakers and facilitators will share practical strategies and lessons learned for building and refining training curriculums based on their own program experiences, successes, and challenges.
Click here to register for the webinar.
NPETE Training Opportunity - GreatEST Waste Site Cleanup Train-the-Trainer (May 11–16, 2026, at Scott Community College, Bettendorf, IA)
The National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (NPETE), in partnership with Scott Community College, will host the Great Environmental Safety Training Institute (GreatEST)-a 5.5-day Waste Site Cleanup Train-the-Trainer program supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program. The program prepares up to 20 instructors annually to deliver high-quality health and safety training for waste site cleanup activities.
Approximately 50% of the training is hands-on, covering adult learning methods, emergency response procedures, sampling and monitoring, and more. Applications are due March 13, 2026.
Learn more on the NPETE website.
Join the Brownfields Job Training Network
Stay Updated and Connected!
By joining our network of grant recipients, you can exchange tips, success stories, and resources that support program growth and community impact.
- To be included on the mailing list, submit an inquiry form and state in the "Inquiry" field a request to "Add me to the Brownfields Job Training Grant mailing list," or email us directly at brownfieldsjobtraining@adaapta.com.
- Connect with your regional Brownfields Job Training Program Contact.
- Apply for technical assistance with the Brownfields Job Training Program Technical Assistance Inquiry Form.