Fund Your Training

Lab Four partners with a variety of community organizations and government agencies to provide scholarship and grant opportunities for many of its students. In fact, more than 90% of our current and past students have not only qualified for one or more funding opportunities, but had zero out-of-pocket costs for their entire program. Our Funding Questionnaire is the first step to help you determine what funding options you may qualify for, and our Career Specialists are ready to help you navigate the funding application process.

Complete the Funding Questionnaire now, or find more information on each funding opportunity below:

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Grants available for dislocated workers and unemployed, underemployed, or lo-income individuals who have a High School Diploma or equivalent.

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Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)

Funding available to some workers who have lost their jobs or had their hours or wages drastically reduced due to increased imports or a shift in production outside the United States.

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Explore Deferred Tuition

Start with a small down payment and delay the rest of your tuition until 2 months after program completion.

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GROWWTH Grant

Full tuition and fees covered for those who qualify. You even get paid for achieving program milestones, such as completion of training, certification attainment, and job placement.

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Financing and Payment Plans

Options are available for simple, low monthly cost payment plans to make self-funding more manageable.

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Employer Reimbursement

Tuition assistance benefits may be available through your employer, depending on their objectives for recuiting, retention, and productivity.

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Complete the Funding Questionnaire

Funding Questionnaire

Complete the Funding Questionnaire below to help determine what funding option(s) you may qualify for. Then, learn more about your options by clicking the links provided. You can also submit your questionnaire results and request a meeting or call back from one of our Career Specialists!

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

WIOA is the 2014 amendment and reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, which supports primary programs and investments in US employment services, workforce development, adult education, and vocational rehabilitation activities. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services needed to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. WIOA grants typically target dislocated workers, and low-income, unemployed, or underemployed individuals who have obtained their High School Diploma or equivalent.

Lab Four programs have been listed on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) for Tennessee Local Workforce Investment Areas (LWIA) 9 and 13 the Nashville and Memphis regions, respectively – for many years. We work closely with the local organizations that administer WIOA funding, to stay up to date on their application and assessment requirements, so that we can provide step-by-step guidance through the process.

WIOA funding is targeted toward qualified individuals in three groups – Adults, Youth, and Dislocated Workers.

Adults must either be unemployed or underemployed to qualify for WIOA funding. Definitions of underemployed status may vary, but generally this term is applicable to those making less than $15.00 per hour in a full-time position. Adult participants must also have obtained their high school diploma or equivalent.

Youth participants must be between the ages of 18 and 24. They must also be unemployed or underemployed, and have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent. Though anyone over the age of 18 can also apply for WIOA funding as an adult, the youth track is often a more streamlined application process and may include additional supportive services for youth participants. Approval for WIOA funding as a youth participant may be dependent on demonstrating barriers to employment.

A Dislocated Worker is defined as an individual who:

• Has been terminated or laid off, or has received notification that they will be terminated or laid off
• May be due to permanent closure or substantial layoff
• Is eligible for or has exhausted unemployment insurance
• Has demonstrated an appropriate attachment to the workforce, but not eligible for unemployment insurance and unlikely to return to a previous industry or occupation
• Is employed at a facility where the employer has made the announcement that the facility will close within 180 days
• Was self-employed (including employment as a farmer, rancher, or fisherman) but is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions in the community or because of a natural disaster; or
• Is a displaced homemaker who is no longer supported by another family member

When funding is limited, priority for the disbursement of WIOA funding is given to military Veterans and recipients of public assistance such as SNAP or TANF.

Other requirements may include passing the Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE) or achieving a silver level or higher on the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) exam.

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)

TAA is a federal program that assists US workers who have lost their jobs or whose hours or wages have been drastically reduced as a result of foreign trade, including increased imports or a shift in production to a foreign country. The TAA program seeks to provide adversely affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary for reemployment achieving self-sufficiency. This includes paying up to 100% of tuition and fees for up to two years of occupational training in a high-demand field.

To search companies with current TAA petitions by area, click here.

VA Education Benefits

Veterans, Active Duty military personnel, and Reservists entitled to VA Education Benefits such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill® may be able to use their benefits for training programs at Lab Four.

Lab Four is also a preferred provider for the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) Pilot Program. VET TEC is a five-year program designed to connect Veterans to leading training providers to help them start or advance their careers in the tech industry. You may be eligible for the VET TEC program if you are not on active duty and have at least one remaining day of unexpired GI Bill entitlement.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gilbill.

Other Grants and Community Organizations

US Department of Labor Grants

Lab Four is part of a consortium that has been awarded over $40 Million in grant funding from the US Department of Labor since 2011 to provide technical training and employment and entrepreneurship assistance services in Tennessee.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP-ET)

The SNAP Education and Training program is designed to help eligible participants achieve their vocational goals and increase self-sufficiency through funded education, skills training, and supportive services. The program is a combined effort between the state Department of Human Services (TDHS), Department of Labor (TDLWD), and community partnerships. If you are receiving SNAP benefits but not TANF (Families First) cash assistance, and are willing and able to work upon program completion, click here to get in contact with SNAP-ET in your county.

Community Grants and Scholarship

Lab Four has worked with several local community organizations dedicated to supporting and improving the lives of young adults, low-income individuals, and Veterans transitioning out of military service and into civilian life in Middle and West Tennessee. Many of these organizations include funding for education and training among the supportive services they offer.

Financing and Payment Plans

Ben Franklin Finance is a premier provider in tuition financing, currently serving thousands of student portfolios throughout the United States. Applicants can receive tuition financing for all or part of the cost of their educational program not covered by Title IV, grants, or student loans (gap financing). To apply and for more information, click here.

Lab Four also offers payment plan options directly, with terms from six to thirty-six months, and an average monthly payment of $200.

Employer Reimbursement

If you are currently employed, you may have financial aid options through the company you work for. Tuition reimbursement benefits are often not widely or enthusiastically promoted, but may be available based upon your employer’s objectives for recruiting, retention, and productivity. These benefits can vary from company to company, and even within various divisions of the same company. Make an appointment to speak with your Human Resources representative about your employer’s tuition assistance or reimbursement benefits. You may also be able to find information in your employee handbook.

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Federal Financial Aid (Title IV)

Lab Four accepts Federal Student Aid, including the Federal Pell Grant Program, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) Program, Federal Work-Study Program, Job Location and Development (JLD) Private Sector Employment Program, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (subsidized, unsubsidized, and Federal Direct PLUS).