Request for Proposals (RFP)

FAME Catalyst Grant – Early-Stage Support

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The Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) is the premier American model of manufacturing skills training, developing highly skilled, professional and sought-after talent to meet the unique needs and challenges of modern manufacturing.

Created by Toyota, the program has rapidly expanded with the Manufacturing Institute’s (MI) leadership and support, now building talent pipelines across 17 states through more than 40 chapters. These chapters address local workforce needs with FAME’s Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) training model.

To expand FAME’s national reach and impact, the MI is seeking proposals from organizations interested in establishing a FAME chapter in their region.

The selected organizations will receive funding and support to build a coalition of 8-12 local manufacturers committed to launching the chapter, and to identify a community college willing to be the education partner.

We’re continuing to accept applications, and please reach out to us if you are interested

Proposal Components

Program Outcomes

FAME’s ability to deliver results at scale is well established. Since its launch in 2010, the program has produced strong outcomes for both students and employers:

of FAME students graduate on time

of FAME students gain full time employment with their sponsoring employers

of FAME graduates are still with their sponsoring employers three years later

Employers who participate in FAME gain access to a reliable pipeline of highly skilled, work-ready technicians who understand their culture, expectations and operations. FAME’s employer-led structure empowers sponsoring employers to make key decisions on aspects like chapter curriculum, recruitment and priorities, allowing outcomes to be tailored to local industry needs.

Partnership

The selected regional collaboratives will enter a partnership with the MI. In this partnership, the MI will provide support throughout every step of the process.
The MI will award each selected organization $50,000 to support the development of their FAME chapter. The funds awarded under this grant will be restricted to supporting activities in service of starting a FAME chapter. This includes staff time, travel and necessary supplies.
Selected organizations will identify one individual to lead the local chapter-establishing effort. This individual, known in the FAME network as a local champion, will serve as the primary point of contact with the MI.

Learning about FAME

The MI hosts FAME 101 Information Sessions regularly. Please register here to learn more about FAME and ask any questions you may have about the program. Please note, this is not a session on this RFP and no questions on this RFP will be addressed.

Who Should Apply

The MI is looking for local or regional organizations who have demonstrated credibility with manufacturers in the geography they represent and wish to serve as the organizing entity for the FAME multi-employer apprenticeship program. Examples of hub organizations currently in the FAME network include:

San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance – CA FAME Central Valley
North Louisiana Economic Partnership – LA FAME Northwest
Somerset-Pulaski County Economic Development Authority – KY FAME Cumberlands
Go Topeka – KS FAME Top City

Grant Activities

If you are selected, you will be working with the MI and FAME USA to start a FAME chapter in your location. The period of performance will be about six months and if successful, you, a group of committed employers, and their selected community college partner will enter the FAME Academy, usually starting in October. The FAME Academy teaches every new region how to deliver the FAME program and operate the FAME Chapter to deliver global-best results year-over-year. Students will be selected in the Spring following FAME Academy and begin employment at their selected company and classes at the community college partner in the immediately following Fall Semester.

Your job over the six-month period of performance is to build a group of 8-12 manufacturers that are committed to working together to start a FAME chapter. This means they are willing to sponsor students in the first FAME class and in most years after that. You will also identify the community college that will be your education partner.

Don't worry.

The MI and FAME USA have done this in dozens of regions around the country. We have a process that works and we will be with you every step of the way.

Measuring Success

There is only one measure of success under this grant – did you start a FAME chapter in your region? This is defined as enrolling in the FAME Academy by the appropriate cutoff date with a critical mass of companies committed to participating in the FAME program and a community college committed to being the education partner for those companies.

That’s it.

Cost of Starting FAME

This grant is not intended to cover the cost of starting a FAME chapter. It is intended to organize the companies in your region to begin the process. If you are successful in this grant and enroll in the FAME Academy, your region will develop a plan to cover the costs. However, for this grant, it is important to know that the costs are coming and that you will need a way to cover them.

For every chapter, the biggest cost is purchasing equipment for your college partner.

The FAME model requires only FAME students in FAME technical classes, so your college partner needs a new lab for FAME. The equipment cost of an entire new lab is approximately $2 million. These costs can be spread over several years and are typically covered by a combination of grants, contributions, donations, and smart planning of existing annual resources.

Know that the equipment cost is manageable, as evidenced by dozens of chapters to-date. During the period of performance, we’ll explore various grant opportunities with you to cover these costs.
Beyond equipment costs, there are costs to outfit the lab that typically range from $15,000 - $25,000 and there is a one-time fee to enroll in the FAME Academy.

Relationship to Registered Apprenticeship

The activities under this grant do not preclude or require participation in the Registered Apprenticeship program. After a FAME chapter is formed, individual companies may choose to participate in Registered Apprenticeship. Across the current FAME program, approximately 15% of FAME students are Registered Apprentices.

Don’t worry about Registered Apprenticeship right now. The decision to register or not to register will be made at a later date by the employer collaborative.