Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) Grant
The Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) Grant is transformative funding designed to increase equitable access to building and construction career pathways for women, non-binary individuals, and underrepresented populations in California. Administered by the California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), the ERiCA Grant is dedicated funding aimed at dismantling barriers that disproportionately prevent women from entering and thriving in the construction industry.
DAS has awarded $26,169,217 in funds for the ERiCA Grant Program Year 2025-27 (PY 25-27). The grant performance period is June/July 2025 - June 30, 2027. This is the second round of the ERiCA grant. With the successful implementation of the first round of the grant, the DAS will continue its efforts to expand access to apprenticeship opportunities in construction for populations that are underrepresented.
DAS awarded $25 million during the first round of the ERICA grant (PY 2023-2025) to improve access to training and employment opportunities for underserved populations in construction trades throughout the state, by providing supportive resources for childcare along with outreach to and community building among underserved populations. The second round of the ERiCA grant (PY 2025-2027) builds upon the successes of its first-round efforts, strengthening its commitment to building a construction workforce that mirrors California’s diversity.
Funding Details
Type of funding: Grant
Total Funding: $26,169,217 (July 2025 - June 2027)
Award amount:
Recruitment - $100,000 - $500,000
- This category of funding is designed to bolster outreach to women, non-binary individuals, and underrepresented populations interested in careers in the building/construction industry.
Childcare - $200,000 - $1,500,000
- Pre-apprenticeship: $5,000 per eligible apprentice in a registered pre-apprenticeship program, or
- Apprenticeship: $10,000 per eligible apprentice in a registered apprenticeship program
- Proposals under this category of funding must identify how many eligible participants the grant will support. Applicants for childcare funding MUST also apply for Recruitment funding and provide recruitment/outreach services as outlined in the Recruitment category.
Worksite Culture - $100,000 - $500,000
- This is a new category of funding focused on improving the worksite culture surrounding construction trades apprenticeships. The focus is both on mentoring, community building and mental health supports for apprentices, along with training for both apprentices and also journey workers, contractors and managers on a worksite to improve the culture of the worksite. Trainings and support should focus on mental health, anti-harassment and antidiscrimination training.
Eligible applicants:
- All applicants must either be a DAS Registered Apprenticeship or Pre-Apprenticeship program or be in collaboration with one, validated with letters of support.
- Eligible Grant applicants must have a demonstrated history of operating at least two pre-apprentice or apprentice cohorts focusing on equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations in the building/construction industry over the past four years; or marketed, recruited or advocated for women or non-binary individuals in state registered construction pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.
- Entities that received the first round of ERiCA Funding for any category is only eligible for this round of ERiCA Funding if they have passed the annual review as of Dec 31, 2024.
- Eligible Entity types include:
- Non-profits
- Community-based Organizations
- Local Education Agencies
- Workforce Boards
- Unions
- State Registered construction apprenticeship & pre-apprenticeship program sponsors
Sector: Building and Construction
Target population: The objective of this grant is to increase equitable access to building and construction career pathways for women, non-binary individuals, and underrepresented populations in California.
Required partners: DAS Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Programs or DAS Registered Apprenticeship Programs
Contact: DASGrantUnit@dir.ca.gov
Application Materials
ERiCA Grant Round 2 - PY 2025-2027 Resources for Applying
- Solicitation for Proposals (SFP) – ERiCA Round 2
- Notification of SFP Amendment – 02-2025
- FAQ ERiCA Round 2
Applications for Round 2 are closed.
Awardees
Build Your Career: Explore Apprenticeship Opportunities for Women in Construction
California is committed to leading in the advancement of apprenticeship opportunities that resonate with today’s demands, ensuring our programs are accessible to all, and preparing apprentices for the top-paying jobs of tomorrow. Exploring ERiCA grantee web pages is a fantastic way to find comprehensive information about apprenticeship programs designed to empower women to enter and thrive in construction careers. Start your career exploration in the construction trades today!
ERiCA Round 1 Awardees
| Project Name | Lead Agency | Grant Category | Funding Award |
|---|---|---|---|
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 500,000 |
||
Inclusion in Construction Includes Childcare (ICIC) |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 2,000,000 |
|
Supportive Services for Apprenticeship Coordinators (SSAC) |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 700,000 |
|
CTTFNC Childcare |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 2,000,000 |
|
Enhancing Outreach and Support for Women in Apprenticeships |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 300,000 |
|
Increasing Opportunity for Women in the Building Trades |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 600,000 |
|
ERiCA: East Bay Regional Building Trades Outreach and Community Building |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 500,000 |
|
ERiCA: East Bay Regional Building Trades Supportive Resources for Childcare |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 2,100,000 |
|
ValleyBuild: ERiCA Supportive Resources for Childcare |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 1,400,000 |
|
ValleyBuild: ERiCA Outreach & Community Building |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 400,000 |
|
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 300,000 |
||
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 1,500,000 |
||
Build the Bay | Construction Careers for Women and Other Underserved Communities |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 1,000,000 |
|
NB TIP (North Bay Trades Introduction Program) |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 140,000 |
|
Community Building in Electrical Trade |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 700,000 |
|
Childcare Stipends for Electrical Pre-Apprentices and Apprentices |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 1,400,000 |
|
Paving the Way for Women in Skilled Trades-Childcare |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 300,000 |
|
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 400,000 |
||
The Opportunity of All Program |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 500,000 |
|
ARC ACCESS |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 700,000 |
|
ARC ACCESS |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 2,000,000 |
|
Rocking Construction Bridges to Careers (RCBC) |
State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 1,000,000 |
Childcare Leading to Inclusion in Construction (CLIC) |
State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 2,000,000 |
California Construction Careers for Women (C3W) |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 1,600,000 |
|
WestCal Academy Building and Construction Trades Outreach Program |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 250,000 |
|
Hard Hat Women's Equity Education Initiative |
Outreach and Community Building |
$ 500,000 |
|
Apprenticeship Readiness Partnership |
Supportive Resources for Childcare |
$ 210,000 |
ERiCA Round 2 Awardees
| Lead Agency | Grant Type(s) | Funding Award |
|---|---|---|
Recruitment |
$200,000.00 |
|
Recruitment / Worksite Culture |
$625,788.00 |
|
Associated Builders and Contractors of Southern California- Merit Training Trust |
Recruitment / Worksite Culture |
$550,000.00 |
Associated General Contractors (AGC) Construction Education Foundation |
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$2,499,100.00 |
Recruitment/Childcare |
$305,000.00 |
|
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$2,500,000.00 |
|
Recruitment/Childcare |
$1,600,000.00 |
|
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$1,250,000.00 |
|
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$2,499,856.00 |
|
Worksite Culture |
$499,985.00 |
|
Los Angeles and Orange Counties Building Trades Council Apprenticeship Readiness Fund |
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$2,500,000.00 |
Recruitment |
$500,000.00 |
|
Worksite Culture |
$500,000.00 |
|
Recruitment |
$181,768.00 |
|
Recruitment |
$350,000.00 |
|
Recruitment |
$200,000.00 |
|
Sacramento Area Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust |
Recruitment/Childcare |
$1,950,000.00 |
Recruitment/Worksite Culture |
$700,000.00 |
|
Worksite Culture |
$477,720.00 |
|
Recruitment / Worksite Culture |
$800,000.00 |
|
State Building & Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) |
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$2,500,000.00 |
Worksite Culture |
$500,000.00 |
|
Recruitment/Childcare/Worksite Culture |
$1,730,000.00 |
|
Recruitment |
$250,000.00 |
|
Recruitment |
$500,000.00 |
How to become an apprentice
Interested in becoming an apprentice?
Go to How to Become an Apprentice and then select Find Available Apprenticeship Programs.
Once on the page, you can search for apprenticeship opportunities by county and occupation to find programs that align with your interests. When you connect with a program, please ask them to provide their application process for the ERiCA grant. You may also look through the list of ERiCA Awardees above and find their contact information by going to their websites.
What's New
August 2025