CFDA / Assistance Listing · Reference

CFDA 17.207: Employment Service / Wagner-Peyser

Formula-based federal funding to states for public employment services delivered through the American Job Center network. Backbone of the federal-state workforce development system.

Agency

U.S. Department of Labor — Employment and Training Administration (DOL/ETA)

Typical award

State allocations from $5M to $250M+ per year (population and unemployment-rate based formula)

Eligible applicants

State Workforce Agencies (primary recipients)
Local Workforce Development Boards
American Job Centers and partner agencies
Community-based 501(c)(3)s providing workforce services (sub-recipients)

What this CFDA funds

Job-search assistance, labor exchange services, recruitment for employers, job-skills assessment, career counseling, referral to training, support for veterans and migrant workers. Operates alongside Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I formula funds.

What winning applicants look like

State workforce agencies are primary recipients. Local boards and 501(c)(3) workforce service providers typically access funds through state pass-through or via local AJC partnership agreements.

Common pitfalls + things to know

Wagner-Peyser and WIOA Title III are tightly intertwined — proposals need to demonstrate WIOA partner integration. Performance metrics (employment rate Q2 and Q4 post-exit, median earnings, credential attainment, measurable skill gain) are codified and reported quarterly. Underperformance triggers state-level corrective action.

Related CFDAs to also explore

CFDA 17.225 — Unemployment Insurance Workforce Initiatives
CFDA 17.258 — WIOA Adult Programs
CFDA 17.259 — WIOA Youth Programs

Reference guides

Evergreen explainers for nonprofit grant offices and federal grant seekers.

Federal Grants for Nonprofits: A 2026 Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations — CFDA prefixes, applicant-type code 12, forecasts, the deadline trap.
The Grants.gov Search Guide: How to Actually Find Federal Grants in 2026 — practical filter walkthrough, native-vs-paid tool comparison.
→ All Grant Wire articles

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Always verify in the official source. CFDA program details, eligibility, and award ranges change with each annual NOFO cycle. Confirm at sam.gov/content/assistance-listings or the agency's program office before you build an application strategy. This page is editorial reference, not an official agency notice.