Gov. Beshear Announces Grant Program for Kentucky Communities To Boost Job Growth

Application deadline has been extended to Friday, Nov. 6

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2026) - Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that applications are now being accepted for the Kentucky Talent Recruitment Grant Program, which provides state funding to support communities across the commonwealth with workforce relocation, retention and marketing initiatives.

The application deadline will be Friday, Nov. 6, at 5 p.m. EST.

"Kentuckians make up a skilled workforce that is second to none, and this program helps ensure that will continue to be the case for years to come," Gov. Beshear said. "We have more quality job opportunities than ever, and we need to be proactive to guarantee every community is prepared to meet the requirements for the jobs of tomorrow. I look forward to seeing how this new grant program can support the great work our communities are already doing and kickstart new strategies."

The program provides an opportunity for eligible applicants, such as county or city governing bodies, economic development organizations and nonprofits engaged in economic development, to seek state funding to support local and regional talent attraction and retention initiatives.

The grant program is administered by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, with up to $500,000 available to eligible local and regional entities to design and execute programs that attract new residents, retain Kentucky graduates and build the marketing infrastructure needed to generate interest in Kentucky as a place to live and work. The program emphasizes collaboration among counties to achieve greater impact on regional talent strategies, with additional scoring opportunities for applicants with Heritage County designations.

Details on the program, including eligibility criteria and guidelines, an application framework and the downloadable application are available at NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov.

Kentucky's workforce relocation and retention efforts further what has been the best six-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced nearly 1,400 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $54 billion in announced investments, creating more than 71,000 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth's history and $33 billion more than the next highest total.

Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky's position as a national leader in automotive and energy storage system battery production: Ford Motor Co.'s nearly $3 billion, 2,200-job commitments in Louisville, as well as its $2 billion, 2,100-job project at the Kentucky 1 plant in Hardin County; Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing's $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County; and Toyota's $1.3 billion investment in Scott County, among others.

In February, the Governor announced Kentucky once again set an all-time record for products shipped globally, with $51.6 billion in exports in 2025, representing a 7.65% increase over 2024.

Unemployment rates fell in all 120 counties between December 2024 and December 2025.

The Governor's administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.

In addition, Kentucky has secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody's Investors Service.

Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2025 Governor's Cup rankings. In June, Area Development magazine awarded the commonwealth a Silver Shovel designation in its 2025 Shovel Awards, which highlight states for attracting high-value investment projects that will create a significant number of new jobs in their communities.

Gov. Beshear also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.

Information on Kentucky's economic development efforts and programs is available at NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at facebook.com/CEDkygov, on Twitter @CEDkygov, Instagram @CEDkygov and LinkedIn.

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