,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dgcj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #b1 #bjbb,mr4 ,hickenlooper 7for himself and ,mrs4 ,fischer7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,national ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,teaching ,policy ,act of #aigg to establish a pilot program to provide competitive grants to land-grant colleges and universities to facilitate research and rapid workforce development and promote entrepreneurship and other benefits to communities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,innovation and ,modern ,skills ,training ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,national innovation and modern skills training competitive grant pilot program ,the ,national ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,teaching ,policy ,act of #aigg is amended by inserting after section #adah 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #caec7 the following3 #adai4 ,national innovation and modern skills training competitive grant pilot program 7a7 ,definition of land-,grant college or university ,in this section1 the term land-grant college or university includes a #aiid ,institution 7as defined in section #ecb of the ,equity in ,educational ,land-,grant ,status ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cja note2 ,public ,law #ajc-chb774 7b7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish a pilot program 7referred to in this section as the pilot program7 to award competitive grants to land-grant colleges and universities to carry out activities described in subsection 7c74 7c7 ,eligible activities 7#a7 ,in general ,a land-grant college or university that receives a grant under the pilot program shall use the grant funds to establish a statewide program1 in cooperation with cooperative extension services and industry experts1 to facilitate research and rapid workforce development and promote entrepreneurship and other benefits to communities across the applicable ,state4 7#b7 ,workforce development1 research1 and entrepreneurship programs 7,a7 ,in general ,a statewide program established under paragraph 7#a7 shall be composed of #a or more workforce development1 research1 or entrepreneurship programs1 which shall-- 7i7 be provided through cooperative extension services1 in partnership with #a or more colleges or universities in the applicable geographic area2 7ii7 be administered by the applicable land-grant college or university2 and 7iii7 confer to a participant a measurable benefit or credential on successful completion of the program4 7,b7 ,workforce development programs ,a workforce development program established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall-- 7i7 offer flexible and alternative educational pathways to promote workforce development1 including-- 7,i7 stackable credentials2 7,,ii7 micro degrees2 7,,iii7 boot camps2 or 7,,iv7 credit-by-examination programs2 and 7ii7 focus on the middle- and high-skilled jobs needed in the economy1 including local and remote work opportunities1 with an emphasis on the unemployed and underemployed1 through rapid upskilling1 registered apprenticeships1 and mentorship opportunities4 7,c7 ,research programs ,a research program established under subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 may be tailored to support the needs of regional attributes1 workforce needs1 and economic development goals2 and 7ii7 shall-- 7,i7 immerse participants in emerging science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics fields and technologies such as artificial intelligence1 cybersecurity1 advanced computing1 advanced manufacturing1 #c;,d technology and printing1 data management and use1 digital technologies1 biotechnology1 health information technology1 agricultural technology1 advanced telecommunications1 and robotics2 7,,ii7 be tailored to support-- 7aa7 the needs of large industry partners and their innovation pipelines2 7bb7 regional attributes2 or 7cc7 economic development goals2 7,,iii7 consist of research conducted by the land-grant college or university in partnership with the applicable community2 and 7,,iv7 include the provision of match-funded research grants to local community members-- 7aa7 to conduct research led by the land-grant college or university under subclause 7,,iii72 and 7bb7 to submit to faculty of the land-grant college or university or staff of the cooperative extension service quarterly reports describing findings of the research conducted under item 7aa71 which may be shared with private sector providers of grants4 7,d7 ,entrepreneurship programs ,an entrepreneurship program established under subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 shall focus on-- 7,i7 the strengths of local historical industries2 7,,ii7 the modern globalized versions of those industries2 7,,iii7 the innovation opportunities within those industries2 7,,iv7 the needs of the community2 and 7,v7 the variety of localized industries in the region2 and 7ii7 may focus on creating an entrepreneurial environment1 professional network1 mentoring1 and other resources to develop strong entrepreneurial ecosystems and small businesses-- 7,i7 to spur economic development in underrepresented communities2 and 7,,ii7 to develop the next generation of entrepreneurs across the ,united ,states4 7,e7 ,collaboration ,in carrying out a workforce development1 research1 or entrepreneurship program under this paragraph1 a land-grant college or university is encouraged to collaborate with private-sector partners1 workforce development boards1 other institutions of higher education1 and local leaders to develop programs that-- 7i7 meet the professional and social needs of the applicable community2 and 7ii7 address areas of national importance or need4 7d7 ,eligibility ,to be eligible for a grant under the pilot program1 a land-grant college or university-- 7#a7 shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including-- 7,a7 a demonstration of the availability of matching funding from the private sector equal to the amount of the grant to carry out activities under the pilot program2 7,b7 a #ab-month plan that defines outcome goals under the pilot program for workforce1 entrepreneurship1 and research focuses2 and 7,c7 a demonstration of community engagement or community partners2 7#b7 may submit an application under paragraph 7#a7 jointly with #a or more other land-grant colleges or universities in the same ,state2 and 7#c7 shall be subject to an evaluation1 including metrics1 relating to the performance of the land-grant college or university under the pilot program4 7e7 ,selection of recipients ,the ,secretary shall provide grants under the pilot program-- 7#a7 to land-grant colleges or universities in #aj ,states1 including not more than #a land-grant college or university in any ,state1 unless #b or more land-grant colleges or universities in a ,state submit a joint application in accordance with subsection 7d77#b72 and 7#b7 taking into consideration-- 7,a7 regional and geographic diversity2 and 7,b7 the capacity of a land-grant college or university to engage industry1 the workforce1 and other organizations4 7f7 ,amount and duration ,a grant under the pilot program shall be-- 7#a7 in the amount of #e1jjj1jjj2 and 7#b7 provided over a #c-year period4 7g7 ,economic ,development ,coordinator ,the ,secretary may appoint an ,economic ,development ,coordinator-- 7#a7 to work with recipients of grants under this section2 and 7#b7 to coordinate efforts with cooperative extension services4 7h7 ,coordination ,in carrying out the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall coordinate with-- 7#a7 the ,secretary of ,commerce2 7#b7 the ,secretary of ,labor2 7#c7 the ,secretary of ,education2 7#d7 the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration2 and 7#e7 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation4 7i7 ,reports 7#a7 ,economic impact reports ,not later than #ahj days after the end of the period of a grant under the pilot program1 the recipient of the grant shall submit to the ,secretary a report describing the economic impacts of activities carried out using the grant4 7#b7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #ahj days after the ,secretary receives the report under paragraph 7#a7 from the last recipient of a grant under the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report describing the economic impacts of activities carried out using grants under the pilot program1 based on the reports submitted to the ,secretary under paragraph 7#a74 4