The states Education and Workforce Development Cabinet have narrowed down 39 proposals that could receive funding through the $100 million workforce development program announce by Governor Matt Bevin earlier this year. 

Danville’s Bluegrass Community and Technical College campus is one of the 39 finalists, campus director Erin Tipton said, for a $5 million grant to build an advanced manufacturing center.

As the process continues to move forward, Tipton said it still remains extremely competitive while all 39 remaining funding requests exceed the allocation available from the state. 

The workforce development funding requires a 10-percent local match, meaning $500,000 of the $5 million must come from local funding sources.

Danville City Commission, Boyle County Fiscal Court, member agencies of the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership, area industries and BCTC have committed funds in order to meet that match.

“In total, our local and regional governments, banking institutions and industrial partners contributed a total of $565,000 in matching funds towards the total project to construct the Regional Advanced Manufacturing Center,” she said. 

Tipton said they are waiting for the state to tell them what the next step is. 

“We anticipate a final decision/notification from the state by the end of this month,” she said. 

If the college gets the funding to build its advanced manufacturing center, it would effectively double the college’s capacity for graduating students in the fields of advanced manufacturing technology, electrical technology and industrial maintenance technology, Tipton said previously. She also said the advanced manufacturing center would be built on 20 acres of land the school already owns.

“The industrial development authorities, local and area governments, secondary schools and the industries in our … region have really stepped up to provide the necessary support for this project,” Tipton previously said. “It’s a testament to the understanding of the mission of BCTC and the impact that the Danville campus has on our regional workforce needs.”