How to get AI training reimbursed in Massachusetts
The Workforce Training Fund Express Program can reimburse eligible Massachusetts employers with 100 or fewer employees for some or all of the cost of a listed training course. Here is how it works, step by step, using our course as the example.
The numbers that matter
Our course, Practical AI Fluency for AEC Business Professionals, is listed in the Express Course Directory as C-16448 at $1,250 per trainee for 12 instructional hours. Twelve trainees come to $15,000, which matches the annual cap. Express reimburses up to the cost of the course within those limits; anything above them is the employer's cost.
From first call to reimbursement
Seven steps. The employer applies; we supply the course details and a step-by-step guide at no charge.
- 1
Check eligibility
You can likely apply if you have 100 or fewer W-2 employees working in Massachusetts, a physical location in Massachusetts that the company owns or leases (not a home address or P.O. box), and you contribute to the Workforce Training Fund through your unemployment insurance. Every trainee must be your W-2 employee working in Massachusetts and be paid their regular wages for training time. Nobody can repeat the same or similar grant-funded training within five years, and legally required training such as OSHA courses is not eligible.
- 2
Choose a listed course and dates
Express only reimburses courses in its directory. Pick your Session 1 date first, then count back at least 21 days: that is your apply-by date. Training can start up to six months after you apply.
- 3
Gather three documents
A Certificate of Good Standing from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (issued within six months), a Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Unemployment Assistance, and a signed IRS W-9 dated within the last year. All three must show your exact legal name. A certificate from the Secretary of the Commonwealth is the wrong document and leads to rejection. Request the DOR certificate first; it takes longest.
- 4
Apply online
Apply at commcorp.org/express from a laptop or desktop using Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. Enter the course record number exactly (C-16448 for our course), the dates, the cost per person and your headcount. A wrong course record number can make the firm ineligible for reimbursement. The form takes about 15 minutes once the documents are ready.
- 5
Sign the Express Service Agreement
If approved, Commonwealth Corporation sends a service agreement by DocuSign to the authorized signatory you named, with a project number and award amount. It must be signed before training begins, and training cannot start before the agreement's start date.
- 6
Train during work hours
Your team attends all three 4-hour sessions on paid time. We record attendance at every session on signed sign-in sheets.
- 7
Pay, then request reimbursement
After the final session, pay our invoice in full. Then submit the reimbursement request form with our invoice (which shows the exact registered course name), proof of payment such as a bank or card statement, and the list of trainees. Reimbursement is released only after the invoice is paid, so pay first, then request reimbursement.
What a typical cohort looks like
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Week 0 | Intro call; agree dates and headcount. Request the DOR and DUA certificates. |
| Week 1 | Submit the Express application, at least 21 days before Session 1. |
| Weeks 2 to 3 | Commonwealth Corporation reviews; sign the service agreement. |
| Weeks 4 to 6 | Training: three 4-hour sessions, one a week. |
| After training | Pay the invoice, then submit the reimbursement request. |
Common mistakes that delay or block reimbursement
Wrong certificate
A Secretary of the Commonwealth certificate instead of the one from the Department of Revenue.
Applying too late
Less than 21 days before Session 1. There are no exceptions.
Training before the agreement
Starting sessions before the service agreement is signed and in effect.
Non-W-2 trainees
Contractors, temps or out-of-state staff on the trainee list.
Mismatched names
A legal name or course name that differs between the application, the invoice and the documents.
Paying late
Reimbursement waits until the invoice is paid in full.
More than 100 employees?
Larger employers can apply to the Workforce Training Fund General Program, a competitive application built around a company-wide training plan, where the employer names its training vendor. It takes longer to plan than Express. Read more on our funding page.
Bifrost AI is an independent training provider. The Workforce Training Fund Program is administered by Commonwealth Corporation, which does not endorse any provider or course and makes all eligibility and award decisions. Program rules can change, so confirm current guidelines at commcorp.org/express before applying.
Related pages
Want help with the application?
We walk you through eligibility, documents and timing on a short call, at no charge.