New Department of Labor Grant to Aid Ex-Prisoners Preparing Ex-Offenders for the Workplace Through Beneficiary-Choice

Contracting; Solicitation for Grant Applications

Background: The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training

Administration is pleased to announce a competition for grants totaling approximately $5 million for faith-based and community organizations and government agencies to address the specific workforce challenges of ex-offenders and produce positive outcomes with a particular focus on employment and reduced recidivism.

Description: Grant funds awarded under this competition will be used to implement a program of services for ex-offenders (ages 18 to 29) under a beneficiary-choice contracting model. The beneficiary choice contracting model involves providing program participants with an independent choice among multiple service providers for specific services. Participants will receive case management services from the grantee, but will choose among contracted specialized service providers for more in-depth services.

ETA intends to fund grants for five projects, to serve 225 individuals (age 18 to 29) through the adult criminal justice system, per year, at an average annual grant amount of $1,000,000 per site. Applicants may submit proposals within the range of $800,000 to $1,200,000.

Eligibility: Applicants must be either a faith-based or community organization that is exempt from taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C.

501(c)(3) at the time of application submission, or a government agency

(such as a Workforce Investment Board, One-Stop Career Center, corrections agency, State or local government, housing authority). The applicant will be the lead organization that will represent a partnership system that consists of the public workforce system, the local corrections agency and other social services providers (including faith-based and community organizations). At least one of the contracted specialized service providers offered to participants must offer a program that contains no religious content.

Informational Webinar: There will be an informational webinar held for

this grant competition. Information on the date/time of this webinar and

a recording for applicants who cannot attend will be available on

http://www.dol.gov/cfbci.

Deadline: Applications for this solicitation must be submitted by May 25, 2007.

For the grant application please visit www.grants.gov  or http://www.doleta.gov/sga/sga.cfm.

"Grassroots Grant" Announced:

Workforce Investment Act-Small Grassroots Organizations Connecting with the One-Stop Delivery System Solicitation for Grant Applications

Background: The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training

Administration is pleased to announce two competitions for grants totaling $3.6 million for faith-based and community organizations to help members of hard-to-serve populations prepare for and succeed in employment.

Description: The Grassroots Grant should provide services that focus on people who face major hurdles to employment, including welfare recipients, homeless individuals and ex-offenders. Grantees will provide personalized care and supportive services, such as mentoring or life skills coaching, to enable individuals to fully use the services of local One-Stop Career Centers. The Employment and Training Administration expects to award 50 new Grassroots grants at $60,000 each for a total of $3 million.

Eligibility: a) Applicants may be public, private for-profit, and private non-profit organizations including faith-based and community organizations. b) The application must clearly identify the applicant and describe its capacity to administer the services highlighted under this grant. c) Applications for supplementation of distinct on-going projects, regardless of funding source, are eligible for consideration under this Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA); however, applications for renewal of existing projects will not be considered.

Please note that the applicant and fiscal agent must be the same organization.

Deadline: Applications for the Grassroots Grant must be submitted by May 8, 2007.

For the grant application please visit www.grants.gov  or

http://www.doleta.gov/sga/sga/DOL-SGA-DFA-PY-06-11.pdf.