Workforce System Technical Assistance Collaborative – FOA-ETA-21-09

This Announcement solicits applications to establish and operate a Workforce System Technical Assistance (TA) Collaborative over a 3-year (36-month) period of performance from an anticipated start date of February 2022. The Workforce System TA Collaborative is an entity or consortium of partners that, in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), will plan, develop and deliver TA to the public workforce system, considered here as primarily Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I and Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service grantees and required partners of the one stop delivery system, where TA to a broader range of partners improves WIOA Title I and Wagner-Peyser Act service delivery.  The Collaborative will respond to the needs identified by the WIOA Title I and Wagner-Peyser Act grantees and plan and deliver a comprehensive approach to TA, in consultation with DOL, aimed at improving the quality of employment and training services provided to the nation’s job seekers and employers. To further the goal of improving public workforce services, the Collaborative will assist grantees in complying with federal requirements and in achieving equity in service delivery and outcomes for people of color and historically marginalized populations, including individuals with disabilities. Note that the term “Collaborative” does not refer to a physical location or center.

Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) – FOA-ETA-21-08

This Announcement solicits applications for the WORC Initiative for grants serving the Appalachian and Delta regions. The purpose of this program is to demonstrate the alignment of regionally driven, comprehensive approaches to addressing economic distress and the necessary workforce development activities to ensure dislocated and other workers in the regions are capable of succeeding in current and future job opportunities. Successful long-term economic growth strategies build upon bottom-up, community-led plans that promote economic resilience and maximize regional strengths. The WORC Initiative grants take a long-term view toward assisting eligible communities, including those energy communities that currently or historically have had a high concentration of employment in energy extraction and related industries, in diversifying their economies by investing in developing a skilled workforce through training and other approaches that aligns with local strategies developed by regional partners. This long-term view also acknowledges the impact of the opioid crisis and the significant challenges it presents to a community’s workforce. To address these challenges, ETA encourages applicants to include within their applications strategies to address the employment and training needs of individuals affected by substance use disorder in their communities.

State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity and Innovation (SAEEI) Grants - FOA-ETA-21-07

The purpose of the State Apprenticeship Expansion and Innovation (SAEI) grant program is to support the development of new, or the expansion of existing, Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), as described in 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30. This also includes quality pre-apprenticeship programs that directly lead to grant-funded RAPs during the grant period of performance.  The SAEI grants will support states to achieve the following goals: 1) Apprenticeship system expansion to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs; 2) Partnership and alignment to support a One Workforce System vision; 3) Increasing the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs; and, 4) Innovation in apprenticeship expansion efforts to include program development and recruitment strategies.

Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Centers of Excellence – FOA-ETA-21-06

The purpose of this program is to establish Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Centers of Excellence that, in close coordination with the Department’s Office of Apprenticeship (OA), will support the expansion and modernization of TA available in the registered apprenticeship system and build on existing apprenticeship efforts already in place. TA Centers of Excellence (“Centers”) are designated entities that provide technical expertise and services on a national scale to key RAP stakeholders and customers to accelerate and support RAP expansion. These Centers will support four key areas and provide technical assistance on a national scale to registered apprenticeship stakeholders and customers, ultimately increasing the effectiveness of the use of federal funding appropriated for the expansion of RAPs across the nation.

Workforce Data Quality Initiative – WDQI Round 8 - FOA-ETA-21-05

The purpose of this program is to support the development or expansion of state workforce longitudinal administrative databases. Collecting and analyzing longitudinal data can provide a comprehensive picture of whether education programs lead to employment in related fields, whether jobseekers are obtaining training-related employment, and the impact of training on workers’ earnings throughout their careers. Through such deep dive analyses, states can identify service delivery strategies that improve employment opportunities, as well as demonstrate the benefits of education and workforce programs on employment outcomes. Data linkages can help state and local leaders identify effective pathways through education and training services that lead to success in the workforce and can provide individuals with information that helps them make informed choices about their education and career(s).

YouthBuild - FOA-ETA-21-04

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $89 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub. L. 113-128) for YouthBuild.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations providing pre-apprenticeship services that support education, occupational skills training, and employment services to at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, while performing meaningful work and service to their communities. In addition to construction skills training, YouthBuild applicants may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries. This expansion into additional in-demand industries is the Construction Plus component, a priority in this grant competition.

The YouthBuild model balances project-based academic learning and occupational skills training to prepare at-risk youth for career placement. The academic component assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skill development in obtaining a high school diploma or state high school equivalency credential. The occupational skills training component prepares at-risk youth for apprenticeship and other career pathways and/or further education or training. It also supports the goal of increasing affordable housing within communities by teaching youth construction skills learned by building or significantly renovating homes for sale or rent to low-income families or transitional housing for homeless families or individuals.

Prospective Applicant Webinar Recording
 

Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP) 2 - FOA-ETA-21-03

The purpose of this program is to provide education and training services that improve the employment outcomes of young adults who are involved in the criminal justice system and/or who left high school prior to graduation and to develop the capacity of community colleges to meet the needs of young adults with justice system involvement. Young adults served under this grant program are between the ages of 18 and 24 and currently or previously have been involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system and/or who left high school prior to graduation. 

Funded projects aim to ensure that young adults transitioning from the criminal justice system are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets with the skills required by employers. Applicants must demonstrate that their sub-grantees and community college partner(s) will implement capacity-building in community colleges to support innovative models for accelerated learning for the target population of this FOA.

Pathway Home 2 – FOA-ETA-21-02

The purpose of this pilot program is to provide eligible, incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities or local or county jails with workforce services prior to release and to continue services after release by transitioning the participants into reentry programs in the communities to which they will return. These grants are job-driven and build connections to local employers that will enable transitioning offenders to secure employment.

These projects ensure that transitioning offenders are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets with the skills valued by employers. Applicants must ensure that occupational training provided has no federal, state, or local regulations that restrict individuals with criminal records from obtaining licenses or other necessary credentials in that career. Therefore, applicants will need to research existing barriers for individuals with criminal records in relation to specific industries. Employer connections will inform specific program curricula and ensure relevance to the needs of local businesses and jobs. Teaching transitioning offenders foundational skills, such as job readiness, employability, and job search strategies, in addition to providing apprenticeships and occupational training leading to industry-recognized credentials, can provide access to employment and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

Federal Bonding ETA-TEGL-10-20

The Department of Labor (DOL or Department) is committed to helping those involved in the criminal justice system, including ex-offenders recovering from opioid and other drug addictions, obtain employment in family-sustaining jobs; better informing employers about the knowledge, skills, and abilities of this population; and advancing strategies to address the barriers to reemployment. Through the Federal Bonding Program (FBP), the Department provides fidelity bonds to employers to help reduce the risks of hiring individuals whose criminal backgrounds pose barriers to securing employment.

FBP is authorized under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Over the years, FBP has remained a small program, currently serving an estimated 934 ex-offenders a year. The Department wishes to increase the use of fidelity bonds by providing funds to states to purchase fidelity bonds over a four-year period through this new funding opportunity.

State Workforce Agencies will apply for the grant on behalf of their respective states. States will operate this new grant in the same manner they operate their current FBP. States that do not currently operate a FBP must designate a staff person to serve as the state bonding coordinator for this grant. States will use their own procurement policies and procedures to select an insurance provider to purchase bonds or may continue to purchase fidelity bonds through the Department of Labor's FBP contractor, as long as they comply with state contracting procedures. State bonding coordinators may certify bonds or delegate the authority to certify bonds to other staff.

Workforce Pathways for Youth Grant Program - FOA-ETA-21-01

This Announcement solicits applications for the Workforce Pathways for Youth grant program. The purpose of this program is to increase alignment between workforce and OST programs and expand job training and workforce pathways for youth and disconnected youth including soft skill development, career exploration, job readiness and certification, summer jobs, year-round job opportunities, and apprenticeships.

This grant program will help establish lasting connections and partnerships between existing OST program activities and other state and local workforce partners to better address the need for youth exposure to career-related services, which support and prepare youth to enter the workforce.

The National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) Career Services and Training Grants Reopening for Select Service Areas - FOA-ETA-20-08-A

The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide career services, training services, youth services, and related assistance services to eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents.