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News Release
US Department of Labor announces $150 million in Pathways Out of Poverty training grants for green jobs
WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced $150 million in green jobs training grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The "Pathways Out of Poverty" grants – as the group of funding awards is known – will support programs that help disadvantaged populations find ways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.
"These Pathways Out of Poverty grants will help workers in disadvantaged communities gain access to the good, safe and prosperous jobs of the 21st century green economy,"said Secretary Solis. "Green jobs present tremendous opportunities for people who have the core skills and competencies needed in such well-paying and rapidly growing industries as energy efficiency and renewable energy."
Through the 38 grants awards announced today, targeted populations will receive recruitment and referral services; basic skills, work-readiness and occupational skills training; supportive services to help overcome barriers to employment; and other services at times and locations that are easily accessible. Through these programs, participants will receive certifications and on-the-job training that will lead to employment.
In order to serve the specific populations targeted by these grants effectively, the Department of Labor encouraged applicants to focus project efforts in communities located within one or more contiguous Public Micro Data Areas (PUMAs) where poverty rates were 15 percent or higher. PUMAs are geographic areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau. All applicants were required to have experience serving economically disadvantaged populations. Programs funded today will serve unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and other disadvantaged individuals within areas of high poverty.
There are two types of award recipients for these grants: 1) national nonprofit entities with networks of local affiliates, coalition members or other established partners; and 2) local entities including nonprofit organizations, such as community and faith-based organizations, the public workforce investment system, the education and training community, labor organizations, and employer and industry-related organizations.
Today's grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative – totaling $500 million – to fund workforce development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers in the energy efficiency industries. For a full listing of the grants and project descriptions, visit http://www.doleta.gov/pdf/Pathways_Poverty_grants.pdf. To view a video by Secretary Solis, visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/webcast/pathways. The U.S. Department of Labor expects to release funding for one remaining green grant award category over the next several weeks.
To find out more about job training opportunities available through the Department of Labor, call the National Contact Center's toll-free helpline at: 866-4-USA-DOL (487-2365) or TTY 877-889-5627.
Editor's Note: Charts reflecting the grantees announced today are below. Audio files from Secretary Solis' conference calls with members of Congress are available at http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/webcast/pathways.
Pathways Out of Poverty Grants
Grant Recipient | TYPE OF Grant | LOCATION: PUMAs Served | Award AMOUNT | PARTICIPANTS Served |
1. Alternative Opportunities Inc. | Local | St. Louis, Mo. (PUMAs 01801, 01802, 01803) | $2,308,200 | High school dropouts, unemployed individuals, ex-offenders and veterans |
2. Better Family Life Inc. (BFL) | Local | St. Louis, Mo. (PUMAs 01703, 01701, 01801) | $3,305,493 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts and individuals with criminal records |
3. Boley Centers Inc. | Local | St. Petersburg, Fla. (PUMA 02607) | $2,300,678 | Disadvantaged and unemployed urban youth |
4. Citrus Levy Marion Regional Workforce Development Board Inc. | Local | Ocala, Fla. (PUMA 01501) | $2,985,175 | Unemployed workers, low-income adults, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal history |
5. City of Minneapolis | Local | Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. (PUMAs 01501, 01502, 01301, 01302, 01303) | $4,000,000 | Individuals living in poverty, veterans and unemployed young adults who do not have a high school diploma |
6. CNY Works Inc. | Local | Syracuse, N.Y. (PUMA 00700) | $3,715,931 | Low income individuals, ex-offenders, disadvantaged young-adults and displaced workers |
7. Community College of Philadelphia | Local | Philadelphia, Pa. (PUMAs 04105, 04107) | $3,184,428 | Unemployed workers, ex-offenders and veterans |
8. Consortium for Worker Education | Local | Bronx, N.Y. (PUMAs 03708, 03710) | $4,000,000 | Individuals with limited English proficiency, veterans and eligible spouses, persons with criminal records, disconnected youth and women |
9. East Harlem Employment Services Inc. doing business as as STRIVE | National | New York, N.Y. (PUMAs 3804, 3803, 3710, 3705); Philadelphia, Pa. (PUMAs 04105, 04107, 04108); Hartford, Conn. (PUMA 00800); Benton, Mich. (PUMA 2400); Flint, Mich. (PUMA 2200); and Baltimore, Md. (PUMAs 00804, 00805) | $4,728,419 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal record |
10. Eastern Maine Development Corp. | Local | Piscataquis County and Penobscot County, Maine (PUMA 00900) | $2,109,088 | Disadvantaged adult job seekers, dislocated workers, returning offenders, public assistance recipients, high school dropouts and veterans |
11. Florida State College at Jacksonville | Local | Duval County (PUMA 01102) | $2,229,642 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal record |
12. Goodwill Industries International (GII) | National | Atlanta, Ga. (PUMA 01204); Austin, Texas (PUMA 05301); Charlotte, N.C. (PUMA 0902); Grand Rapids, Mich. (PUMAs 02100, 01100, 01000); Phoenix, Ariz. (PUMA 00117); Washington, D.C. (PUMA 00103) | $7,303,634 | People with disabilities, chronically unemployed individuals, ex-offenders, older workers, homeless individuals and high school dropouts |
13. Grand Rapids Community College | Local | Grand Rapids, Mich. (PUMA 01300) | $4,000,000 | Unemployed workers, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal record |
14. It's My Community Initiative | Local | Oklahoma City, Okla. (PUMA 01301) | $4,000,000 | Underemployed individuals and ex-offenders |
| 15. Jobs for the Future Inc. (JFF) |
National | Chicago, Ill. (PUMAs 03514, 03515, 03516); Detroit, Mich. (PUMAs 03701, 03702, 03707); Los Angeles, Calif. (PUMAs 05421, 05422, 05424, 05500, 05701, 05702, 06115, 06119, 06123, 06124); Milwaukee, Wis. (PUMA 02003); Philadelphia, Pa. (PUMAs 04109, 04110) |
$7,997,936 | Unemployed and disadvantaged individuals |
16. Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board Inc. | Local | Allentown, Pa. (PUMA 03600) | $4,000,000 | At-risk youth, veterans and eligible spouses, and underemployed and unemployed individuals |
17. Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) | Local | Los Angeles, Calif. communities of Watts (PUMA 06115), Willowbrook (PUMA 06119), and Florence-Graham (PUMA 06114) | $4,000,000 | Dislocated, unemployed, underemployed, low-income workers and veterans |
18. MDC Inc. | National | Charlotte, N.C. (PUMAs 00901, 00902, 00903, 00904); North Charleston, S.C. (PUMA 02010); Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg Counties, S.C. (PUMA 01800); Wise and Dickenson Counties, Va. (PUMA 02500); Scott County, Va. (PUMA 02600) | $3,780,816 | Low-wage workers and unemployed individuals |
19. Mi Casa Resource Center for Women Inc. | Local | Denver, Colo. (PUMA 00812) | $3,633,195 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, women and minorities |
| 20. Mott Community College (MCC) |
Local | Flint, Mich., and adjoining suburbs (PUMAs 02301, 02200) |
$3,662,403 | Low-income individuals |
21. Moultrie Technical College | Local | Tift County, Ga. (PUMA 03900) | $3,753,579 | Individuals on probation, high school dropouts, residents with disadvantaged backgrounds and displaced workers |
22. National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) | National | Apache Junction, Ariz. (PUMA 00800); Bisbee, Ariz. (PUMA 00900); Midland, Texas (PUMAs 03100, 03200) ; Odessa, Texas (PUMA 03300); Dayton, Ohio (PUMA 04000) | $7,994,999 | Limited English proficiency individuals, Native Americans, ex-offenders |
23. National Council of La Raza | National | San Jose, Calif. (PUMAs 02709, 02714); San Diego, Calif. (PUMA 08105); Chicago, Ill. (PUMAs 03511, 03512) | $3,063,839 | Low-income and unemployed individuals, and individuals with limited English proficiency |
24. Northern Rural Training and Employment Consortium (NoRTEC) | Local | Butte, Calif. (PUMA 00600); Del Norte, Lassen, Modoc and Siskiyou, Calif. (PUMA 00100); Shasta County, Calif. (PUMA 00300); and Tehama and Trinity, Calif. (00500) | $4,000,000 | High school dropouts, at-risk youth, welfare recipients, individuals with a criminal record, unemployed and dislocated workers, and veterans |
25.Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Inc. | National | Asheville, N.C. (PUMA 00202); Broward County, Fla. (PUMAs 03605, 03607); and Phoenix, Ariz. (PUMA 00117) | $4,900,000 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal record |
26. PathStone Corp. | National | Rochester, N.Y. (PUMA 00901); Scranton, Pa. (PUMA 00801); Juana Diaz, Santa Isabel and Villalba, Puerto Rico (PUMA 01700); and Arroyo, Coamo, Guayama and Salinas, Puerto Rico (PUMA 01600) | $8,000,000 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal record |
27. Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/ Fayette Inc. | Local | Fayette County, Pa. (PUMA 02300) | $2,732,719 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts and individuals with a criminal record |
28. Providence Economic Development Partnership | Local | Providence, R.I. (PUMA 00100) | $2,489,111 | Ex-offenders and low-literacy individuals |
29. Roca Inc. | Local | Chelsea and Revere, Mass. (PUMA 02900) | $2,398,778 | High-risk youth |
30. SER Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc. | Local | Houston, Texas (PUMAs 04601, 04602, 04603, 04606, 04608, 04610, 04611, 04625) | $3,122,554 | High school dropouts, ex-offenders, unemployed individuals and disadvantaged individuals |
31. Southeast Community College Area | Local | Lincoln, Neb. (PUMA 00801) | $2,331,278 | Unemployed individuals, veterans, high school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, refugees and immigrants |
32. Southwest Housing Solutions Corp. (SWHS) | Local | Southwest Detroit, Mich. (PUMAs 03701, 03706) | $4,000,000 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record and veterans |
33. West Hills Community College District | Local | Mendota, Firebaugh, San Joaquin, Huron, Coalinga, Lemoore, Avenal and the unincorporated communities of Tranquility, Riverdale, Biola and Five Points in Fresno and Kings Counties, Calif. (PUMAs 03600, 03401) | $3,000,000 | Disadvantaged individuals |
34. Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) | Local | Woodbury County, Iowa (PUMA 01100) | $3,999,459 | Dislocated workers, low-income adults and disconnected youth |
35. White Earth Band of Chippewa | Local | Mahnomen, Clearwater and Becker counties, Minn. (PUMA 00200) | $3,086,817 | High school dropouts, unemployed individuals and individuals with a criminal record |
36. Workforce Development of Seattle-King County | Local | Southeast Seattle, Wash., (PUMAs 01804, 02005) | $3,639,530 | High school dropouts, unemployed adults, veterans, previously incarcerated youth and adults, and other disadvantaged individuals – with a specific focus on communities of color, individuals with limited English proficiency and individuals with disabilities |
37. The WorkPlace Inc. | Local | City of Bridgeport, Conn. (PUMA 02400) | $4,000,000 | High school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, unemployed individuals and people facing other significant disadvantages |
38. Worksystems Inc. | Local | East Multnomah County, Ore. (PUMA 01302, 01301) | $4,000,000 | Native Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, immigrants, veterans, individuals with a criminal record and homeless individuals |