US Department of Labor announces availability of $20 million in grants through Disability Employment Initiative

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grants to fund cooperative agreements that will improve educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

These grants represent the third round of funding through the Disability Employment Initiative, a joint program of the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration and its Office of Disability Employment Policy.

"These grants are a wise investment in America's greatest resource, our nation's workers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The mission of the programs awarded under these grants will be to improve services for people with disabilities so they can more easily and effectively participate in the workforce."

Grants will be awarded to state workforce agencies, which will collaborate with local workforce investment boards. Programs supported by the grants will build upon the Labor Department's Disability Program Navigator Initiative and other models of service delivery strategies. The department anticipates awarding six to 10 grants, ranging from $1.5 to $6 million, to be spent over a three-year period.

The complete solicitation for grant applications is available at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm. Prospective applicants are encouraged to view the online tutorial "Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants" at http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.