US Labor Department announces availability of $66M in grants to improve employment opportunities for justice-involved individuals

WASHINGTON – Young adults and adults who exit correctional systems have numerous and diverse challenges that hinder their ability to enter the workforce and achieve successful reentry into their community. Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced $66 million in available funding to organizations to develop or expand programs to strengthen access to opportunity for these individuals.

The grants give organizations the opportunity to build customized interventions based on current evidence and research of “what works,” as well as promising practices. Organizations that apply for this funding are encouraged to select, implement and test different program services or program models. The initiative focuses on assisting communities in planning and implementing comprehensive reentry programs. These programs address the full range of challenges involved in helping formerly incarcerated adults and young adults transition back to the community. Programs like these protect community safety by ensuring that these individuals become productive, responsible and law-abiding members of society. The funding will support programs for young adults – ages 18-24 – involved in the justice system or adults – ages 25 or older – who have been incarcerated in the adult criminal justice system and released from prison or jail within 180 days.

The department intends to award these grants to a combination of organizations serving rural and urban communities, and all projects must be located in high-poverty, high-crime areas.

Through this announcement, the department’s Employment and Training Administration plans to award approximately $66 million through approximately 28 grant awards. ETA plans to award up to $4,500,000 each to approximately eight intermediary organizations – approximately three proposing to serve adults and approximately five proposing to serve young adults. ETA will award at least $20 million to intermediaries serving young adults, and plans to award up to $1,500,000 each to approximately 20 community-based organizations – approximately 13 proposing to serve adults and approximately seven proposing to serve young adults. The Funding Opportunity Announcement, which includes information about how to apply, is available at http://www.grants.gov.