Cooperative Agreement 98T52701

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) (PL 117-58) FOR KAUNALEWA'S BROWNFIELD JOB TRAINING PROGRAM TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND PLACE UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED RESIDENTS OF THE MOKU KONA REGION IN ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS WITH SKILLS NEEDED TO SAFELY CONDUCT REMEDIATION WORK AT SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE-CONTAMINATED SITES, AS WELL AS APPROPRIATE TRAINING IN GREEN REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY PLANNING AND CHEMICAL SAFETY. THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000. PRE-AWARD COSTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BACK TO JUNE 22, 2023. THE PROJECT WILL OPERATE FOUR TRAINING CYCLES OF UP TO 150+ HOURS IN LENGTH DURING YEARS ONE THROUGH FOUR OF THE GRANT PERIOD, WITH 20-80 PARTICIPANTS IN EACH CYCLE. MULTIPLE COHORTS WILL COMPLETE A TRAINING CYCLE IN EACH OF THESE YEARS DURING WHICH THEY WILL GAIN HELPFUL SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS. OTHER PROGRAM OUTCOMES INCLUDE PREPARING COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS ENTERING ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY PROGRAMS DEGREES AND THOSE READY TO ENTER THE ENTRY-LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL WORKFORCE. OVERALL PROGRAM SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED BY PLACEMENT IN THESE JOBS, RECOGNITION BY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, CONTINUED INTEREST IN SLIDING SCALE ENROLLMENT ONCE GRANT FUNDS ARE EXHAUSTED, AND SUSTAINMENT AND GROWTH OF THE PROGRAM.ACTIVITIES:THE KAUNALEWA BROWNFIELDS JOB TRAINING PROGRAM (KBJTP) WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT DELIVERS MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCES UPSKILLING AND TRAINING ADULTS FOR CAREERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WHEN WORKING IN COMMUNITIES WITH BROWNFIELD SITES. THE PROJECT PERIOD IS JUNE 22, 2023 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2028 - LAUNCHING WITH YEAR ONE TO SET UP THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, CONDUCT AN RFQ PROCESS AND LAUNCH A SUBSET OF COURSES WHERE CAN VALIDATE INTEREST AND RETENTION, AND LEARN FROM OUR STUDENTS' PROGRESS AND ENGAGEMENT. FINDINGS WILL DRIVE HOW THEY MARKET, RECRUIT, DELIVER COURSES, AND IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT. KAUNALEWA'S MISSION IS TO CLEAN UP BROWNFIELD SITES AND AMPLIFY THE IMPACT OF CONSERVATION TARGETS THROUGH ALLYSHIP, EDUCATION, AND WESTERN AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN KNOWLEDGE- INCREASING AWARENESS OF CURRENT ISSUES WITHIN THE MOKU KONA REGION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO DEVELOP A PLAN AND ACTION STEPS TO ADDRESS THEM. THIS INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS THAT SUPPORT CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH KAUNALEWA AS A TRUSTED ENVIRONMENTAL JOB TRAINING PROVIDER, THEY MUST FIRST BE SUCCESSFUL IN ENROLLING 200 UNDER- OR UNEMPLOYED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITH A PRIORITIZATION OF NHPI IN MOKU KONA. THE DELIVERABLES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROGRAM ARE AS FOLLOWING TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES: - UP TO FOUR COHORTS OF 20 FOR A TOTAL OF 80 STUDENTS TRAINED IN THE DISASTER RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION - UP TO TWO COHORTS OF 10 FOR A TOTAL OF 20 PARTICIPANTS IN THE STORMWATER AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TRACK, ALL COHORT PROGRAMS COMPLETED IN YEAR ONE TO YEAR FIVE. - UP TO FOUR COHORTS OF 20 RECENT HIGH SCHOOL AND/OR KAUAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE GRADUATES FOR A TOTAL OF 80 PARTICIPANTS IN THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION/LAND REUSE TRACK IN YEAR TWO TO YEAR FIVE. - THE GOAL ASSOCIATED WITH GRADUATION: A MINIMUM OF 170 OR (85%) FROM ALL PROGRAMS. - JOB PLACEMENT OUTCOME GOAL: A MINIMUM OF 102 GRADUATED STUDENTS OR (60%) EMPLOYED. - ADDITIONALLY THIS FUNDING WILL CONTINUE FURTHER EDUCATION: 20 GRADUATES OR (12%) WHO FINISH BUT ARE NOT PLACE AND PURSUING FURTHER EDUCATION. - GRADUATES FROM THE DISASTER RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION TRACK WILL INCLUDE A ROBUST WORKFORCE TO WORK AND SERVE THE MOKU KONA COMMUNITY LOCALLY WITH THE MILITARY BASE, THE KEKAHA LANDFILL, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES CONTRACTORS.