United Migrant Opportunity Services (Umos) received a $2,047,942 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration under the National Farmworker Jobs Program (CFDA 17.264) effective July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This award supports comprehensive workforce development and related assistance services for eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents in Illinois. Services delivered through a case management approach include basic and individualized career services, occupational skills training leading to industry-recognized credentials, youth workforce development activities for participants aged 14-24, and supportive services including allowance payments and short-term direct assistance to help farmworkers retain agricultural employment or participate in career and training programs.
The grant requires Umos to collect and report performance data to the Department of Labor on standard Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) metrics, including employment rates, median earnings, measurable skill gains, and credential attainment. As an established nonprofit organization with extensive experience serving vulnerable farmworker populations, Umos must maintain detailed accounting, personnel, and individual participant records in accordance with federal Uniform Guidance requirements and demonstrate its capacity to effectively administer workforce investment activities that promote economic self-sufficiency and stable employment among eligible farmworkers.