Federal Grant Award Summary

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration awarded $997,312 to the Department of Human Services, Office of the Commissioner in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP, CFDA 17.235) for the program year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This award funds part-time community service employment opportunities and supportive services designed to transition low-income, unemployed individuals aged 55 and older into unsubsidized employment. The grantee will place eligible participants (those with household incomes at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty level) in part-time positions at public agencies and nonprofit organizations, where they will work at minimum wage while receiving on-the-job training, individual employment planning, and comprehensive support services.

The Department of Human Services will deliver community service work experience combined with occupational skills training and classroom instruction to prepare participants for sustainable employment beyond the program. Performance accountability will be measured through core metrics including aggregate community service employment hours, unsubsidized employment placement rates at six and twelve months post-exit, median earnings outcomes, and effectiveness indicators in serving employers, host agencies, and participants. As a state grantee, the Virgin Islands receives a portion of the 22 percent of total SCSEP appropriations allocated to states and territories through formula-based distribution, with the remaining 78 percent of program funding reserved for national nonprofit organizations selected through competitive processes.