ABA2 FOA-ETA-24-04.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: Apprenticeship Building America, Round 2 (ABA2)

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-24-04

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.285

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is 04/15/2024. We must receive applications no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time.

Submit all applications in response to this solicitation through https://www.grants.gov. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.

On approximately March 8, 2024, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page will be available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply/find-opportunities. Please check this link frequently for future updates, as additional FAQs may be added. A pre-recorded Prospective Applicant Webinar will also be available at the same link and available for viewing any time after that date. While a review of this Webinar is strongly encouraged to support successful grant applications, it is not mandatory.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply/find-opportunities

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS AND ADDRESS

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

C. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. WEB-BASED RESOURCES

B. INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

C. WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

D. SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

E. REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH

F. REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP RESOURCES

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

APPENDIX A: Key Definitions

APPENDIX B: Suggested Abstract Template

APPENDIX C: Suggested Incentive Plan Template

APPENDIX D: Suggested Chart of Past Performance Template with Examples

APPENDIX E: Suggested Project Work Plan Template

APPENDIX F: Suggested Performance Outcomes and Outputs Table for ABA2

APPENDIX G: Resources To Help Employers with Workplace Inclusion

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $95,000,000 in grant funds authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Public Law 117-328, Division H, Title I for Round Two of Apprenticeship Building America (ABA2).

Of the $95,000,000 available for the ABA2 grant program, awards will range from $1 million up to $8 million. The Department plans to award between 12 and 25 grants. Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) allow industry, workforce stakeholders, and the education community to match career seekers with in-demand jobs in diverse industries and occupations.

RAPs are authorized through regulations issued under the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 (29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), which are located at 29 C.F.R. Parts 29 and 30. Applicants may refer to https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/registered-apprenticeship-program for more information on the key elements of a RAP.

In 2022, the Department awarded the first round (Apprenticeship Building America | Apprenticeship.gov) of the Apprenticeship Building America grant program (ABA), to expand, diversify, and strengthen the Registered Apprenticeship system through support for public/private partnerships designed to serve a range of industries and individuals. The Department drew on evidence showing pre-apprenticeship programs are successful in preparing and recruiting a diverse pipeline of individuals for RAPs. Additionally, evidence shows youth-focused RAPs are a key strategy for building skills that are valuable in the labor market and serve as a pathway between high school and work. (For more information, please refer to Section VIII.E Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-apprenticeship Evidence-Based Research.) Further, Registered Apprenticeship Hubs, which are industry- or sector-led multi-partner networks primarily focused on supporting industry’s needs for creating and expanding RAPs in in-demand sectors and occupations, are the connective tissue that scales system expansion by convening stakeholders and leveraging partnerships.

Under ABA2, the Department will continue to apply the model employed in the first round of the ABA, which awarded grants in multiple categories to deliver maximum impact for employers and career seekers. The ABA2 also builds upon the model by establishing the following grant categories: (1) Ensuring Equitable RAP Pathways and Partnerships Through Pre-https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/registered-apprenticeship-program https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support/apprenticeship-building-america#awardee_list https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support/apprenticeship-building-america#awardee_list apprenticeship Leading to RAP Enrollment, (2) Creation of Education System-aligned Pre-apprenticeship Programs and RAPs, and (3) Registered Apprenticeship Hubs.

The Biden-Harris Administration supports the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship, including RAPs serving youth and pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAP enrollment. The Administration is focused not only on expanding the number of programs and apprentices, but also diversifying the industries that utilize Registered Apprenticeship and increasing access to, and completion of, RAPs for underrepresented populations (including women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities, as established in 29 CFR Part 30 where that population's participation in RAPs is less than would be reasonably expected given the availability of such individuals for apprenticeship in the relevant industry, occupation, or recruitment area) and underserved communities (including veterans, justice-involved individuals, youth, and those in rural communities).

Registered Apprenticeship can provide a path to quality jobs for all individuals, including underrepresented populations and underserved communities. Within the youth population, applicants may serve a wide range of individuals, such as high school and opportunity (out-of-school) youth, youth who are employed or unemployed, justice-involved youth, youth from underrepresented populations, and other youth with barriers to employment including foster youth, parenting youth, and housing insecure youth. Access to supportive services is an important element to quality pre-apprenticeship. Building on the President’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supportive Caregivers, ABA2 seeks to integrate supportive services as a key equity strategy to increase access to and completion of pre-apprenticeships and RAPs. Further, one of the key lessons learned from the American Apprenticeship Initiative (conducted between 2015 and 2021) (Expanding Registered Apprenticeship Opportunities to Underrepresented Populations: Findings from the American Apprenticeship Initiative Evaluation (dol.gov) is that supportive services are an evidence-based strategy for engaging underserved populations in apprenticeship opportunities and can support these populations in successfully completing pre-apprenticeships and RAPs.

Collectively, ABA2 grantees will work with a range of partners to support the development of the Registered Apprenticeship ecosystem and meet the following goals: ensuring equitable RAP pathways and partnerships through pre-apprenticeship leading to Registered Apprenticeship enrollment; creating education system-aligned pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs; and investing in Registered Apprenticeship hubs to facilitate the establishment, scaling, and expansion of RAPs in new and fast-growing industries and occupations.

In addressing these goals, applicants must address specified cross-cutting principles fundamental to the ABA2 grant program to ensure these projects will help expand the availability of Good Jobs for all. These include: 1) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA); 2) job quality (as defined in The Good Jobs Principles); 3) support for high-quality, scalable, and sustainable programs; 4) research and evidence-based approaches; and 5) new opportunities for innovation, engagement, and ease of access.

Eligible applicants vary by grant category. Please see Section III.A for eligible applicants. This program does not require cost sharing or matching funds.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/04/18/executive-order-on-increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/04/18/executive-order-on-increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers/ https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/publications/ETAOP2022-38_AAI_Brief-Underrepresented_Pops_Final_508_9-2022.pdf https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/publications/ETAOP2022-38_AAI_Brief-Underrepresented_Pops_Final_508_9-2022.pdf https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/publications/ETAOP2022-38_AAI_Brief-Underrepresented_Pops_Final_508_9-2022.pdf https://www.dol.gov/general/good-jobs/principles

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This announcement solicits applications for the ABA2 grant program.

The purpose of the ABA2 grant program is to build on efforts funded under the first round of the ABA grant program. ABA2 grants will continue to expand, diversify, and strengthen the Registered Apprenticeship system through support for public/ private partnerships designed to serve a range of industries and individuals and promote Registered Apprenticeship as a workforce development solution that translates training into good jobs. In addition, ABA2 will prioritize in-demand sectors and occupations including: IT/cybersecurity, K-12 teacher occupations, care economy (nursing, early care, mental health, and more), clean energy, and other relevant industries and sectors such as hospitality, public sector, and/or occupations in the supply chain sectors (logistics, warehouse, transportation, and manufacturing, including but not limited to advanced manufacturing, such as semiconductor manufacturing and bio-manufacturing) that align with President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, including historic legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden such as the American Rescue Plan Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

ABA2 continues to apply the model employed in the first round of the ABA, which awarded grants in multiple categories to deliver maximum impact for employers and career seekers and provides funding for three categories of grants: (1) Ensuring Equitable RAP Pathways and Partnerships Through Pre-apprenticeship Leading to RAP Enrollment, (2) Creation of Education System-aligned Pre-apprenticeship Programs and RAPs, and (3) Registered Apprenticeship Hubs. Across all three categories, all awarded grants must demonstrate a commitment to key Administration priorities and principles including DEIA; job quality; support for high-quality, scalable, and sustainable programs; research and evidence-based approaches; and new opportunities for innovation, engagement, and ease of access.

Grantees will also be required to collaborate across ABA grants and other related DOL-funded Registered Apprenticeship investments. This collaboration will leverage and align efforts to maximize the use of knowledge sharing and resources and minimize the duplication of efforts, ultimately ensuring that the key stakeholders of the Registered Apprenticeship system are served efficiently.

ABA2 Grant Categories

Category 1: Ensuring Equitable RAP Pathways and Partnerships Through Pre-apprenticeship Leading to RAP Enrollment: Grantees will establish and develop public-private partnerships with pre-apprenticeship programs leading to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance. This activity will advance Registered Apprenticeship initiatives designed to increase diversity and equity in Registered Apprenticeship for underrepresented populations and undeserved communities, including a focus on quality pre-apprenticeships.

Applicants are encouraged to use industry-wide pre-apprenticeship program models that feed into a broad range of RAPs. Further, as access to supportive services is an important element of quality pre-apprenticeship, applicants are encouraged to integrate supportive services to increase access to and completion of pre-apprenticeships and RAPs. (See Appendix A for a definition of equity partnerships and supportive services.)

https://www.whitehouse.gov/invest/ https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-notice-no-13-12

Category 2: Creation of Education System-aligned Pre-apprenticeship Programs and RAPs: Grantees will establish and expand partnerships that commit to creating and expanding education system-aligned pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAPs during the grant period of performance and/or education system-aligned RAPs that serve youth and adult learners through coordination and direct tie with the education system (CTE, adult education, correctional education, community colleges, post-secondary education, institutions of higher education, state education systems), industry, workforce intermediaries, labor organizations, youth-serving and community-based organizations, and other stakeholders.

These partnerships will lay the foundation for expanded system capacity with the development of pre-apprenticeship programs and RAPs aligned with the education system that connect youth and adult learners to a career pathway in key, in-demand industries. Pre-apprenticeship programs and RAPs must include CTE, integrated education and training, post-secondary, and/or degreed components, have a documented partnership with at least one RAP sponsor and at least one education system partner, and pre-apprenticeship programs should be designed to build work experience and align with an industry-based focus to allow for career exploration as well as lead to RAP enrollment during the grant’s period of performance. The Department is particularly interested in programs that provide college credit leading to a degree. (See Appendix A for a definition of degreed RAP.)

Category 3: Registered Apprenticeship Hubs: Grantees will establish industry or sector-led multi-partner networks capable of serving as multi-employer RAP sponsors and/or intermediary partnerships with the primary focus of supporting industry’s needs for creating and expanding RAPs in in-demand sectors and occupations. Registered Apprenticeship Hubs will develop innovative and scalable Registered Apprenticeship strategies at a local, regional, state, or national scale that incorporate worker-centered sector strategies driven by strong and diverse partnerships of public and private sector entities to promote systems change and empower workers through equity, skills, and innovation. (See Appendix A for definition of worker-centered sector strategy.) Types of industry or sector-led Registered Apprenticeship Hubs to be funded under this category include:

1. Local/regional or Statewide-focused Registered Apprenticeship Hubs: Serve as Registered Apprenticeship intermediaries to convene local stakeholders with the ultimate goal of developing and launching RAPs. These organizations serve as intermediaries with RAP expertise working across local communities and/or multiple regions in a multi-employer sponsor and/or technical assistance (TA) capacity.

2. National Industry- or Sector-Focused Network Hubs: Serve as Registered Apprenticeship intermediaries with RAP expertise to convene stakeholders with the ultimate goal of developing and launching RAPs. These organizations serve as industry and/or sector experts working nationally and/or within multiple regions in a multi-employer sponsor and/or TA capacity.

Cross-Cutting Principles:

For all three grant categories, applicants must specifically address how they will meet the following cross-cutting principles to ensure these projects will help expand the availability of Good Jobs for all:

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA): Focus on embedding DEIA principles into RAPs and RAP expansion, including expanding the RAP model into new and traditional industries to improve outcomes for workers from underrepresented populations and underserved communities. Underrepresented populations include women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities, as established in 29 CFR Part 30, where the population’s participation in RAPs is significantly less than would be expected given the availability of such individuals for apprenticeship in the relevant industry, occupation, or recruitment area. Underserved communities include veterans, justice-involved individuals, youth, and those in rural communities.

Job quality: Focus on promoting RAPs as a key strategy to move workers into good jobs across all industries and promoting the hallmarks of RAPs (e.g., progressive wage increases and worker safeguards), promoting working conditions for apprentices that are consistent with the Good Jobs Principles – a shared federal vision of job quality published by the Departments of Labor and Commerce – and promoting adaptable approaches to training workers.

Support for high-quality, sustainable programs: Focus on ensuring that all RAPs have the features of high-quality apprenticeships, such as progressive wage increases and national industry-recognized credential upon program completion, and that those efforts support a broader workforce development agenda to support a sustainable apprenticeship system on a national scale.

Research and evidence-based approaches: Incorporate strategies to improve the efficient and effective use of evidence- and research-based approaches to support workforce development initiatives involving RAPs.

New opportunities for innovation, engagement, and ease of access: Focus on innovative strategies that support the expansion and modernization of RAPs, which may include, but are not limited to, engaging with an array of new and diverse organizations in RAPs;

developing RAPs in emerging industries based on labor market demands; increasing access to RAPs; developing innovative program delivery models; and leveraging technology to provide technical assistance, increase ease of access, remove jobseeker employment and training barriers, and improve system alignment.

The ABA2 grant program will support, through a coordinated national investment strategy, a strengthened and modernized RAP system centered on equity that advances the Administration’s goals and priorities for an inclusive economy by connecting more Americans to good jobs and careers, especially in high-growth, in-demand industry sectors.

The Biden-Harris Administration supports the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship, including RAPs that include a Career and Technical Education (CTE) or degreed component, and pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance.

The ABA2 grant will expand opportunities in RAPs, and in pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance, through the previously described “ABA2 Grant Categories.” While grantees and their strategies will be diverse, within each category, they share a set of common design elements. These elements include the previously https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/goodjobs/Good-Jobs-Summit-Principles-Factsheet.pdf described “Cross-Cutting Principles,” as well as the requirements for RAPs and the Quality Framework for Pre-Apprenticeship Programs, both of which are described below.

1. Registered Apprenticeship Programs and Quality Framework for Pre- Apprenticeship Programs

RAPs and pre-apprenticeships leading to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance that are funded and developed under this grant program must align with the requirements outlined below.

A. Registered Apprenticeship Programs

RAPs are a proven model of job preparation, validated by DOL or a DOL-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA), which combine paid on-the-job learning (OJL) with a mentor and related instruction (RI) to progressively increase workers’ skill levels and wages. RAPs are also a business-driven model that provide an effective way for employers to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled workers. RAPs allow workforce partners, educators, and employers to develop and apply industry standards to training programs, thereby increasing the quality and productivity of the workforce. RAPs offer job-seekers immediate employment opportunities that pay sustainable wages and offer advancement along a career path as they complete their training.

Graduates of RAPs receive nationally recognized, portable credentials, and their training may be applied toward further post-secondary education.

RAPs are authorized through regulations issued under the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 (29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), which are located at 29 C.F.R. Parts 29 and 30. The Office of Apprenticeship (OA), in conjunction with SAAs, registers programs for federal purposes, ensures that RAPs meet applicable federal and State laws and regulations covering RAPs, issues certificates of completion to apprentices, encourages the development of new programs and provides technical assistance, protects the safety and welfare of apprentices, and ensures equal employment opportunity for apprentices.

Applicants may refer to https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/registered-apprenticeship-program for more information on the key elements of a RAP.

In addition to the key elements, RAPs are required to follow labor standards and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protections as outlined in 29 CFR Part 29 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-29) and Part 30 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-30). For more information on additional elements, please review 29 CFR Part 29 and Part 30.

RAP expansion efforts include, but are not limited to:

• Growing the RAP model into new or in-demand industries and occupations, including and within IT/cybersecurity, K-12 teacher occupations, care economy (nursing, early care, mental health, and more), clean energy, and other relevant industries and sectors such as hospitality, public sector, and/or occupations in the supply chain sectors (logistics, warehouse, transportation, and manufacturing, including but not limited to advanced manufacturing, such as semiconductor manufacturing and bio-manufacturing) that align with President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda

• Expanding the use of the RAP model in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and other workforce or education programs such as through the Strengthening https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/registered-apprenticeship-program https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/registered-apprenticeship-program https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-29 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-30

Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), that can lead to RAPs, including pre-apprenticeship programs and other career pathways that lead to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance;

• Increasing support of RAP stakeholders and sponsors in their DEIA efforts by actively working to support EEO efforts and the recruitment of underrepresented populations and underserved communities. These efforts can also include extending RAPs into new communities, including rural and urban neighborhoods; and

• Building on existing RAP efforts already in place to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts, ultimately ensuring the core customers of the RAP system are served efficiently.

B. Quality Framework for Pre-apprenticeship Programs

A pre-apprenticeship program is defined as a set of strategies designed to prepare individuals for entry into a RAP. Pre-apprenticeship programs differ from internships, job shadowing, externships, and co-ops, which may also offer individuals an opportunity to experience firsthand a profession or practice, but do not always engage in practical and applied experiential learning.

For the purposes of this FOA, pre-apprenticeship programs must include the following five elements to be considered a quality pre-apprenticeship program:

1. Designed in Collaboration with RAP Sponsors. Quality pre-apprenticeship programs are designed by organizations with input from a RAP sponsor. A pre-apprenticeship program’s educational and pre-vocational services prepare individuals to meet the entry requisites of one or more RAPs. They have training goals to teach participants a defined set of skills required and agreed upon by the RAP sponsor for entry into their programs.

The start date and length of specific pre-apprenticeship programs may vary. Ideally, pre-apprenticeship programs provide an industry-recognized credential and stipends or wages.

2. Meaningful Hands-on Training that Does Not Displace Paid Employees. Quality pre-apprenticeship programs provide hands-on training to individuals in a 1) workplace, 2) simulated lab experience, or 3) work-based learning environment, and also do not supplant a paid employee, while accurately simulating the industry and occupational conditions of the partnering RAPs, which includes observing proper supervision and safety protocols.

3. Facilitated Entry and/or Articulation. The purpose of a pre-apprenticeship program is to train individuals for entry into a RAP. A quality pre-apprenticeship program assists in exposing participants to local, state, and national Registered Apprenticeship programs and provides direct assistance to participants applying to those programs. Whenever possible, formalized agreements exist with RAPs that enable individuals who have successfully completed the pre-apprenticeship program to enter directly into a RAP.

These may also include articulation agreements that allow the individual to earn advanced credit/placement for skills and competencies already acquired.

4. Sustainability Through Partnerships. To support the ongoing sustainability of a quality pre-apprenticeship partnership, such partnerships collaboratively promote the use of RAPs as a preferred means for industry to develop a skilled workforce and to create career opportunities and pathways leading to RAP enrollment for individuals.

5. Access to Appropriate Supportive Services. Quality pre-apprenticeship programs facilitate access to appropriate supportive services during the program; these supportive services may continue after the participant leaves the pre-apprenticeship program and enters a RAP. Services may include counseling, transportation assistance, childcare, and rehabilitative services, among others. Research from the AAI grant program identifies supportive services as critical to supporting individuals, particularly underrepresented populations, in successfully completing pre-apprenticeships and RAPs.

Pre-apprenticeship expansion efforts include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Growing the pre-apprenticeship model into in-demand industries and occupations, including and within IT/cybersecurity, K-12 teacher occupations, care economy (nursing, early care, mental health, and more), clean energy, and other relevant industries and sectors such as hospitality, public sector, and/or occupations in the supply chain sectors (logistics, warehouse, transportation, and manufacturing, including but not limited to advanced manufacturing, such as semiconductor manufacturing and bio-manufacturing) that align with President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda; Expanding on the use of the pre-apprenticeship model in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and other workforce or education programs that can lead to RAP and other career pathways that lead to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance;

• Increasing support of pre-apprenticeship stakeholders and customers in their DEIA efforts by actively working to support EEO efforts and the recruitment of underrepresented populations and underserved communities. These efforts can also include extending pre-apprenticeship programs for new populations and into new communities, including rural and urban neighborhoods; and

• Building on existing pre-apprenticeship program expansion efforts already in place to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts, ultimately ensuring the core customers of the Registered Apprenticeship system are served efficiently.

Pre-apprenticeship programs funded through this grant must directly lead to enrollment in RAPs during the grant period of performance. Pre-apprenticeship programs funded under this grant should ensure that the skills and competencies being developed align with industry needs. It is allowable and encouraged for pre-apprentice completers to receive grant-funded services in a

RAP.

2. ABA2 Grant Program Activities

Applicants must propose projects that will execute all of the following activities to launch and/or expand RAPs and/or pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance through:

• Industry Engagement and Support: Grantees must engage employers and other industry organizations to glean insights into industry and workforce needs; become partners in design, implementation and investment of resources; and develop longer-term relationships and efforts to support ongoing employer engagement.

• Promotion and Outreach Activities: Grantees must engage in efforts to promote and conduct outreach to industry partners and stakeholders regarding the value and benefits of

Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAP enrollment, as appropriate.

• Partnership Building: Grantees must identify and collaborate with a broad range of partners to promote RAPs and pre-apprenticeship programs. Grantees are expected to actively support the development and introduction of new Registered Apprenticeship partners, including employers, industry associations, labor unions, Registered Apprenticeship Intermediaries, and workforce and educational entities. Grantees are expected to directly and indirectly support the expansion of national, regional, and local RAP and/or pre-apprenticeship models.

• Engaging Underrepresented Populations and Underserved Communities: Grantees must offer a wide range of services such as supportive services and have policies and procedures that enable them to effectively serve underrepresented populations and underserved communities. This includes proposing projects to meet Utilization Goals for Individuals with Disabilities under 29 C.F.R. 30.7. As noted in 30.7(a), “The Administrator of OA has established a utilization goal of 7 percent for employment of qualified individuals with disabilities as apprentices for each major occupation group within which the sponsor has an apprenticeship program” (eCFR :: 29 CFR Part 30 – Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship).

• Leveraging Resources: Grantees must leverage local, state, federal, private sector, and other resources to increase the impacts of grant funding. Leveraged funds must be described in the Budget Narrative as described in Section IV.B.2. Project Budget.

• Data-informed Decision-Making: Grantees must use labor market information, industry and occupational trends, assessment data, and other information to guide investment, programmatic, and other key decisions regarding grant planning, implementation, and system capacity. All grantees are required to collect data on the required program elements for tracking and reporting performance outcomes of enrolled apprentices.

• Policy and System Alignment: Grantees must align and connect with policies and initiatives across workforce development, economic development, education, and other systems to improve grant outcomes and create longer-term conditions for success.

3. ABA2 Grant Categories

In carrying out the above activities, applicants may apply the ABA2 grant categories described below based on eligibility of the applicant. For more information, please see Section III.A.

Eligible Applicants and Section III.C.2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit.

Category 1: Ensuring Equitable RAP Pathways and Partnerships Through Pre-apprenticeship Leading to RAP Enrollment

Grantees applying under Category 1 will develop and promote public-private partnerships to advance RAPs and pre-apprenticeships that lead to a RAP enrollment aimed at increasing diversity and equity in apprenticeship for underrepresented populations and underserved communities. Pre-apprenticeship programs funded through this grant must lead directly to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance.

Required Activities:

1. Build talent pipelines/on ramps to RAPs, including by making use of industry-wide models, leading directly to placement in and completion of RAPs. Grantees are expected to develop and/or connect with pre-apprenticeship programs, including those that are WIOA-authorized youth programs, to develop Registered Apprenticeship pathways that enroll pre-apprentices successfully into RAPs during the grant period of performance.

This may include working with pre-apprenticeship programs to develop curricula to facilitate a smooth transition into RAPs and covering the costs of RI, OJL, and supportive services upon entry into RAPs.

2. Use leveraged and/or grant funds for supportive services provided to pre-apprentices and registered apprentices to reduce barriers to participation and successful completion.

Grantees may use up to 25 percent of grant funds to provide these services (See Section IV.E. Funding Restrictions for more information). Examples of supportive services include, but are not limited to, housing and transportation assistance, childcare, counseling and other needs (See Appendix A for additional information on supportive services).

3. Invest in outreach to promote DEIA in RAPs. Grantees are expected to raise awareness about the various types of Registered Apprenticeship pathways to underrepresented populations and underserved communities. This includes developing partnerships with equity focused organizations that serve these groups, such as Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (including but not limited to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), faith-based organizations, and businesses to educate diverse stakeholders about the benefits and return on investment of RAPs in in-demand, high-growth sectors.

4. Develop equitable pathways and partnerships to RAPs. Through pre-apprenticeship and other partnerships, grantees are expected to expand RAP opportunities for underrepresented populations and underserved communities and provide incentive funding for employers to expand RAP opportunities for underrepresented populations and underserved communities.

5. Offer program participants industry-recognized portable and stackable credentials.

6. Provide clear pathways from pre-apprentice to RAP enrollment. Grantees are expected to propose pre-apprenticeship programs that are connected to a RAP sponsor and will enroll pre-apprentices into RAPs during the grant period of performance.

7. Provide incentive funding to support employers engaged in Registered Apprenticeship.

Grantees can use up to 20 percent of funds awarded to support incentives to new employers and joint or non-joint employer groups to directly fund the development of RAPs or other program development needs (See Section IV.E. Funding Restrictions for more information).

Category 2: Creation of Education System-aligned Pre-apprenticeship Programs and RAPs

Grantees will establish and expand partnerships that commit to creating and expanding education system-aligned pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAPS and/or education system-aligned RAPs for youth and adult learners through coordination and direct tie-ins with the secondary and postsecondary education system (CTE, adult education, correctional education, community colleges, post-secondary education, institutions of higher education, and state K-12 education systems), industry, workforce intermediaries, labor organizations, youth-serving and community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. Pre-apprenticeship programs funded through this grant must lead directly to RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance.

Required Activities:

1. Design pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to RAP enrollment during the period of performance.

2. Pre-apprenticeship programs and RAPs that are developed by grantees must include CTE, post-secondary, and/or other degreed components. The Department is particularly interested in programs that include CTE and programs that provide college credit leading to a degree.

3. All pre-apprenticeship programs must have a documented partnership with at least one RAP sponsor and at least one education system partner.

4. Pre-apprenticeship programs must be designed to build work experience and align with an industry-based focus to allow for career exploration.

5. Strategies for both RI and OJL portions of the program must include flexibility to meet the needs of both youth and adult learners.

6. Invest in local, regional and/or national partnerships to include workforce intermediaries that commit to expanding pre-apprenticeship programs and RAPs for youth and adult learners in partnership with industry, labor, K-12 districts, community colleges, adult education, vocational schools, MSIs (including but not limited to HBCUs, HSIs, TCUs, and AANAPISIs) and youth-serving and community-based organizations.

7. Expand use of education system-aligned pre-apprenticeship programs and RAPs as a strategy for connecting youth and adult learners to a career pathway for key, in-demand industries aligned with priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration.

8. Integrate and align the RAP model with existing education and workforce policies and programs including CTE, dual/concurrent enrollment and dual credit, and co-enrollment with WIOA programs, such as supporting integrated education and training with WIOA Title II programs, where applicable.

9. Align academic and technical standards in postsecondary education, including institutions of higher education, CTE programs at community and technical colleges or at the K-12 level, and other CTE providers, with industry-recognized credentials/certifications.

10. Use leveraged and/or grant funds for supportive services to pre-apprentices and registered apprentices to reduce barriers to participation and successful completion. Grantees may use up to 25 percent of grant funds to provide these services (See Section IV.E. Funding Restrictions for more information). Examples of supportive services include, but are not limited to, housing, transportation, childcare, counseling and other needs.

11. Provide incentive funding to support Registered Apprenticeship employers. Grantees can use up to 20 percent of their grant funding to support incentives to new employers and joint or non-joint employer groups, to directly fund the development of RAPs or other program development needs (See Section IV.E. Funding Restrictions for more information).

Category 3: Registered Apprenticeship Hubs

The goal of Registered Apprenticeship Hubs is to serve as engines of growth that can promote expansion of RAP opportunities. To meet this goal, grantees will establish industry or sector-led multi-partner networks capable of serving as multi-employer RAP sponsors and/or intermediary partnerships with the primary focus of supporting industry’s needs for creating and expanding RAPs in in-demand sectors and occupations. For the purposes of this FOA, Registered Apprenticeship Hubs, including those serving as multi-employer sponsors, are prohibited from directly serving participants using grant funds. See below for information on allowable activities that can be undertaken in Category 3.

Registered Apprenticeship Hubs will develop innovative and scalable Registered Apprenticeship strategies at the local, regional, state, or national level. Registered Apprenticeship Hubs will incorporate worker-centered sector strategies driven by strong and diverse partnerships comprised of public and private sector entities. These partnerships will promote systems change and empower workers through equity, skills, and innovation. Types of industry or sector-led Registered Apprenticeship Hubs to be funded under this category include:

Local/regional or Statewide-focused Registered Apprenticeship Hubs

Required Activities:

1. Connect with local, regional, and/or state employers and industry groups to expand Registered Apprenticeship. Grantees are expected to develop partnerships with employers and industry groups, including labor-management organizations, labor unions, and/or other relevant key stakeholders, as appropriate, in the identified sector(s) to facilitate the development of place-based RAPs.

2. Develop a network of partners to support the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of RAPs. Grantees are expected to develop a broad network of partners including employers, industry associations, labor unions, Registered Apprenticeship intermediaries, and workforce, equity, and educational entities with a focus on supporting the broad needs of specific industry sectors to expand Registered Apprenticeship.

3. Serve as Registered Apprenticeship local intermediary to develop, expand, and launch RAPs, and provide technical assistance to a network of partners.

4. Provide subject-matter expertise in topics related to Registered Apprenticeship which include (but are not limited to) Registered Apprenticeship program design, program registration, system navigation, and workforce system alignment.

5. Provide incentive funding to support Registered Apprenticeship employers. Grantees can use up to 50 percent of their grant funding to support incentives to new employers and joint or non-joint employer groups, to directly fund the development of RAPs or other program development needs (See Section IV.E. Funding Restrictions for more information). Within 90 days of receiving Notice of Award, grantees will be required to submit a detailed incentive plan to their Federal Project Officer (FPO) for review and approval. See Appendix C for suggested template.

6. Develop technical assistance resources to launch RAPs in in-demand industries and sectors. Grantees must develop and use resources to assist employers, including small businesses (including those owned by members of underrepresented populations and underserved communities) in understanding the requirements of launching and operating RAPs.

7. Promote and encourage employers to utilize pre-apprenticeship programs directly leading to a RAP enrollment during the grant period of performance. Through a network of partnerships, grantees contribute to comprehensive career pathways (and services) within the chosen industry through curriculum development, coverage of instructor costs, and development of agreements between sponsors and pre-apprenticeship providers, thereby expanding RAP opportunities for underrepresented populations and underserved communities.

8. Coordinate and leverage efforts across ABA Registered Apprenticeship hubs to help expand and scale RAPs as part of a hub network. In support of this collaboration, grantees will join a cohort of apprenticeship hubs working together to support cohesive efforts to grow the Registered Apprenticeship ecosystem.

National Sector- or Industry-Focused Network Hubs

Required Activities:

1. Develop a national network of partners with the primary focus to support the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of RAPs across one or more industries or sectors.

Grantees are expected to develop a broad network of partners including employers, industry associations, labor unions, Registered Apprenticeship intermediaries, and workforce, equity, and educational entities with a focus on supporting the broad needs of specific industry sectors to expand Registered Apprenticeship.

2. Partner with large national employers to establish National Program Standards (as described in OA Circular No. 2022-01) and/or National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards (as described in OA Circular No. 2022-02) that can be replicated across their partner and stakeholder base and across multiple established sector occupations.

3. Serve as Registered Apprenticeship intermediary to develop, expand, and launch RAPs, and provide technical assistance to a network of partners.

4. Provide subject-matter expertise in topics related to Registered Apprenticeship, which include (but are not limited to) RAP design, program registration, system navigation, and workforce system alignment.

5. Develop expansive partnerships with stakeholders to support recruitment, persistence, and completion of apprentices in RAPs that increase DEIA in Registered Apprenticeship.

6. Provide technical assistance for key Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders to build and grow RAPs. Technical assistance activities to key apprenticeship stakeholders must include, but are not limited to:

o Increase awareness and support for the development of Registered Apprenticeship program design;

o Support Registered Apprenticeship program registration and system navigation;

o Assist in leveraging and aligning with existing funding and other resources (i.e., workforce and education);

o Assist in the development of data collection and analysis of data to better inform industry/sector Registered Apprenticeship efforts.

o Ensure Registered Apprenticeship programs integrate DEIA principles into their activities;

o Conduct or leverage DEIA focused trainings;

o Support the development or expansion of sector- or industry-focused partnerships;

and o Develop system-level quick start tools/templates to support technical assistance efforts.

7. Support development and uptake of program frameworks for registered apprenticeship in critical industry sectors, including IT/cybersecurity, K-12 teacher occupations, care economy (nursing, early care, mental health, and more), clean energy, and other relevant industries and sectors such as hospitality, public sector, and/or occupations in the supply chain sectors (logistics, warehouse, transportation, and manufacturing, including but not limited to advanced manufacturing, such as semiconductor manufacturing and bio-manufacturing) that align with President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda;

8. Provide technical assistance to employers and sponsors on requirements for registration with OA or a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA).

9. Engage relevant stakeholders through Registered Apprenticeship Accelerator convenings, including employers and labor organizations to develop and expand sector-based workforce solutions through Registered Apprenticeship.

10. Provide incentive funding to support Registered Apprenticeship employers. Grantees can use up to 50 percent of funds awarded to support incentives to new employers and joint or non-joint employer groups, to directly fund the development of RAPs or other program development needs (See Section IV.E. Funding Restrictions for more information). Within 90 days of receiving Notice of Award, grantees will be required to submit a detailed incentive plan to their Federal Project Officer (FPO) for review and approval. See Appendix C for suggested template.

11. Promote, encourage, and support employers to develop pre-apprenticeship programs that lead directly to enrollment in a RAP during the grant period of performance. Through a network of equity-focused partnerships, grantees contribute to comprehensive career pathways (and services) within the chosen industry through curriculum development, coverage of instructor costs, and development of agreements between sponsors and pre-apprenticeship program providers, thereby expanding RAP opportunities for underrepresented populations and underserved communities.

12. Coordinate and leverage efforts across ABA Registered Apprenticeship hubs to expand and scale RAPs as part of a hub network. In support of this collaboration, grantees will be part of a cohort of apprenticeship hubs working together to support cohesive efforts to grow the Registered Apprenticeship ecosystem.

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

Applicants must identify the geographic scope of the proposed project. Applicants may choose one of the following geographic scopes: local/regional, statewide, or national scope. The geographic scope is the physical service area in which awarded applicants will serve participants and/or provide services.

Categories 1 and 2:

1. Local/regional means serving a part of one state or a contiguous area that includes multiple sites that may cross more than one state.

2. Statewide means serving an entire state or multiple non-contiguous sites within one state.

3. National means serving multiple states in multiple locations across the country. The service area does not need to be contiguous.

Category 3: Registered Apprenticeship Hubs

1. Local/regional or Statewide-focused Registered Apprenticeship Hubs:

a. Local/regional means…