foa-eta-15-04.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for Face Forward 3-Intermediary and Community Grants

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-ETA-15-04

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.270

Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is April 23, 2015. Applications must be received no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Addresses: Mailed applications must be addressed to:

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Melissa Abdullah, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-ETA-15-04 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716 Washington, DC 20210

For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Face Forward 3 - Intermediary and Community grants will offer organizations the opportunity to develop and implement programs that will focus on addressing the employment barriers of court-involved youth while helping them attain in-demand occupational and employment skills needed to obtain good jobs. These grants will help participants move forward into the future by combining the most promising workforce and juvenile justice strategies available. These grants are designed to systematically improve the workforce outcomes of court-involved youth by helping them to continue their education and obtain industry-recognized credentials that prepare them for jobs in demand industries using career pathways.

The core project components for these grants include: case management including family supports, mentoring, educational interventions, service-learning, occupational training in demand industries which lead to industry-recognized credentials, workforce activities that lead to employment, follow-up activities, family supports and expungement and diversion.

The expungement and diversion components will be provided through the juvenile justice system (JJS) and non-profit legal services organizations.

Community grantees or sub-grantees of intermediary organizations must collaborate with the local components of the JJS to ensure that court-involved youth receive referrals into programs as a means of diversion or diverting them from juvenile detention, and collaborate with non-profit legal services organizations to assist program participants with expungement or other state recognized methods, such as sealing juvenile records, as a means of mitigating those records.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) plans to award four intermediary organization grants of $5 million each and approximately 10 community organization grants of up to $1,050,000 million each, totaling approximately $30,500,000 million, to provide services to youth between the ages of 14 to 24 that have been involved in the JJS and never convicted in the adult criminal system. Applicants may only submit one application in response to this solicitation. Applicants must choose between submitting an intermediary or community grant application.

Intermediary grantees must competitively select after grant award local sub-grantees to operate the program in a minimum of three communities in at least two states, with a priority to serving target areas in high-poverty, high-crime areas. Applicants submitting intermediary grants applications must have the capacity to implement multi-site, multi-state projects.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

All Federal workforce and training investments are designed to equip job seekers with skills that increase their ability to find work and earn higher wages, by meeting the skill requirements of actual jobs that employers either are filling now or anticipate filling in the future. These Face Forward 3- Intermediary and Community grants will build on existing promising practices to assist youth participants, such as earning industry-recognized credentials in demand occupations and sectors, participating in self-exploration activities, providing on-the-job training (OJT) and work-based learning opportunities, participating in career planning and management activities, and strengthening industry and employer connections to ensure that the training program directly aligns with the skills and credentials needed to secure employment. These grants are consistent with the job-driven workforce programs and align with the seven identified job-driven training elements.

Successful grantees will use real-time labor market information to make the best choices about training in demand sectors and occupations. Grantees will share this labor market information along with individualized career guidance informed by youths’ strengths and interests, so they understand what it takes to get hired and earn enough to thrive in their communities as productive citizens throughout their lifetimes. Grantees will provide youth with access to electronic portfolio platforms where they can store and continue to access this career guidance and labor market information after their involvement in the Face Forward 3 program.

We are requiring all grantees to provide the expungement and diversion component to participants, as appropriate, because there is some evidence that these two strategies are particularly effective in increasing the employability of youth who have had transgressions with the law. To deliver this particular component, intermediary grantees (through their sub-grantees) and community grantees must collaborate with non-profit legal services providers to assist participants with expungement actions, and be designated by the JJS as a diversion program.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

This program is authorized by Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act and Section 212 of the Second Chance Act of 2007.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. ETA plans to award 4 Intermediary grants of $5 million each and approximately 10 Community grants of up to $1,050,000 each, totaling approximately $30,500,000.

Awards made under this announcement are subject to the availability of Federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, ETA reserves the right to use those funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this solicitation.

Applicants must not exceed an $8,000 cost-per-participant (CPP) for the duration of this grant, which includes administrative, planning, and follow-up costs. The CPP is calculated by dividing the total DOL grant award by the number of participants to be enrolled.

Grantees must serve at least the number of participants identified in their application.

Applicants requesting the maximum award amount must propose to serve at least the DOL minimum number of participants listed below. The following examples demonstrate the DOL minimum number of participants that must be served with these funds:

• Community organizations submitting applications requesting the maximum $1,050,000 must serve at least 132 participants.

• Intermediary organizations submitting applications requesting the maximum $5,000,000 must ensure that their sub-grantees cumulatively serve at least 625 participants.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

DOL will fund these grants for a 39-month period of performance. This period includes all necessary implementation, start-up activities, and follow-up services. Currently, the anticipated start date is 07/01/2015.

The period of performance must include the following:

• A planning period of up to six months (applicants that do not use the entire planning period must add the unused time to follow-up services);

• A program operation period of 24 months; and

• A minimum of nine months of follow-up services provided to each participant.

• A 24 to 36 month random assignment evaluation component.

To ensure grantees are prepared to begin program operations, the following milestones must be achieved during the planning period:

• Hire core program staff, including the Project Director/Manager, Fiscal Director/Manager and other key positions;

• Develop and implement the selection of training programs that will lead to industry-recognized credentials in demand industries in their local area; and

• Initiate recruitment and outreach efforts for the enrollment of participants.

• Finalize MOUs and contracts for service delivery during the six month planning period. If any changes occur beyond the six month planning period, grantees must submit a modification request that reflects these changes to service delivery, subject to approval by a grant officer.

The Federal Project Officer (FPO) will evaluate the completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning phase. DOL may subject grantees who do not meet these milestones to corrective action.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Community Grant Applicants Eligible applicants include any current or prior Face Forward grantees, any community or faith-based organization with 501(c)3 non-profit status (including women and minority-focused organizations), unit of state or local government, or any Indian and Native American entity eligible for grants under WIA Section 166.

Intermediary Grant Applicants Eligible applicants include any current or prior Face Forward grantees, any community or faith-based organization with 501(c)3 non-profit status (including women’s and minority organizations) or any Indian and Native American entity eligible for grants under WIA Section 166. Only organizations that have an affiliate network or offices in at least two states are eligible to be intermediary applicants.

Selection of Sub-Grantees When selecting its sub-grantees, Intermediary grants funded under this FOA must give priority to serving juvenile offenders currently residing in, or who resided in before confinement, high-poverty, high-crime communities. In their solicitations after award to select sub-grantees, Intermediary grantees must require sub-grantee applicants to use the latest available American Community Survey 5-Year data to show in their proposals the cumulative poverty rate of the various Census Tracts or counties included in their target community, and to compare the violent crime rate of the police precinct that most closely overlaps with the target area to the violent crime rate of the overall city (for urban areas) or of non-metropolitan counties in the state (for rural areas). Applicants for sub-grants with target areas of 30 percent or higher poverty and violent crime rates higher than the violent crime rate of the overall city for urban areas or of non-metropolitan counties in the state for rural areas must receive 10 bonus points on a 100 point evaluation scale. To receive these bonus points, individual Census Tracts within proposed urban target communities may have poverty rates of less than 30 percent, but the cumulative poverty rate for the community to be served must be at least 30 percent. Census Tracts that makeup the community to be served must be contiguous, and grantees must require in their solicitations that sub-grantee applicants provide a table that shows the overall population and poverty population of each census tract in the target area and all census tracts combined and a map that shows that the community is contiguous. If the target area is an entire county applicants only need to show the overall population and the poverty population of the county, and no map is required. Instructions for accessing American Community Survey data for Intermediary grantees to include in their solicitations to select sub-grantees are provided in Section F of Part VIII Other Information at the end of this solicitation.

Additionally, as part of their solicitation to select sub-grantees, Intermediary grantees must require sub-grantee applicants to provide data from the local juvenile justice agency on the number of youth from the community who in the past year returned from juvenile correctional facilities, were placed on probation, were placed in alternative sentences, and the number of youth who are expected to return to the target community over the next two years. The Department imposes no requirements on the size of the population of the community to be served.

Grantees must competitively select local sub-grantees to operate the program in a minimum of three communities in at least two states. Applicants must not hold competitions, or select local sub-grantees or sites before submitting their application. The Department will not award any additional points to applicants that identify local sub-grantees and sites in their application.

Grantees must conduct this competition by the same standards as those found in the Procurement Standards of 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200. These Federal standards require that grantees conduct procurement transactions in a manner that provides open and free competition to the maximum extent possible. The manner of selection of sub-grantees for this project will depend, to some extent, on whether or not the grantee has local offices, affiliates or members. Grantees with no local offices, affiliates, or members or less than 20 local offices, affiliates or members must conduct an open and free competition to select sub-grantees and sites. Grantees with 20 or more local offices, affiliates, or member organizations have the option of limiting the competition to a free and open competition among all of their affiliates. DOL recognizes that inefficiencies caused by limiting the competition to a grantee’s affiliates will likely be outweighed by the efficiencies that come with the greater familiarity the organization has with its affiliates. Within 30 days of award, grantees must provide a plan to their federal project officer for DOL approval for conducting this competition. Within 30 days of award, grantees must provide a plan for DOL approval for conducting this competition.

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program and will not affect the scoring of an application. However, applicants must provide a description in the Budget Narrative of how Federal, state, local, or private funding will be leveraged and are currently leveraged (if applicable) to provide supportive services that are not directly funded by the grant, such as mental health and substance abuse treatment services, and housing. More information on leveraged resources can be found in Section IV.B.2. Applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Cost sharing or matching funds are not application screening criteria.

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process and will not be considered for funding.

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)

Section IV.C

Application does not exceed the ceiling amount of:

$1,050,000 if community applicant or $5,000,000 if Intermediary applicant

Section II.A

Application does not exceed the CPP of $8,000 Section II.A

Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account Section IV.B.1

Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section IV.B.1

Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section IV.B.1

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section IV.B.2

Budget Narrative Section IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section IV.B.3

Abstract Section IV.B.4

2. Number of Applications to Be Submitted An organization may only submit one application. Multiple applications from an organization are not allowed. If multiple applications are received, the most recent application submitted will be accepted. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application. A single application may be submitted to serve multiple sites.

3. Eligible Participants

a) Individuals are eligible to participate in programs funded through this FOA if she/he:

• is at least 14 years and not older than 24 years of age on the date of enrollment;

• is currently involved or has been involved with the JJS, which includes:

o under the supervision of the JJS, either in out-of-home placements, on probation, or on parole; or o under an alternative sentence by the juvenile justice system; or o under a diversion program as an alternative to juvenile prosecution by the JJS;

• has never been convicted as an adult under Federal, state or local/municipal law; and

• currently resides in (or resided in before confinement in a correctional facility) the community to be served.

Exceptions: Up to 10% of the population served may be at-risk youth who have no current or previous JJS involvement. Applicants must complete an assessment to determine if a participant can be placed in the “at risk” category. The assessment will look at whether the potential participant is a youth in grades 8 through 12 between the ages of 14 and 24 who is at-risk of dropping out of school. Participants must also exhibit one or more of the following:

• poor school attendance;

• low grade point average;

• low standardized test scores as defined by local school district;

• retention in the 8th, 9th, 10th,or 11th grades as appropriate;

• discipline problems or suspension from school;

• special education placement

• 504 plan recipient; and

• low reading and math skills

NOTE: Male participants age 18 or older are required to register for selective service before services can be provided. Grantees should determine eligibility of male participants aged 18 or older by accessing the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/regist%20information.htm. If they turn 18 while participating, they must be registered within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

For additional guidance, including how this requirement applies to male participants who are incarcerated at the time of their 18th birthday, please see Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 11-11, Change 2 clarifies the implementation of the Selective Service registration requirements of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 § 189(h) for grantees funded or authorized by Title I of WIA, located at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_11- 11_change2.pdf.

Grantees have the discretion to enroll individuals convicted of violent offenses. However, the grantee must have a clear and consistent written enrollment policy that addresses how enrollment of program applicants will be treated. Grantees may choose to have a more rigorous risk assessment for violent offenders and should note this where it will be factored into enrollment eligibility.

b) Veterans’ Priority for Participants Title 38 U.S.C. 4215 requires grantees to provide priority of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL.

The regulations implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans’ priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority.

ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.

https://www.sss.gov/regist%20information.htm http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_11-11_change2.pdf http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_11-11_change2.pdf http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

Applicants should note that hyperlinks to portions of the FOA are included in various parts of the Announcement. Applicants are required to comply with all parts of the FOA, including those parts found at the hyperlinks.

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts: (1) the SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;” (2) Project Budget; (3) Project Narrative; and (4) attachments to the Project Narrative. It is your responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” You must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). The SF-424B is not required to be submitted with the application.

In addition, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the following requirements in accordance with 29 CFR 37.20.

As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)1, the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the WIA, which prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States or participation in any WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color and national

1 The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA,” Public Law 113-128) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. Most provisions of WIOA become effective July 1, 2015. Grants awarded under this FOA are authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), and the terms of the WIA will apply to these grants for the life of the grants. Post-release services provided by the community-based AJCs, which are not funded under this grant, will be subject to WIOA.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 origin; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs. The grant applicant also assures that it will comply with 29 CFR part 37 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.

Requirement for DUNS Number All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a DUNS number, and must supply their DUNS Number on the SF-424. The DUNS Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a DUNS Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do. As authorized under 2 CFR 25, grant recipients authorized to make subawards must be aware of the following requirements related to DUNS Numbers:

• Grant recipients must notify potential subawardees that no entity may receive a subaward from you unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to you.

• Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to you.

Requirement for Registration with SAM Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application. Instructions for registering with SAM can be found at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/#1. A recipient must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration. To remain registered in the SAM database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update the registration at least every 12 months from the date of initial registration or subsequently update its information in the SAM database to ensure it is current, accurate, and complete. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicant is the entity that meets the eligibility criteria and has the legal authority to apply and to receive the award.

2. Project Budget You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/%231 of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.

Use the following guidance for preparing the budget narrative:

Personnel – List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed). Give the annual salary of each position, the percentage of each position’s time devoted to the project, the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant, and the total personnel cost for the period of performance.

Fringe Benefits – Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement, etc.

Travel – Specify the purpose, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel.

Equipment – Identify each item of equipment to be purchased which has an estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if your capitalization level is less than $5,000, use your capitalization level) and a useful lifetime of more than one year (see 2 CFR 200.33 for the definition of Equipment). List the quantity and unit cost per item. Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies. In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies – Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.94 for the definition of Supplies). The detailed budget should identify categories of supplies (e.g. office supplies). List the quantity and unit cost per item.

Contractual – Identify each proposed contract and specify its purpose and estimated cost. If applicable, identify any subrecipient agreements, including purpose and estimated costs. See Section VI.B.2.f. for more information on the distinction between contractor and subrecipient.

Construction – Construction costs are not allowed and this line must be left as zero.

Minor alterations to adjust an existing space for grant activities (such as a classroom alteration) may be allowable. We do not consider this as construction and the costs must be shown on other appropriate lines such as Contractual.

Other – List each item in sufficient detail for us to determine whether the costs are reasonable or allowable. List any item, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere here.

Indirect Costs – If indirect costs are included in the budget, then include either, a) the approved indirect cost rate with a copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), a description of the base used to calculate indirect costs along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested, or b) if you meet the requirements to use the 10% de minimis rate as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f), then include a description of the modified total direct costs base (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) used in the calculation along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested based on the 10% de minimis rate. See Section IV.B.4.

and Section IV.E.1. for more information. Additionally, the following link contains DOL-specific information: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/boc/dcd/index.htm.

Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative.

No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. Leveraged resources should be described in the budget narrative. The requested Federal grant amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative must be the same. The funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found.

3. Project Narrative

a) Preparing the Project Narrative The Project Narrative must demonstrate your capability to implement the grant project in accordance with the provisions of this Announcement. It provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It must be succinct, self-explanatory, and well organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project.

The Project Narrative is limited to 20 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be read or considered in the application review process. You must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. You should carefully read and consider each section, and include all required information in your Project Narrative. The Project Narrative will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A.

Applicants must use the same section headers identified below for each section of the Project Narrative:

(1) Statement of Need Community grant applicants must identify the geographic area in which the project will be located. The geographic area may be described as city or local area boundaries, zip codes, or other means of identifying the specific area where services will be provided. Intermediary grant applicants must identify the geographic coverage area of their organization. All applicants must identify the number of court-involved youth they propose to serve.

In addition, community grant applicants must respond to the items listed below.

http://www.dol.gov/oasam/boc/dcd/index.htm

Intermediary grant application must require this information of the applicants in their sub-grantees competition and must submit a description of how they will ensure that these requirements are met in response to this solicitation.

• Describe the need for the selected training programs in your state(s) and /or local area(s) and identify the source of this information, such as Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) or Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) business /industry groups or labor market projections.

• Indicate the number of court-involved youth in the target area in the previous year.

NOTE: The number of participants expected to be served must be less than or equal to the number of court-involved youth in the target area in the previous year. Intermediary organizations must require this of their sub-grantees.

As a participant in the Promise Zone (PZ) Initiative, DOL is cooperating with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Agriculture, and 9 other federal agencies to support comprehensive revitalization efforts in 20 of the highest poverty urban, rural and tribal communities across the country.

Community Grant applicants that submit a certification (HUD Form 50153) signed by an authorized representative of the lead organization of a HUD or USDA designated Promise Zone supporting the application will receive 2 points priority consideration. Currently, Promise Zones are located in: San Antonio, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Southeastern Kentucky, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. To view the most recent list of designated Promise Zones and lead organizations please go to www.hud.gov/promisezones. Intermediary applicants are not eligible for this priority consideration and will not be penalized, since the selection of subgrantee sites will not have taken place.

(2) Expected Outcomes and Outputs All applicants must identify the number of court-involved youth they plan to serve and provide measurable results, or outcomes, that will result from the project and meet DOL’s outcome goals stated below. In addition, clearly identify the output(s) that will result from the project. Outputs are tangible products or services that result from the project. For example, an output of a youth job training grant might be the number of youth receiving one-on-one mentoring services, while an outcome would be the number of youth who obtain or retain employment.

Intermediary grant applicants must describe the extent to which they will provide assistance to sub-grantees to address external barriers in meeting their stated goals; and the strength of the strategies described to ensure that the stated goals are met.

The Department has identified the expected outputs and outcomes for these grants. The table below lists the outputs and outcomes measures that all grantees will be required to report to ETA quarterly throughout the period of performance, with the definition and performance goal for each measure.

MEASURE DEFINITION GOAL

Enrollment Rate

The enrollment rate is defined as the number of participants enrolled in the program divided by the enrollment goal. The enrollment goal is expected to be met by the end of the second full year of the grant period of performance (by September 16, 2017).

The goal for this measure is

100%.

Placement Rate

The placement rate is defined as the unduplicated number of youth who were out-of-school at enrollment who are placed into long-term occupational skills training, post-secondary opportunities, the military or unsubsidized employment, divided by the unduplicated number of youth who were and out-of-school at enrollment. For those youth aged 17 and younger at enrollment, placement into high school or a high school equivalency training program will also count for this measure.

The goal for this measure is 60%.

Retention Rate The retention rate is defined as the number of enrollees employed or attending school divided by all enrollees who are at the 3-month follow-up point.

The goal for this measure is 50%.

Recidivism Rate

The recidivism rate is defined as the number of previously adjudicated enrollees who have been convicted of a new criminal offense in either the juvenile or adult justice system within 12 months of their release from a correctional facility or placement on probation divided by the number of enrollees who have reached the 12-month point since their release from a correctional facility or placement on probation.

The goal for this measure is 20% or below.

Industry- Recognized

Certificate/Degree Rate

The industry-recognized certificate/degree rate is defined as the percentage of participants who have received an industry-recognized certificate, high school diploma, or state high school equivalency credential or post-secondary degree.

The goal for this measure is 60%.

High School Diploma or

Equivalency Rate

The attainment rate is defined as the percentage of participants who at enrollment were age 17 years or younger and lacked a high school diplomas or state High School Equivalency credential who achieve a high school diploma or state High School Equivalency credential.

(This rate will not include youth who are still active in high school or in state High School Equivalency program.)

The goal for this measure is 50% of those enrolled in degree and/or certificate awarding programs.

MEASURE DEFINITION GOAL

School Retention Rate

The school retention rate is defined as the number of participants who at enrollment were 17 years of age and younger and in school at enrollment who remained in school for at least one year after enrollment plus the number of youth who returned to school after enrollment who remained in school for at least one year divided by all participants 17 and younger at time of enrollment who reached the 12-month point since returning to school or since enrollment if they were in-school at enrollment.

The goal for this measure is 60%.

Mentoring Rate The mentoring rate is defined as the percentage of participants who receive mentoring for six months.

The goal for this measure is 95%.

Diversion Rate The number of participants with at least one case closed without adjudication, divided by the total participants enrolled as diversion candidates.

The goal for this measure is 60%.

Expungement Rate

The percentage of participants receiving expungement services who have at least one charge expunged.

The goal for this measure is 60%.

NOTE: Goals or calculation of goals or measures may be subject to change.

(3) Project Design Propose methods that will be used to address the stated outcomes and outputs and to provide the services discussed below. Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished and includes timelines for completion of work. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or the work and state the reason for taking the proposed approach rather than other approaches. Identify any potential barriers and describe how the project will be able to overcome those barriers. Intermediary applicants must require this information of their sub-grantee applicants, in addition to addressing each element for their parent organization.

Intermediary and community grant applicants must describe their strategies for achieving their goals along with the overarching work plan to implement this grant; describe their current program model and how services will meet the goals of this project; describe how they will address external barriers to meeting their stated goals and how the strength of the proposed strategies will ensure that the stated goals are met.

Community grant applicants must also describe which services will be directly provided by the grantee and which services will be contracted or provided by program partners Applicants must also describe their integrated strategy for providing these services.

Intermediary grant applicants must require sub-grantee applicants to provide information on how their participant services will be provided: direct, contracted or by collaborating organizations and describe how they will ensure an effective integrated strategy for providing these services.

Eight Core Program Components Projects funded under these grants must include each of the eight core program components described below. The job-driven training elements should be incorporated into each component (for more information on job-driven training, see Training and Employment Guidance Letter 3-14 at:

http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_3-14.pdf ). Of these required core components, all participants must receive a minimum of the following mandatory components: case management, occupational training in demand industries which lead to industry-recognized credentials, workforce activities, either expungement or diversion services as appropriate, follow-up services, and mentoring.

Educational interventions and service-learning should be offered to participants as needed. All eight project components must be offered by all grantees and sub-grantees, but not every participant needs to participate in all eight project components.

Intermediary grant applicants must describe how they will ensure that their sub-grantees provide all of the eight core components and that each participant receives all mandatory components.

Community grant applicants must respond directly to each of the following:

(a) Case Management Case management services must begin at the time of enrollment and be provided throughout the participant’s participation in the program, including the follow-up period. Grantees will assist each participant in developing an Individual Career Plan (ICP) that includes strategies for upward mobility on career pathways and success in the workplace. The development of the ICPs must begin within 30 days of enrollment and include steps to improve the participants’ employability that extend through the follow-up period. ICPs should be developed as part of an electronic portfolio that youth can access after their participation in the Face Forward 3 program; these portfolios should be integrated with the state career information systems.

Specifically, community grant applicants must:

• Identify and provide justification for the ratio of case managers to participants and how the case managers will act as advocates for program participants, including the frequency of their interactions.

• Describe how case managers will work with JJS staff in serving participants and in linking them to supportive services, such as:

transportation assistance, housing assistance, mental health services, http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_3-14.pdf vocational rehabilitation, substance abuse treatment services, health care services, legal aid services, and organizations that assist with family reunification.

• Describe how case managers will partner with the JJS to record the progress of the participant and completion of the program to have their juvenile charges diverted (dismissed).

• Describe how case managers will validate that the participant’s charge(s) have been successfully diverted or record the reason the charge(s) were not diverted.

• Describe how case managers will coordinate with other agencies and organizations to ensure that participants receive counseling in financial literacy, including benefits counseling for persons with disabilities;

counseling about their civil rights, including civil rights issues related to criminal records and employment; assistance applying for jobs and Federal benefits such as Pell Grants, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), childcare, Medicaid, and, if the person has a disability, Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance, (SSI/SSDI) and the right to free and appropriate public education (if eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act), and reasonable work accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act.

• Describe how case management services will bridge active program participation and the follow-up period to ensure adequate tracking of post-program outcomes and retention success for participants within the period of performance of the grant.

• Describe how participants will be assisted in developing career goals, understanding career pathway options, and developing an ICP.

o Describe how the mentoring and training received by the participants fits into the ICPs and ensures that each participant is focused on achieving his or her goals.

o An ICP must be developed within 30 days of enrollment for each participant and must reflect the individual needs and career goals of the participant. This will include goals related to personal issues, such as counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, disability disclosure, and child custody/support issues that can affect workplace success, as well as goals related directly to workforce development, such as continuing education, vocational training, and employment placement. The ICP is a living document and should be reviewed across all areas and updated regularly throughout the follow-up period for each participant.

(b) Mentoring

Grantees may provide mentoring in coordination with the JJS staff and, as necessary, with other juvenile justice offices. Mentoring resources may be available in the target community through Second Chance Act mentoring grants from the Department of Justice. Many types of organizations can provide mentors, such as faith-and community-based organizations, business firms, and college student groups. This component may include one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring (including job clubs), peer mentoring, and/or service-based mentoring; however, we encourage the use of one-on-one mentoring and mentoring in small groups. One example of a group mentoring model is the “Job Club” model. Job clubs are group-based job search assistance, networking, and peer support groups. Job clubs are often run by volunteers, including job seekers and program participants. DOL supports the work of job clubs, which may go by other names such as career ministries, networking groups, and more. To learn more, visit our online Community of Practice at www.dol.gov/jobclubs.

Participants must be matched with appropriate mentors who will be primarily responsible for offering support and guidance to participants in the community and the workplace. For the purpose of this grant, mentoring is defined as a relationship over a prolonged period of time (at a minimum 6 months) between two or more people where caring volunteer mentors assist participants in successfully and permanently reentering their communities by providing consistent support, guidance, and encouragement that helps participants in developing positive social relationships and achieving program outcomes such as job retention, family reunification, and reduced recidivism. Mentors do not include paid grant staff members that are providing services for the grant. The Department requires that grantees use evidence-based models of mentoring to design their programs. As with all mentoring programs, it is recommended that programs provide rigorous screening, training, and match support for mentors and frequent contact with participants as the match progresses. Applicants must describe their mentoring program. The following list summarizes some of the commonly-recognized best practices for operating an effective mentoring program: 1) targeted recruitment and thorough screening of appropriate mentors and mentees; 2) customized training for mentors and mentees; 3) sound matching, monitoring, supervision, and retention procedures; 4) closure procedures that leave all participants satisfied; 5) process and outcome evaluation; 6) skilled and committed staff; and 7) stable funding.

Specifically, community grant applicants must:

• Describe the strategy for mentor recruitment. If appropriate, describe how other organizations may be involved in recruiting mentors for this project;

• Describe the method or tool used for matching mentors to participants;

• Describe how the mentor will engage with the participant(s) including frequency of interactions, type of contact, and method of interaction;

• Discuss the quality and comprehensiveness of the training to be provided to mentors and the strategy for support and supervision of mentors;

http://www.dol.gov/jobclubs

• Discuss the applicants’ level of experience in operating mentoring programs;

• Discuss the evidence behind their mentoring approach; and

• Discuss the supports that will be made available to the mentoring teams.

(c) Educational Interventions Applicants must describe the educational components to be offered, including the types of educational interventions and/or support, as well as identify the organizations that will provide these services.

Specifically, community grant applicants must:

• Describe how all of the following educational services will be provided, including how the applicant will address the varying academic levels of participants, which includes participants ages 14- 17, to improve their reading and math skills and obtain a high school diploma or other alternative diploma options; and to help older participants ages 18-24 to obtain a state-recognized high school equivalency credential. Some examples include o high school diploma or other state-recognized high school equivalency credential;

o credit retrieval/compilation of credits from…