FOA-ETA-21-03.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: YOUNG ADULT REENTRY PARTNERSHIP (YARP) 2

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-21-03

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.270

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is April 26, 2021. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: 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.

A Prospective Applicant Webcast will be available on April 2, 2021 at https://reo.workforcegps.org/.

While a review of this Webcast is strongly encouraged to support successful grant applications, it is not mandatory.

https://reo.workforcegps.org/ ii

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

1. Application Screening Criteria

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

3. Eligible Participants

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

2. Project Budget

3. Project Narrative

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS, AND ADDRESS

1. Electronic Submission through Grants.gov

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

1. Indirect Costs

2. Salary and Bonus Limitations

3. Intellectual Property Rights

4. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages And Other Funding Restrictions

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

iii

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

1. Merit Review and Selection Process

2. Risk Review Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

1. Administrative Program Requirements

2. Other Legal Requirements

3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

4. Special Program Requirements

C. REPORTING

1. Quarterly Financial Reports

2. Quarterly Performance Reports

3. Quarterly Narrative Performance Reports

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. WEB-BASED RESOURCES

B. INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

C. WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

D. SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

E. PAST DOL EVALUATIONS AND EVIDENCE

F. DIRECTIONS FOR USING CENSUS DATA TO IDENTIFY HIGH-POVERTY

AREAS IN URBAN OR RURAL AREAS

G. DIRECTIONS FOR USING THE CENSUS DATA TO IDENTIFY POVERTY

LEVEL OF INDIAN RESERVATIONS, OKLAHOMA TRIBAL STATISTICAL

AREAS, NATIVE ALASKAN VILLAGES, OR NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS 55

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $ 25,000,000 in grant funds authorized by the Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94), for activities that support employment for persons involved with the justice system under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP) projects, as part of the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) grant program.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides intermediary organizations the opportunity to partner with community colleges, one or more of employers, employer associations, unions providing training, or labor-management partnerships and the criminal justice system to improve the employment outcomes for young adults who have been involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system and/or those who left high school prior to graduation.

Applicants must be intermediary organizations that have sub-grantees—which may be affiliates or local offices of the intermediary organization—that propose to serve at least three communities. For purposes of the FOA, intermediaries include with IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status—including women’s and organizations that serve communities of color, unions or labor-management partnerships and community- or faith-based organizations—and any Indian and Native American entity eligible for grants under section 166 of WIOA. Applicants, through their sub-grantees, must partner with community colleges, the criminal justice system, and one or more employers, employer associations, unions providing training, or labor-management partnerships to provide education/credentialing and occupational training in locally in-demand industries with a focus on occupations that offer living wages. Experience shows that most participants will need employment while pursuing additional education. These grants will provide job placement services, while also helping participants with stipends, as needed.

Applicants must identify the target area(s) each sub-grantee will serve. ETA will give priority consideration to projects in which all of the target areas are high-poverty, high-crime areas, and the project service centers for all of the target areas are or will be located within and serve the target areas by the start of project enrollment.

The Department plans to award approximately six grants of up to $4,500,000 each. These grants will have a 42-month period of performance, including a period of three to six months for planning, a 24- to 27-month period of operation, and 12 months of follow-up services. Future funding opportunities will take into account grantee performance on this grant. These projects will serve young adults ages 18-24 years old who are currently or have previously been involved with the juvenile or adult criminal justice system or who left high school prior to graduation.

Applicants should draw on evidence-based practices for serving youth involved in the criminal justice system in developing their application. This initiative intends to protect community safety by assisting individuals involved in the criminal justice system to:

• Reduce barriers to labor market reentry;

• Receive positive opportunities to engage in pro-social activities, such as employment and/or education;

• Maintain long-term financially sustaining employment;

• Sustain a stable residence; and

• Successfully address their substance abuse issues and mental health needs, as applicable, through partnerships with local programs.

Grants under this FOA must provide occupational training facilitated by a community college, in locally in-demand industries, and a college-bound track for those whose assessment, skills, and labor market experience indicate that this type of training/degree is most useful.

Applicants or sub-grantees that have their own vocational training facilities, linked to and informed by local employers and labor market information, may provide training in their own facility site if the community college partner facilitates the training. Additionally, work-based learning including Registered Apprenticeships may take place at a variety of locations.

Projected in-demand occupations include not only current demand, but also projected growth for occupations with increasing demand in certain industry sectors due to the retirements of an aging workforce. See the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) chart showing the occupations that are projected to add the most new jobs over the next decade at https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupations-most-job-growth.htm; the BLS distinction between fastest growing occupations and occupations that will add the most jobs at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/about/ooh-faqs.htm#growth3; and the link to Labor Market Information compiled by each State Employment Security Agency at https://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/ProjectionSites.

The Department is interested in participants receiving training in industries driven by the local/regional economy as evidenced by labor market data, while highlighting the importance of focusing on occupations that offer high wages. In consultation with the state or local workforce development boards, applicants must verify that the selected industry sector and high-growth jobs offer employment opportunities in their local/regional communities. Applicants must also name the specific career pathways/occupations within that sector for which their participants will receive training. In addition, applicants must ensure that the occupational training provided has no state or local licensing regulations that prevent individuals with criminal records from obtaining licenses in that career.

The Department is also interested in program models that provide work-based learning opportunities, which could include Registered Apprenticeships and models that exhibit strong partnerships with employers or unions, in order to provide more affordable pathways to high-paying jobs.

The Department is committed to awarding grants to high-quality applicants who are serving high-crime, high-poverty areas that have a scarcity of reentry services. In making awards, ETA will consider the existing landscape of reentry services in the geographic area targeted for service by an applicant. Applicants must demonstrate that their target areas are underserved and in need of reentry services.

https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupations-most-job-growth.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/about/ooh-faqs.htm#growth3 https://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/ProjectionSites

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Department will competitively select applicants whose sub-grantees partner with community colleges, the criminal justice system, and one or more of employers, employer associations, unions providing training or labor-management partnerships to provide education and training to improve workforce outcomes for justice-involved young adults.1 Applicants must have a clear framework for delivering services and accomplishing performance outcomes identified in this FOA. The Department encourages applicants to leverage evidence-based approaches in developing their proposals.

Applicants must provide a detailed description of the need for services in their target communities; how they plan to accomplish outcomes; their project design; the partnerships that they have developed, their plan for sustainability, past performance and programmatic capability;

and their organizational, administrative, and fiscal capacity.

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for the Young Adult Reentry Partnership program. The purpose of this program is to provide education and training services that improve the employment outcomes of young adults who are involved in the criminal justice system and/or who left high school prior to graduation and to develop the capacity of community colleges to meet the needs of young adults with justice system involvement. Young adults served under this grant program are between the ages of 18 and 24 and currently or previously have been involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system and/or who left high school prior to graduation.

Funded projects aim to ensure that young adults transitioning from the criminal justice system are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets with the skills required by employers.

To achieve this end, applicants, through each of their sub-grantees, must establish a partnership with:

• the criminal justice system;

• at least one employer, employer association, union providing training or labor-management partnership; and

• community colleges that have designed their courses and career pathways/guided pathways program curricula to ensure relevance to the needs of local industries and jobs for high growth, in-demand occupations.

Applicants must demonstrate that their sub-grantees and community college partner(s) will implement capacity-building in community colleges to support innovative models for accelerated learning for the target population of this FOA. This capacity-building plan must include the development of at least one of the following components:

• align educational opportunities with industry-recognized stacked and latticed credentials on an in-demand career pathway;

1 For purposes of this FOA, “sub-grantees” includes the affiliates, local offices, or Indian and Native American entities that an applicant proposes to use to fulfill the terms of this FOA.

• online and technology-based learning strategies to allow participants who may be on house arrest or have transportation limitations to participate;

• competency-based assessments and training courses to recognize skills proficiency and attainment;

• evidence-based remediation policies and practices; or

• policies to assess credit for prior learning and award credits for prior learning.

Grantees must ensure that they expend no more than 25 percent of funds awarded under the FOA on the community college capacity-building requirements outlined above. Applicants should indicate the amount of funds they intend to allocate to community college capacity-building in their budgets and ensure that this amount does not exceed the 25 percent limitation.

In addition, applicants, through their sub-grantees, must partner with community colleges, the public workforce system, employers or employer associations, unions providing training, labor-management partnerships and the criminal justice system to provide eligible participants the following services:

• Career exploration activities, including information on barriers to employment and requirements for entering their occupation;

• Case management services, including the development of a comprehensive and personalized Learning Plan, which may be incorporated into the Individual Development Plan (IDP) that identifies strategies for achieving participants’ employment goals, including overcoming barriers and acquiring supportive services;

• Assistance with linking participants to the social services required to help participants transition back to their communities, such as substance abuse and mental health treatment, healthcare, transportation, childcare, housing, legal aid, and other social services;

• Job preparatory experiences;

• Employment-focused services that lead to hiring, including the following approaches:

o occupational education leading to industry-recognized stacked and latticed credentials;

o Registered Apprenticeship;

o work-based learning; or o work experience;

• Assistance with applying for financial aid for post-secondary education, particularly for programs of study leading to degrees;

• Tuition assistance, where financial aid is not available (see note below);

• Job placement services;

• Legal services, such as record expungement, diversion, modifying child support arrears, or obtaining a state driver’s license; and

• 12 months of follow-up services.

Grantees, through their sub-grantees, may set aside up to 25 percent of grant funds for stipends and work experience wages. For more information about funds for stipends and work experience wages, see Section IV.E.4.

Grantees will also be permitted to use up to 5 percent of their grant funds to provide emergency assistance for housing, substance abuse, and mental health services for participants. In addition, grantees may use up to 1.5 percent of grant funds (separate from the above 5 percent) for needs-related payments. However, grantees must submit a written policy on the use of these funds as a condition of award. ETA encourages applicants to provide directly or through partners supportive services necessary to support individuals’ participation in employment-related activities and training.

The opportunity to earn credentials in less than two years may be attractive for young adults who are at risk, out of school, or have some other barriers to employment, as well as for workers who are dislocated and need to gain skills to compete in the current labor market, even those who may already have a degree. Given the uneven outcomes of short-term credential based programs, applicants should focus on credentials with records of producing strong labor market outcomes for trainees. Credentials such as certificates or certifications that can be earned in as little as six months to two years provide an alternative to lengthier and costlier undergraduate degrees. Providing individuals with opportunities to earn “credit for prior learning” is a strategy that recognizes past learning and experience, and accelerates the earning of meaningful credentials. Please refer to Training Employment Notice (TEN) 25-19 and Training Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 15-10 for additional information on the various types and characteristics of credentials. Well-paying jobs in in-demand industries generally require some form of post-secondary education or training, and the earnings gains that accompany postsecondary credentials are well established.2 Applicants must ensure that the occupational training they provide through their sub-grantees and their sub-grantees’ partners does not have any state or local licensing regulations that restrict individuals with criminal records from obtaining associated licenses in that career.

Teaching young adults who are involved in the criminal justice system and/or who left high school prior to graduation foundational and soft skills, such as job readiness, conflict resolution, interpersonal communications, employability, and job search strategies, in addition to providing work experiences and occupational training leading to industry-recognized credentials, can provide access to employment, including Registered Apprenticeships, and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

NOTE: The Department expects that grantees will work with their sub-grantees to ensure that community college services are provided through Pell Grants or other financial assistance before using grant funds. Grant funds should only be used for tuition costs, as needed. Grant funds may be used to cover tuition when Pell Grants are not available to the participant; to cover any remaining costs of services where federal funding is not sufficient; or to cover tuition while Pell Grant applications are being processed which can later be reimbursed to the grant when the Pell Grant is distributed to the participant. For more information on Pell Grants, see Volume 3 Chapter 3 of the 19-20 FSA Handbook, available at https://ifap.ed.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/2019-10/1920FSAHbkVol3Ch3.pdf.

https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fifap.ed.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fattachments%2F2019-10%2F1920FSAHbkVol3Ch3.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Csmith.jenn%40dol.gov%7C872edfd5654b43e026a508d7bad548c0%7C75a6305472044e0c9126adab971d4aca%7C0%7C1%7C637183297524364755&sdata=uMJl1zkntQsOpgEXLy2CziDhsq1VVwe5DEipYc%2FX3Ns%3D&reserved=0

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

This program is authorized by the Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116- 94), which provides $98,079,000 for activities that support employment for persons involved with the justice system under Section 169 of WIOA, $25,000,000 of which must be for “activities that prepare young ex-offenders and school dropouts for employment, with a priority for projects serving high crime, high poverty areas.”

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $25,000,000 to fund approximately six grants.

Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $4,500,000. Awards made under this Announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement.

Applicants must indicate the number of participants they propose to serve to meet the outcomes of their project; the application must also include a proposed performance target. This FOA establishes minimum enrollment goals during the period of performance, which vary by grant size according to table below. Minimum enrollment goals during the period of performance are based on the amount of the funding request, as set forth in the chart below. Applicants must select and identify in their application their intended sub-grantees. DOL does not require applicants to competitively select local sub-grantees. Applicants may, but are not required to, select their local offices, affiliates, or members to serve as one or more sub-grantees.

Figure 1. Minimum Targets for Participants Enrolled During the Grant Period Based on Funding Request Funding Request Minimum Participants Enrolled During Grant

Period Up to $3,499,999 350 $3,500,000 – 3,999,999 450 $4,000,000 – 4,500,000 550

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

These grants have a 42-month period of performance, which includes three to six months of planning, a required 24- to 27-month period of employment and training services, and a required 12-month period for follow-up services. Grantees must meet their enrollment goal, ensure that each participant receives the full menu of services within the period of operation, and be able to ensure that each participant receives the 12 months of follow-up services during the performance period of the grant. Follow-up services are described in 20 CFR 681.580, and they must include more than only a contact attempted or made for securing documentation in order to report a performance outcome. A minimum of 5 percent of total funds must be reserved for the 12-month follow-up period. The anticipated start date for these projects is July 1, 2021.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Intermediary organizations (organizations that have sub-grantees, which may be affiliates or local offices of the intermediary organization, that propose to serve at least three communities for this project) with IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status (including women’s and organizations that serve communities of color, unions or labor-management partnerships, and community- or faith-based organizations); or any Indian and Native American entity eligible for grants under section 166 of WIOA that proposes to serve at least three communities for this project.

• Entities eligible for WIOA Section 166 grants include: Federally recognized Indian tribes; Tribal organizations as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b; Alaska Native-controlled organizations; Native Hawaiian-controlled organizations; Indian-controlled organizations serving Indian and Native Americans (INA); a consortium of eligible entities that meet the legal requirements for a consortium as defined at 20 CFR 684.200(e); and State-recognized tribal organizations as defined in 20 CFR 684.200(g).

The Department requests that applicants applying with IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status submit verification of the non-profit status. If you have submitted this documentation previously in another application submission, please submit it again for this application. For applicants applying with IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status that do not submit documentation of this status, the Department will check IRS data to ensure the applicant has this status.

Primary Partners Applicants must ensure that their sub-grantees identify their primary partners, as described in section IV.B.3.d and section IV.B.4.a:

• Community College(s) – The primary community college partner must be a community college that is a public institution of higher education as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act and whose most common degree awarded is an associate degree.

• Criminal Justice System – the primary criminal justice system partner may include diversion programs, correctional facilities, parole and probation agencies, halfway houses, residential reentry centers, law enforcement, and/or courts.

• Employer(s), Employer Association(s), Union(s) Providing Training, or Labor- Management Partnership(s).

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

This program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Including such funds is not one of the application screening criteria and applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Instead, the agency considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency as leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources.

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria Applicants 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 applicants 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.

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

Eligibility Section III.A

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.2

Application federal funds request does not exceed the ceiling amount of $4,500,000 Section II.A

SAM Registration Section IV.B.1

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

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

MOUs or Letters of Commitment between the applicant and their sub-grantee(s)

Section IV.B.4.(a)(2)

MOUs or Letters of Commitment between each sub-grantee and each of the sub-grantee’s identified primary partnership organizations

Section IV.B.3(d)(i);

IV.B.4(a)(3)

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

We will consider only one application from each intermediary organization. If we receive multiple applications from the same intermediary organization, we will consider only the most recently received application that met the deadline. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.

3. Eligible Participants

a) Participants Eligible to Receive Training The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide improved employment outcomes for young adults who are involved in the criminal justice system and/or who left high school prior to graduation, and ensure that young adults transitioning from the criminal justice system are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets with the skills required by employers.

An individual is eligible to participate in a program funded through this FOA if that individual, on the date of enrollment (the date of enrollment is when the individual has gone through the application process, been accepted, and received confirmation that they will participate in the program):

• is at least 18 years old and not older than 24 years of age;

• who left high school prior to graduation * or currently involved or has been involved with the juvenile or adult criminal justice system, which includes:

o currently or previously incarcerated;

o under the supervision of the criminal justice system, either in out-of-home placements, on probation, or on parole;

o under an alternative sentence by the criminal justice system; or o under a diversion program as an alternative to prosecution;

• is eligible to work in the United States.

Note: *Up to 10 percent of participants may have left high school prior to graduation without being involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system.

Grantees have the discretion to enroll individuals convicted of violent offenses or sexual offenses and those assessed as high-risk of either offense. Grantees that choose to serve these populations must conduct a rigorous risk assessment of each participant assessing criminogenic need (i.e., causing or likely to cause criminal behavior). Applicants proposing to serve these populations may adjust their outcomes accordingly; enrollment goals based on cost-per-participant may not be reduced. In all cases, grantees must have clear and consistent written enrollment policies that address program enrollment. Grantees must submit their written enrollment policies as a condition of award. More information on risk assessments can be found at http://csgjusticecenter.org/reentry/the-reentry-and-employment-project/, as well as in Section VIII, Part H of this FOA.

http://csgjusticecenter.org/reentry/the-reentry-and-employment-project/

NOTE: Male participants are required to register for the Selective Service before participating in services. Grantees should determine eligibility of male participants by accessing the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/. For additional guidance, including how this requirement applies to male participants incarcerated at the time of their 18th birthdays, please see 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 https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=8779. This guidance applies to grants funded or authorized by WIOA.

b) Veterans’ Priority for Participants 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 are 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 https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816. This guidance applies to programs funded under WIOA. For additional information on veteran’s priority of service and WIOA, please see TEGL 19-16. TEGL 19-16 is available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3851.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

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

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts:

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”;

2. Project Budget, composed of the SF-424A and Budget Narrative;

3. Project Narrative; and

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative.

You must ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.

https://www.sss.gov/ https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=8779 https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816 https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3851 http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm https://usdol-my.sharepoint.com/personal/luetkenhaus_eric_dol_gov/Documents/All%20FOAs%202020/Application_for#_SF-424,_

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” You must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1).

• In the address field, fill out the nine-digit (plus hyphen) zip code. Nine-digit zip codes can be looked up on the USPS website at https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action.

• 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, the 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

In addition, subject to the provisions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF- 424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the WIOA 188 rules issued by the Department at 29 CFR 38.25, which includes the following language:

As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I WIOA, the grant applicant assures that it has the ability to comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the WIOA, which, as interpreted through Departmental regulations, prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, transgender status, and gender identity), national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship status or participation in any WIOA 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 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, subject to RFRA, that as a recipient of WIOA Title I financial assistance [as defined at 29 CFR 38.4(zz)], it will comply with 29 CFR part 38 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIOA Title I-https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance. Note that the RFRA applies to all federal law and its implementation. If an applicant organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive federal financial assistance under this grant solicitation and maintain that hiring practice. If a faith-based organization is awarded a grant, the organization will be provided with more information.

a) Requirement for DUNS Number All applicants for federal grant and funding opportunities must 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:

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.

Grant recipients authorized to make subawards must meet these requirements related to DUNS Numbers:

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

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

(See Appendix A to 2 CFR Part 25.)

b) Requirement for Registration with SAM Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application. Find instructions for registering with SAM at https://www.sam.gov.

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. If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the Grant Officer is ready to make a federal award, the Grant Officer may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

2. Project Budget You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1

a) Budget Narrative The Budget Narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. The Budget Narrative should also include a section describing any leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities. Leveraged resources are all resources, both cash and in-kind, in excess of this award. Applicants are encouraged to leverage resources to increase stakeholder investment in the project and broaden the impact of the project itself.

The Budget Narrative must describe the project’s intended cost-per-participant and two cost-per-outcomes, consistent with the strategies described in the application. The two cost-per-outcome measures are cost-per-employment and cost-per-credential. Cost–per-participant is calculated as grant award amount divided by total participants served over the life of the grant. Cost–per-employment is calculated as grant award amount divided by number of participants that enter employment over the life of the grant. Cost-per-credential is calculated as grant award amount divided by number of participants that attain a recognized credential over the life of the grant. While there are no set limits on cost-per-participant or cost-per-outcomes, and some customers may require more intensive or expensive services than others, ETA expects that grantees use funds efficiently and maintain fiscal oversight to ensure that grants serve a reasonable number of participants for a given amount of funds. Therefore, if requested, applicants must be able to provide information to justify their costs and budgets, including financial documentation, contracts or subawards, and information on program services (inclusive of case files).

Please see Section IV.E.4 for limitation on budget items that should be addressed in your budget narrative.

Each category should include the total cost for the period of performance. Use the following guidance for preparing the Budget Narrative.

Personnel: List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed) including the roles and responsibilities. For each position give the annual salary, the percentage of time devoted to the project, and the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant.

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

Travel: For grantee staff only, specify the purpose, number of staff traveling, 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 you expect to purchase that 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 200.1 for definition of Equipment). List the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item.

Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies, not “equipment.” In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies: Identify categories of supplies (e.g., office supplies) in the detailed budget and list the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of Supplies).

Contractual: Under the Contractual line item, delineate contracts and subawards separately.

Contracts are defined according to 2 CFR 200.1 as a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. A subaward, defined by 2 CFR 200.1, means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program.

For each proposed contract and subaward, specify the purpose and activities to be provided, and the estimated cost.

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 you must show the costs on other appropriate lines such as Contractual.

Other: Provide clear and specific detail, including costs, for each item so that we are able to determine whether the costs are necessary, reasonable, and allocable. List items, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere. While budgeting for this work, note that up to 5 percent of grant funds may be used to provide emergency assistance for housing, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment for participants. Grantees are strongly encouraged to have partnerships in place to address routine barriers to reentry (e.g., housing, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment) and avoid the need for emergency assistance, which support collaboration among partners to support individual economic mobility. Grantees must submit a written policy on the use of these funds as a condition of award.

Indirect Costs: If you include an amount for indirect costs (through a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or De Minimis) on the SF-424A budget form, then include one of the following:

a) If you have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), provide an explanation of how the indirect costs are calculated. This explanation should include which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Also, provide a current version of the NICRA.

or

b) If you intend to claim indirect costs using the 10 percent de minimis rate, please confirm that your organization meets the requirements as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f). Clearly state that your organization does not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate and is not one described in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix VII(D)(1)(b).

Applicants choosing to claim indirect costs using the de minimis rate must use Modified Total Direct Costs (see 2 CFR 200.1 below for definition) as their cost allocation base. Provide an explanation of which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Note that there are various items not included in the calculation of Modified Total Direct Costs. See the definitions below to assist you in your calculation.

• 2 CFR 200.1 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may be excluded only when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

The definition of MTDC in 2 CFR 200.1 no longer allows any sub-contracts to be included in the calculation. You will also note that participant support costs are not included in modified total direct cost. Participant support costs are defined below.

• 2 CFR 200.1 Participant Support Cost means direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects.

See Section IV.B.4. and Section IV.E.1 for more information. Additionally, the following link contains information regarding the negotiation of Indirect Cost Rates at DOL:

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination.

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative must include the entire federal grant amount requested (not just one year).

Do not show leveraged resources on the SF-424 and SF-424A. You should describe leveraged resources in the Budget Narrative.

Applicants should list the same requested federal grant amount on the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative. If minor inconsistencies are found between the budget amounts specified on the SF-424, SF-424A, and the Budget Narrative, ETA will consider the SF-424 the official funding amount requested. However, if the amount specified on the SF-424 would render the application nonresponsive, the Grant Officer will use his or her discretion to determine whether the intended funding request (and match if applicable) is within the responsive range.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination

3. 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 25 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12-point text font and 1-inch margins. You must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

We will not read or consider any materials beyond the specified page limit in the application review process.

The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. Carefully read and consider each section, and include all required information in your Project Narrative. The agency will evaluate the Project Narrative using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A. You must use the same section headers identified below for each section of the Project Narrative.

a) Statement of Need (4 points)

(i) Target Areas & Participants Served: Applicants must clearly: identify the target areas to be served by a sub-grantee and identify the sub-grantee that will serve each target area; demonstrate that there is appropriate demand for services and that the target area is underserved and in need of reentry services; identify the total number of participants that each sub-grantee in each target area will serve; identify the total cumulative number of participants to be served by all sub-grantees combined which must equal or exceed the number of participants required for the amount of funds requested, as outlined in the chart in section II.A of this FOA; demonstrate that there is a sufficient pool of eligible potential participants in the target areas to recruit into the program; and provide evidence to support the number of proposed participants in each sub-grantee target area to be served. (2 points)

(ii) Selected Occupational Education and Training Programs: Applicants must identify and fully describe the need for the selected occupational education and training program(s) in the target area(s) to be served and identify the source of this Labor Market Information (LMI), including State LMI offices, local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs), business/industry groups, and BLS projections of occupations that will add the most new jobs over the next decade.