FOA-ETA-23-13_Amendment Two.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Funding Opportunity Announcement

FOA-ETA-23-13

Amendment Two

Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor

ACTION: Amendment to FOA-ETA-23-13

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor announced on May 17, 2023, the availability of funding for the Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants to be awarded through a competitive process.

The document is hereby amended as follows:

Key Dates

The Key Dates section of the funding opportunity is deleted and replaced with the following (cover page):

The closing date for receipt of applications under this second period is 07/15/2024. We must receive applications no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time.

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

IV.

A pre-recorded Prospective Applicant Webinar and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document will be available on or around 05/31/2024 at:

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

Section I.C. Target Industries and Occupations

The first paragraph is deleted and replaced with the following (p. 10):

The Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants will fund demonstration projects that aim to improve job quality and availability of good jobs in the care, climate resiliency, and hospitality sectors. ETA intends to commit up to 50 percent of the total available funding to projects that target job quality within the care sector, including home care (also known as direct care or elder care), direct support services related to employment, and childcare, assuming sufficient competitive applications are received. Applicants must clearly identify one industry sector on which to focus.

The first sentence of the Climate Resiliency sector narrative is revised to the following (p. 11):

Climate resiliency as a sector supports the ability to anticipate, prepare for or mitigate, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate; it includes occupations related to engineering (energy and solar), emergency management, atmospheric and hydrological sciences, and sustainable and renewable construction that directly supports climate resiliency.

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

The second paragraph of the Climate Resiliency industry sector narrative is revised to add the following (p. 11):

The intent of the Critical Sectors Job Quality grants that focus on climate resiliency is not to support traditional construction occupations but rather, to focus on those areas of climate resiliency that are aligned with a need for increased job quality. Applicants may propose construction-related occupations so long as these occupations are directly related to engineering (energy and solar), emergency management, atmospheric and hydrological sciences, and sustainable and renewable construction that directly supports climate resiliency. As the focus of these grants is on increasing job quality, projects focused on construction-related climate resiliency training should ensure they target relevant areas of poor job quality, such as health and safety risks, low wages, a lack of diversity, or other detriments.

Section II.A. Award Type and Amount

The second paragraph is deleted and replaced with the following (p. 17):

We expect the availability of up to of $12,000,000 to fund approximately 5-10 grants for the second round of funding. The Department reserves the right to change these amounts depending on the quantity and quality of applications submitted. ETA intends to commit up to 50 percent of the total available funding to projects that target job quality within the care sector, including home care (also known as direct care or elder care), direct support services related to employment, and childcare, assuming a sufficient number of competitive applications. 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.

The third paragraph is revised to add the following (p. 17):

Round 1, Tier 1 Planning Grantees may only apply for Round 2, Tier 2 implementation grants to implement a training model designed with the sector partnership developed through the grantees’ initial Critical Sectors Job Quality Round 1, Tier 1 awards. See the Eligible Lead Applicants section below for further information.

Round 1, Tier 2 Critical Sectors Job Quality Implementation Grantees cannot apply for Round 2 funding.

Section II.B. Period of Performance

The first three paragraphs are deleted and replaced with the following (p. 17):

The period of performance for Tier 1 grants is 18 months with an anticipated start date of 09/30/2024. The period of performance for Tier 2 grants is 36 months with an anticipated start date of 09/30/2024. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.

Section III.A.1. Eligible Lead Applicants

The following paragraph is added to the start of this section (p. 18):

To build on the Department’s investments in Round 1 Tier 1 Planning Grantees’ activities, those grantees are eligible to apply for Round 2 Tier 2 implementation grants to implement training models designed with the sector partnership developed through the grantees’ Round 1 Tier 1 awards. Any applications received from these organizations for a different Tier 1 project or a different Tier 2 project will be considered nonresponsive and will not be scored

Round 1, Tier 2 Critical Sectors Job Quality Implementation Grantees cannot apply for Round 2 funding.

The eligible lead applicants narrative for Workforce Intermediaries is deleted and replaced with the following (p. 18):

Workforce Intermediaries: organizations for whom a central mission is to bring together partners in the workforce system to support capacity building, development of expertise, and networking; plan, develop, and implement strategies; and raise funds to support these strategies. Workforce Intermediaries could be any of the following: Industry Associations and Business Organizations, Community and Technical Colleges, Non-Profit and Community-Based Organizations, Labor-Management Partnerships, or Workforce Development Boards.

Section III.A.3. Worker-Centered Sector Partnerships

The required grant partners narrative for Labor Unions and Organizations, Labor-Management Partnerships, and Worker Centers and Organizations is deleted and replaced with the following

(p. 18):

Labor Unions and Organizations, Labor-Management Partnerships, and Worker Centers and Organizations: Required entities include, labor unions, labor-management organizations representing workers, or worker centers or worker organizations that advocate for populations of workers in the care, climate resiliency, or hospitality sectors. To aid in identifying related unions applicants can use the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards’ (OLMS) Union Search Tool, by which you can search on union type, city, state, zip code, and other criteria to identify labor unions for outreach and partnership. The tool can be found at https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/getOrgQry.do.

As defined by the Department, labor-management partnerships allow employers of all sizes to work constructively with the unions that represent their employees to tackle important workplace issues that fall within and sometimes extend the framework of traditional collective bargaining. The Department provides information on effective labor-management partnerships and helpful resources at https://www.dol.gov/general/workcenter/labor-management-partnerships.

Outside of a union, qualifying organizations are those whose primary purpose is to represent the needs and interests of workers and to advocate for them. These worker-focused advocacy organizations represent workers in the applicant’s targeted occupation(s) or industry sector, outside of collective bargaining.

Examples of worker-focused advocacy organizations include worker associations, coalitions, alliances, guilds, and other similar worker advocacy groups that are not considered formal unions. The organization may, for example, set occupational standards or practices, advocate on behalf of its members, or work to develop or change specific policies such as the local minimum wage rate, day worker protections, and stable work schedules.

Activities that these required partners can do to support the grant include identifying necessary skills and competencies; providing related skills-based training in collaboration with the required education/training provider; working with employer and education partners to develop new or modifying existing curricula;

advising on recruitment, retention, and advancement strategies within an employer or industry;

communicating with current and potential workers within the sector; acting as mentors and on-the-job trainers to new workers; and they may also provide supportive services.

Section IV.B.3.b.i. Project Design for Tier 1 (Up to 40 Points)

The fourth bullet of Strategic Partnerships is deleted and replaced with the below (p. 32):

https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/getOrgQry.do http://www.dol.gov/general/workcenter/labor-management-partnerships

• Applicants must describe how they will incorporate diverse worker voices and lived experience into the sector partnership comprehensively by soliciting input from worker organizations. (2 points)

The first bullet of Incorporation of Worker Voice is deleted and replaced with the below (p. 32):

• Applicants must describe how they will identify worker representation from diverse and underserved populations that reflect the target service area. Applicants must include plans for working with a worker organization as defined in Section III.A.3, to support the worker-centered sector strategy partnership. Applicants must describe a feasible strategy to recruit the worker organization. (4 points)

Section IV.B.3.b.i. Project Design for Tier 2 (Up to 40 Points)

The third bullet of Strategic Partnerships is deleted and replaced with the below (p. 35-36):

• Applicants must describe how they will incorporate diverse worker voices and lived experience into the sector partnership comprehensively by soliciting input from worker organizations. (2 points)

The first bullet of Incorporation of Worker Voice is deleted and replaced with the below (p. 36)

• Applicants must describe how they will identify worker representation from diverse and underserved populations that reflect the target service area. Applicants must include plans for working with a worker organization as defined in Section III.A.3, to support the worker-centered sector strategy partnership. Applicants must describe a feasible strategy to recruit the worker organization. (4 points)

Section IV.B.4.a.(1). Abstract

Items the abstract must include are updated to add the following (p. 38):

• if applying as an existing Tier 1 CSJQ grantee, identify current grant award

• the project tier for which the applicant is applying; Tier 1 (Planning) or Tier 2 (Implementation)

Section V.B.1. Merit Review and Selection Process

The second to last sentence is edited to the following (add p. 47):

Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds, diverse representation of three target sectors, industry focus, and other relevant factors.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Anu Mathew, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at DOL-ETA-DWG@dol.gov.

Signed May 16, 2024, in Washington, D.C. by:

Jenifer McEnery Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration mailto:DOL-ETA-DWG@dol.gov