FOA-VETS-22-01.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans' Employment and Training Service

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for: Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP), and the Homeless Female Veterans’ and Veterans’ with Children Program (HFVVWC) (referred to collectively as HVRP)

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-VETS-22-01

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.805

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is 02/23/2022. We must receive applications no later than 11:59 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.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), is responsible for the grant award process of the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service grant program.

A Prospective Applicant Webcast will be available on 01/24/2022 at 2:30pm Eastern Time. While a review of the Webcast is strongly encouraged to support successful grant applications, it is not mandatory. Register to receive the link to the live Webcast at https://bit.ly/FOAWebinar2022 https://www.grants.gov https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FFOAWebinar2022&data=04%7C01%7COuhamou.Laila%40dol.gov%7C2613c42c3ddc4bb2b2ef08d9d4983040%7C75a6305472044e0c9126adab971d4aca%7C0%7C0%7C637774572368537803%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=Ape1SoK%2BA8lrVF0A1BpCtSy6F1ml1VinMVrqg1Jemv0%3D&reserved=0

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS AND ADDRESS

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

C. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces the availability of approximately $14,000,000 in grant funds authorized under Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) Sections 2021, 2021A, and 2023 for the HVRP.

The HVRP grant has a three-year period of performance and is funded incrementally on an annual basis. Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $500,000 for each year. This means that recipients may be funded up to a total of $1,500,000 over the three-year period of performance. The awards will be funded annually over the period of performance (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2025).

Successful applicants must demonstrate clear strategies to provide needed career exploration and placement services, career training, and support services to eligible individuals, so they may secure good jobs in stable, high-demand occupations. DOL requires applicants to propose strategies to achieve economic opportunity and address historical inequities. Such strategies may include the following:

Address and promote equity through adjustments in recruitment, service design, implementation, and support services that aim to remove barriers to the full and equal participation of marginalized communities and through partnerships with a range of organizations that support the applicant’s ability to reach out to and deliver equitable services to marginalized groups;

Flexible approaches to service delivery to allow for in-person, virtual, socially-distanced, or hybrid models of services and training;

Demonstrate a need for the program based upon current statistical or empirical evidence, including the numbers and characteristics of the eligible veterans who are experiencing homelessness in the proposed service delivery area;

Establishment of strong partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit organizations, especially those that include people who have experienced homelessness;

Development and implementation of strategies with attainable goals for job training based on labor market information (LMI);

Collaboration and coordination with organizations to ensure that local, state, and federal resources are used effectively and efficiently to expedite the reintegration of eligible veterans into the labor force;

Effective participant outreach to facilitate the delivery of effective job training, counseling, and other wraparound services, such as the provision of housing and necessary health services, as the means for expediting the reintegration of eligible veterans into the labor force;

Provision of services specifically tailored to the needs of female veterans experiencing homelessness and homeless veterans with children;

Provision of services specifically tailored to the needs of incarcerated veterans or veterans recently released from incarceration who are at risk of homelessness;

Demonstrate ability to provide services to episodically homeless veterans, as appropriate;

Partnerships with employers who give workers a voice on the job and a free and fair chance to collectively bargain, including permitting union organizer access to workers; and

Partnerships with employers who provide adequate health insurance and pension/retirement coverage, work-family benefits, such as paid family medical leave, paid sick leave, and other paid time off.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This announcement solicits applications for Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP), and the Homeless Female Veterans’ and Veterans’ with Children Program (HFVVWC) (referred to collectively as HVRP).

The intent of the HVRP grant program is to obtain high-quality career outcomes for veterans experiencing homelessness. The Department encourages applicants to propose strategies to achieve economic opportunity, address historical inequities, and provide equitable access and outcomes to marginalized groups.

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) stated in Homelessness in America: Focus on Veterans that just over nine percent of all adults experiencing homelessness in the United States are veterans of the U.S. Military. Most veterans who experience homelessness are men over age 50 living in urban areas. Older veterans are expected to be a majority of the population of veterans who experience, or are at risk of, homelessness in the coming years. As members of this group get older, they are more likely to have increasingly complex age-related needs. Women make up about nine percent of veterans who are experiencing homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), women veterans are more than twice as likely as women who are not veterans to experience homelessness. Approximately two percent of veterans experiencing homelessness were in families with children. The VA further reports that veteran women experiencing homelessness are more likely to be part of a family with children than male veterans.

The USICH reported that, among veterans who experience homelessness, and particularly among those who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other behavioral health disorders, involvement in the criminal justice system may be a risk factor for homelessness and/or a consequence of homelessness. About one-half of all veterans experiencing homelessness who have participated in VA homeless assistance programs are involved in the justice system, according to the USICH. The House America Initiative is a partnership between state, local, and tribal leaders and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help combat the crisis of homelessness in the United States. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, homelessness was rising. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provided funding to help battle the crisis of homelessness and, through the partnerships forged within the House America Initiative, state, local, and tribal leaders, are able to set and achieve ambitious goals to re-house individuals experiencing homelessness. Additional federal resources to help with the homelessness crisis are located in Section VIII.A. of this FOA.

Each year HUD, in collaboration with the VA, conducts a physical count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless veterans. This count is referred to as the Point in Time (PIT) count. The https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Homelessness_in_America._Focus_on_Veterans.pdf https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Homelessness_in_America._Focus_on_Veterans.pdf https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/nchav/docs/HERS-Womens-Proceedings.pdf https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Justice_Involved_Veterans.pdf https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Justice_Involved_Veterans.pdf https://www.usich.gov/news/usich-hud-launchhouse-americainitiative-to-address-homelessness-crisis

HUD 2020 PIT count found that 37,252 veterans experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2020. This 2020 PIT count represents a .45 percent increase in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness compared the PIT count obtained in 2019. Because the PIT count captures data from one point in time and was completed in January 2020, before the pandemic hit the United States, these numbers do not reflect how the pandemic has changed the lives of those individuals experiencing homelessness.

According to HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, African Americans and Indigenous people (including Native Americans and Pacific Islanders) remained considerably overrepresented among the homeless population compared to the U.S.

population. Despite accounting for 12 percent of the total U.S. population, people identifying as Black or African American accounted for 39 percent of all people experiencing homelessness and 53 percent of people experiencing homelessness as members of families with children. Together, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian populations account for one percent of the total U.S. population, but five percent of the homeless population and seven percent of the unsheltered population. In contrast, 48 percent of all people experiencing homelessness were white compared with 74 percent of the U.S. population. People identifying as Hispanic or Latino (who can be of any race) made up about 23 percent of the homeless population but account for only 16 percent of the U.S. population overall.

To meet the fluctuations in the population and changing needs of veterans experiencing homelessness, VETS requires grant recipients to provide an array of client-centered services utilizing a case management approach that directly assists homeless veterans and provides critical linkages to a variety of support services available in their local communities. The HVRP approach is focused on obtaining high-quality career outcomes for the veteran. Veterans are to receive the job training and employment services required to re-enter and be successful in the labor force. To realize long-term benefits for veterans experiencing homelessness, grant recipients must address the complex employment-related requirements and support services necessary to meet the needs of this population. This can be achieved either through direct services or through a robust referral system establishing tools, resources, and partnerships to identify, recruit, prepare, and support veterans experiencing homelessness for employment success. Through one of these methods, grant recipients will provide job placement, job training, job development, career counseling, and resume preparation services among other services to assist with obtaining high-quality career outcomes.

The HVRP grant prioritizes ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all workers, providing opportunities for marginalized communities and ensuring accessibility for underserved communities. Grant recipients will be better able to deliver more outcomes that are equitable for marginalized veterans by understanding the inequities that exist and by embedding equity into decision-making processes. Applicants are encouraged to address systemic and programmatic barriers that have created employment and economic inequities for historically marginalized populations, particularly Black, Indigenous, Latinx/Hispanic, Pacific Islander, other people of color, women of color, as well as other communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Title 38 U.S.C. Sections 2021, 2021A, and 2023 authorizes this program.

https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/hud_no_21_041 https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2020-AHAR-Part-1.pdf

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $14,000,000 in grant funds to award the first year of the three-year period of performance. Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $500,000 each year, with a total of up to $1,500,000 for the three-year period of performance.

Although this grant has a three-year period of performance, budget documents must reflect the first year of funding only. Additional information regarding the budget documents can be found in Section IV. B. 2(a). 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.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 36 months with an anticipated start date of 07/01/2022, and an end date of 06/30/2025. This performance period includes all necessary implementation, start-up activities, and follow-up activities.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

00 (State governments)

01 (County governments)

02 (City or township governments)

04 (Special district governments)

22 (For profit organizations other than small businesses)

06 (Public and State controlled institutions of higher education)

07 (Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized))

11 (Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments))

12 (Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education)

13 (Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education)

20 (Private institutions of higher education)

25 (Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification))

08 (Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities)

23 (Small businesses)

U.S. Territory or Possession Native American Tribally Designated Organization

Faith-Based Organizations Other State and Local Government Agencies State and Local Workforce Development Boards (SWDBs/LWDBs) established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

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

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.

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 for federal funds does not exceed the one-year ceiling amount of $500,000 Section II.A

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration Section

IV.B.1

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance (one year, not to exceed $500,000)

Section

IV.B.1

SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section

IV.B.1

SF-424A, Budget Information Form (one year, not to exceed $500,000)

IV.B.2

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

Budget Narrative (one year, not to exceed $500,000) Section

IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section

IV.B.3

Letter of Support from a local American Jobs Center (Submit as an attachment)

Section

IV.B.3.

Abstract – Attachment G (Submit as an attachment) Section

IV.B.4

Completed VETS-700 Planned Goals Chart - Attachment B (Submit as an attachment)

IV.B.4

2. Population Categories and Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

This FOA establishes three population categories:

1. Category 1 (HVRP) consists of applicants that meet the requirements of this FOA, but do not fall under Categories 2 or 3.

2. Category 2 (HFVVWC) consists of applicants that propose to use 100 percent of their grant funding to serve homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with children.

For the definition of “children,” refer to the definition of “child” at 38 U.S.C. 101(4).

This program was previously entitled Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families (HFVVWF) but has been renamed to conform to wording used in the authorizing legislation.

3. Category 3 (IVTP) consists of applicants that propose to use 100 percent of their grant funding to serve incarcerated veterans and/or veterans recently released from incarceration who are at risk of homelessness.

The Department plans to make at least one grant award under Category 2 and at least one under Category 3, contingent upon the receipt of competitive applications under those Categories.

Applicants must identify in the Abstract, if an application is in Category 1 (HVRP), Category 2 (HFVVWC), or Category 3 (IVTP). If the applicant does not explicitly identify one single category in the Abstract, the application will be reviewed under Category 1 (HVRP). There will be no additional changes or discussions of this category determination during or after the competition.

Applicants must identify in the Abstract, the service delivery areas for the proposed project. A service delivery area is defined as a county, parish, independent city, or Native American tribal area. See Attachment C for definitions. The service delivery area MUST be stated clearly in the Abstract. DOL will not read the entire application to make this determination.

VETS will not award a new grant in an area that is currently served by an active grant.

Applicants should reference Attachment A for current HVRP grants and their service delivery areas.

DOL will not accept multiple grant applications, regardless of the category type, with the same service delivery area by the same applicant. If DOL receives multiple applications from the same applicant for the same service delivery area, regardless of the category type, DOL will consider only the most recently received application that meets the deadline. If the most recent application is deemed non-responsive for any reason, DOL will not replace it with an earlier application. Applicants may submit more than one application for different service delivery areas.

3. Eligible Participants

Veterans served by this program include:

(a) Homeless veterans (including veterans who were homeless, but have found housing during the 60-day period preceding the date on which the veteran begins to participate in the program);

(b) Veterans who, at the time of enrollment in the program, are “at risk” of homelessness within the next 60 days;

(c) Veterans participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs supported housing program for which rental assistance is provided pursuant to section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. § 1437f(o)(19)) or the Tribal HUD–VA Supportive Housing (Tribal HUD– VASH) program;

(d) American Indians who are veterans and are receiving assistance under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. § 4101 et seq.);

(e) Veterans described in section 2023(d) of Title 38 of the U.S. Code or any other veterans who are transitioning from being incarcerated;

(f) Veterans recently released from incarceration who are at risk of homelessness; and

(g) Veterans participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program authorized in 38 U.S.C. § 2044.

Note: Per Veterans’ Performance Letter 01-21, if selected for an HVRP grant, the number of enrollments that can come from the “at-risk” of homelessness category is limited to no more than 10 percent of planned enrollments unless approved by the Grant Officer's Technical Representative (GOTR), post-award. This limitation is to ensure the program’s integrity and will be reviewed on an annual basis. If a grantee is unsure of participant eligibility, they must contact their respective GOTR after a grant has been awarded. IVTP is excluded from the 10 percent limitation on "at-risk" planned enrollments and may exceed this without pre-approval.

Veterans Transitioning from Incarceration include:

A veteran who is a resident of a penal institution, or an institution that provides long-term care for mental illness; and https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/VETS/files/VPL-01-21.pdf

Is at risk for homelessness absent referral and counseling services provided under the program. VETS considers “at risk” to include veterans who are scheduled to be released from such institution within 12 months.

Veterans who meet the definition of “at risk” of homelessness include, but are not limited to, the following:

Veterans who are low-income;

Veterans who are at risk of losing their current housing due to significant changes in family dynamics (i.e., separated, loss of spousal support, or loss of employment);

Veterans referred from a shelter, the VA, or local continuum of care provider (CoC);

Welfare and/or public assistance recipients (defined in Attachment C); and Veterans with an eviction notice from a landlord or an eviction/foreclosure judgment.

Note: Written documentation of the participant’s status in the categories above is required and self-attestation should be used only in rare instances to document the circumstances of “at risk” of homelessness. Recently housed veterans and veterans at imminent risk (14 days or less) of homelessness are considered homeless, not “at risk” of homelessness for HVRP eligibility purposes.

The HVRP services veterans who are homeless. “Homeless” is defined by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act as follows:

An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

An individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and motels paid for by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, congregate shelters, and transitional housing);

An individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where they temporarily resided;

An individual or family who— o will imminently lose their housing, including housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent, are sharing with others, and rooms in hotels or motels not paid for by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, as evidenced by— a court order resulting from an eviction action that notifies the individual or family that they must leave within 14 days;

the individual or family having a primary nighttime residence that is a room in a hotel or motel and where they lack the resources necessary to reside there for more than 14 days; or credible evidence indicating that the owner or renter of the housing will not allow the individual or family to stay for more than 14 days, and any oral statement from an individual or family seeking homeless assistance that is found to be credible shall be considered credible evidence for purposes of this clause;

o has no subsequent residence identified; and o lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing;

Unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes who— o have experienced a long term period without living independently in permanent housing, o have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period, and o can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment; or

Any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual’s or family’s current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

For purposes of determining status as an eligible “veteran,” VETS considers full-time active duty service (see 38 U.S.C. § 101(21)) to include time spent in basic training, regardless of completion, consistent with program guidance from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov, 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.

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/FY18_SSVF_Email_Update_March2_2018.htm http://www.Grants.gov

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.

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.

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 https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.sam.gov

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.

a. Budget Narrative

Applicants must provide a one-year budget of up to $500,000 that supports the targeted population and the service delivery area(s); additionally, proposed allocations must be proportional to the resources needed to implement the proposed project. For example, in the project narrative, applicants may propose to serve a large service delivery area that includes several counties or states. The allocation in the budget for staff conducting outreach must be proportional to the outreach resources needed to accomplish a multi-county/multistate outreach effort.

Line items in the budget must crosswalk with the proposed project design. For example, if the project design includes training for 30 veterans to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), there must be an allocation in the budget for 30 veterans to attend training for CDL licenses.

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. VETS considers any resources contributed to the project, beyond the funds provided by the agency, as leveraged resources. Applicants are encouraged to leverage resources to increase stakeholder investment in the project and broaden the impact of the project itself. These leveraged resources are used to achieve HVRP performance. The budget narrative should provide a description of the leveraged resources provided to support grant activities, the specific activities they will cover, the way they will support HVRP goals and the funding source. Valuation of leveraged resources follows the same requirements as match.

Each category should include the total cost for the first year of 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. Applicants should include, in their budget, funds to cover travel to DOL-sponsored training events such as the annual post-award conference, professional conference, and/or any other offered trainings. Applicants must provide a justification for travel expenditures that exceed 10 percent of the one-year budget.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1

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 the 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). Cost allocations for supplies that are not broken down by item must document their methodology in determining the amount allocated for this line item, per 2 CFR 200.405(d).

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 participant support costs, stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere.

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 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 federal grant amount requested for the first year of the period of performance.

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.

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 15 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.

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

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

1. Present current evidence (within the last two years) to support the need for the proposed project, including any supporting evidence that identifies the nature and extent of the need and the reasons the proposed service delivery area will benefit from HVRP services. The description must include both quantitative and qualitative information as listed below:

i. Clearly state at the beginning of this section, the selected Population Category (as described in Section III.C.2), the specific service delivery area the applicant proposes to serve, and whether the service delivery area is urban or non-urban (see Attachment D for a list of urban areas; those areas not listed are considered non-urban). DOL defines a service delivery area as a county, parish, independent city, or Native American tribal area. VETS will not award a new grant in an area that is currently served by an active grant. Applicants should reference Attachment A for current HVRP grants and their service delivery areas.

ii. Specify the planned number of eligible veterans to be newly enrolled each year of the project. The planned number of enrollments must be supported by the number of eligible veterans in need of project services in your proposed service delivery area and the demographic information of the population to be served. Describe the employment and job training needs of the local employers.

iii. Provide estimates of sheltered and unsheltered veterans experiencing homelessness in the identified service delivery area (cite the date of the reported estimates). One data source available is the local estimates of veteran homelessness by HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC). Other data sources are encouraged. Applicants must cite all data sources. Examples of other data sources are VA Domiciliary/ Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program Housing data, or SSVF/HUD data in the local area.

iv. Provide labor market information (LMI) for the identified service delivery area, including in-demand occupations as determined by the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB), industry, or employers, and the types of jobs and careers that are in demand.

v. Describe factors in the service delivery area contributing to veteran homelessness or the circumstances creating the need for receiving an HVRP grant.

vi. Provide the unemployment and poverty rates in the identified service delivery area (cite the source).

b. Expected Outcomes and Outputs https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/xls/2011-2020-PIT-Veteran-Counts-by-CoC.xlsx

Grantees are required to have measurable outcomes in order to maximize the impact of federal grant dollars. For this FOA, each applicant must submit performance goals. Each grantee will be required to report on its progress toward its goals on a quarterly basis, throughout the three-year period of performance.

If selected, grantees will be held to these performance goals submitted in their application for each year of the period of performance. Failure to meet those goals may result in intervention by VETS. Inability to achieve performance goals may also have a significant impact on competition for a new award.

Overall success or failure of a grant-funded project is based on seven performance indicators. Performance on each active participant performance indicator will be defined as a range, bounded by an upper value representing the performance goal and a lower value representing 85 percent of the performance goal. Performance below 85 percent of the goal on a critical performance indicator will be considered failure of that indicator. Please refer to Attachment C for definitions of the performance indicators. The applicant will provide numeric goals for the following performance indicators in the VETS-700 Planned Goals Chart (see Attachment B):

Number of Participants Enrolled (As this element is scored under the Statement of Need section, it is not referenced in Table 1 below, relative to setting enrollment goals.)

Average Hourly Wage at Placement;

Placement Rate Overall (Rate = Employed/Exited);

Placement Rate for the Episodically Homeless;

Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program;

Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the fourth quarter after exit from the program; and Median quarterly earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program.

To assist with goal-setting for the proposed grant, we ask applicants use the adjusted Program Year (PY) 2020 values in Table 1 as a starting point. These values may be further adjusted to account for the ease or difficulty in serving a particular group based on characteristics and other mitigating factors.

Table 1 Goal Setting Parameters

Performance Indicator National Average

Placement Rate Overall (Rate = Employed/Exited) 61.6%

Cost Per Enrollment $2,904

Placement Rate for the Episodically Homeless 64.3%

Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program 44.2%

Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the fourth quarter after exit from the program 33.3%

Median quarterly earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program $7,280

The averages outlined in Table 1 were derived from the collection of PY 2020 actual HVRP outcome data reported by grant recipients. The highest and lowest five data outliers were removed from the data when calculating the averages.

All applicants must propose a goal for average hourly wage at placement. VETS has created a table (Attachment E) using state median hourly wage data to allow applicants to propose goals for the average hourly wage at placement to align with wages in a state as opposed to using the national average. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.) Recipients of grant funding will be held to the average hourly wages proposed in their grant application.

c. Project Design Applicants must describe their overall strategy for providing employment and job training services. Services must be delivered through a client-centered case management approach that imparts relevant skills and connects participants with high-quality career opportunities. The grantees that have had the most success in addressing veteran homelessness are those that have taken an expansive multi-disciplinary approach to the problem. Applicants must define the types of support services available to participants and the approaches to provide these support services. Applicants applying under Category 2 (HFVVWC) or Category 3 (IVTP) are limited to serving only individuals who are part of that Category’s population. Applicants are to propose methods that the project will use to address the stated outcomes. Applicants must provide a plan of action that provides the scope of work and details of how the project will accomplish the proposed work. Applicants must account for all functions or activities identified in the application and cite factors that might accelerate or decelerate the work. Applicants must identify any potential barriers and describe how the project will overcome those barriers. Applicants must fully describe how the partnerships in place for the project are comprehensive.

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm

(i) Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement – Applicants must address and promote equity through their outreach, recruitment, and engagement plan. They must describe in their application how their program will conduct effective client outreach, recruitment, and engagement to meet participant enrollment goals and how this will advance equity for underserved and vulnerable veteran populations. Outreach, recruitment, and engagement must include a strategy that is non-threatening, persistent over time, and offers a flexible array of services, including help with basic survival needs. All outreach should be person-centered and emphasize building rapport and trust as a means of helping veterans obtain employment with appropriate services. These efforts should seek to reach and connect with all veterans who are sheltered and unsheltered within the applicant’s proposed service delivery area, including veterans living in encampments or tent cities, as well as veterans in institutional settings, such as jails and hospitals.

Other effective outreach strategies that are vital to program success include participating in local Stand Down events planned in the applicant’s service delivery area and collaborating with HUD CoC Coordinated Entry.