Pathway Home 5 FOA-ETA-24-05.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: Pathway Home 5

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-24-05

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.270

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is 04/04/2024. 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 will be available by February 16, 2024 at:

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply/find-opportunities. Although not required, applicants are encouraged to watch the pre-recorded webinar.

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

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS AND ADDRESS

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

C. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. WEB-BASED RESOURCES

B. INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

C. WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

D. SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

E. LINKING EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES PRE-RELEASE (LEAP) IMPLEMENTATION

STUDY

F. PAST DOL EVALUATIONS AND EVIDENCE

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $52,000,000 in grant funds authorized by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328) for ex-offender activities and under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), for Program Year 2023 (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024).

This grant design builds on the findings of the Linking Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) implementation study. The LEAP pilots provided pre-release services through jail-based American Job Centers and linked participants to post-release services. These two-year grants, which ended in 2017, have shown potential for breaking the cycle of recidivism by linking participants to the workforce system early—while still in jail—and then immediately upon reentry into the community. The experiences of the LEAP grantees highlight important lessons learned and some areas for continued refinement or potential replication in similar contexts. The final LEAP implementation report can be found at https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OASP/legacy/files/LEAP-Final-Report.pdf.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides the opportunity for public or private non-profit organizations, including women, minority, community, and faith-based organizations;

public institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally-controlled, and Alaska and Hawaii Native-serving higher education institutions; nonprofit post-secondary education institutions with or without 501(c)(3) status; unions, labor or labor-management organizations; non-profit industry organizations; state and local governments; and Indian or Native American entities eligible for grants under Section 166 of WIOA to provide reentry programming to eligible, incarcerated individuals prior to release from state correctional facilities or county or local jails and to continue comprehensive services after release. By providing for reentry services to begin while participants are still incarcerated and to continue post-release, these projects are designed to eliminate the time gap between release from jail or prison and enrollment into a workforce development reentry program leading to skills-based employment, to improve individuals’ transition back into their communities, and to reduce recidivism.

Pre-release services will assist incarcerated individuals in men’s and women’s facilities who enter the program within 20 to 270 days from their scheduled release date to prepare for returning to their communities. Pre-release services must include job preparation, developing individual development plans (IDPs) that identify barriers to employment, career exploration and planning, experience and skill matching, counseling, assistance obtaining state identification required for employment, and assistance with linking incarcerated individuals to the social https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OASP/legacy/files/LEAP-Final-Report.pdf services required to help them transition back to their communities. Pre-release occupational training is highly encouraged. Participants must be able to maintain the same caseworker pre-and post-release, which was suggested as a "best practice" in the LEAP Implementation Study.

Post-release activities must include skill-building services, including either registered apprenticeships or other occupational training in in-demand industries, as determined by local area need, that lead to industry-recognized credentials.

Partners must also work towards increasing employment opportunities for participants post-release with an aim towards boosting labor supply in critical industry sectors facing increased demand, workforce gaps, or supply chain challenges. Applicants are more likely to be successful under the scoring criteria below if they show they will partner with employers, unions or other industry organizations that commit to providing employment, work experience, onsite job-related mentoring, and training to participants that lead to good jobs. The criteria gauge job quality using The Good Jobs Principles[1], a shared federal vision of job quality including elements such as through offering career progression into higher wages, benefits, and opportunities to exercise worker voice; and applicants where the lived experiences of incarceration and/or community violence of the applicant's staff, leadership board, or committee members have influenced or enhanced the organization. ETA will give bonus points to applicants that describe how they will align training with at least one specific infrastructure project, such as clean energy funded through the Administration’s Investing in America Agenda. These investments include the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

For more information on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including a guidebook of other funding opportunities and areas of investment, visit https://www.build.gov.

Pre-release and post-release service delivery is challenging to provide to people transitioning from a correctional institution to the community. Yet, service delivery in both contexts remains critical to the overall success of the enrolled participants, as well as the reentry and workforce systems, and grantees are expected to be able to successfully deliver comprehensive services in both settings. This FOA provides an opportunity for organizations focused on employment and training, corrections, and community supervision to collaborate and develop or improve upon strategies and solutions.

ETA plans to award approximately 20 grants ranging from approximately $1 million up to $4 million each. Applicants may propose a lesser amount based on the number of participants they propose to serve. ETA may award more grants if funds are available. These grants will have a 3-to 6-month planning period, a 24- to 27-month period of employment and training services, and 12 months of follow-up services for a total of 42-months grant performance period. Future funding opportunities may take into account grantee performance on this grant. These projects will serve adults aged 18 or older who have been convicted under federal, state, or local law and are incarcerated in state correctional facilities or local or county jails with scheduled release dates within 20 to 270 days of enrollment in the project. Applicants may submit only one application.

Applicants must provide a detailed description of the need for services in their target communities; how they plan to accomplish outcomes; their project design; their organizational, administrative, and fiscal capacity; and their past performance and programmatic capability.

https://www.dol.gov/general/good-jobs/principles https://www.build.gov/

ETA is committed to awarding grants to high-quality applicants who are serving geographic areas that have a scarcity of reentry services. In making awards, ETA will consider the existing landscape of reentry services in the geographic area that an applicant targets for service.

[1] For more on The Good Jobs Principles and strategies for incorporating job quality into proposals and work opportunities, please visit the Department’s The Good Jobs Initiative.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This announcement solicits applications for Pathway Home 5 grants.

The purpose of this program is to provide eligible incarcerated individuals in men’s and women’s state correctional facilities or local or county jails with workforce services prior to release and to continue services after release by transitioning the participants into reentry programs in the communities to which they will return. The FOA refers to these communities as the application’s “target communities” or “target areas”; they are the areas where the applicants will be providing reentry services. These grants are job-driven and build connections to local employers and unions that will enable justice-involved persons to secure employment in good jobs, while advancing equity for individuals facing significant barriers to labor market reentry, including incarcerated women and communities of color.

These projects ensure that participants in reentry from incarceration are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets with the skills valued by employers and support the Administration's goal to build modern and sustainable infrastructure. Applicants must ensure that occupational training provided has no federal, state, or local regulations that restrict individuals with criminal history records from obtaining licenses or other necessary credentials in that career. Therefore, applicants will need to research existing barriers for individuals with criminal records in relation to specific industries. Employer and union connections will inform specific program curricula and ensure relevance to the needs of local businesses and jobs.

Teaching justice-involved individuals foundational skills, such as job readiness, employability, digital and financial literacy, and job search strategies, in addition to providing pre-apprenticeship, Registered Apprenticeships, and occupational training leading to industry-recognized credentials, can provide access to employment and reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Applicants are encouraged to utilize staff that have personal experience with incarceration and/or community violence. Staff with lived experience of incarceration and/or community violence are able to build relationships with participants based upon shared experiences and be non-judgmental. These staff can model trust, commitment, stability, and successful reentry. Thus, staff with lived experience of incarceration and/or community violence are encouraged.

Due to the complex nature of this grant, applicants are required to employ one full-time staff person with 100% of their time dedicated to the grant as the program manager/director of the project.

DOL has identified the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) programs as part of the Justice40 initiative, whose goal is that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. For more information on Justice40, visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

This program is authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328), for ex-offender activities and under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

(WIOA).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $52,000,000 to fund approximately 20 grants. You may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $4,000,000. 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 should request funding that is commensurate with the scope and scale of the project proposed, as described below.

We have established the required minimum number of enrollees during the period of performance, based on the amount of funds requested by the applicant (see Figure 1 below).

Applicants must clearly identify in the project abstract the proposed number of participants to be enrolled over the life of the grant, based on the minimums identified in the table below, for which they are seeking funding. Applicants that fail to propose to serve the minimum number of participants required per the table below will be disqualified because their applications will be considered non-responsive.

Figure 1. Required Minimum Participants to be Enrolled During the Grant Period Based on Funding Request Funding Request Minimum Participants Enrolled During Grant Period $999,999 or less 100 $1,000,000 – 1,499,999 150 $1,500,000 – 1,999,999 200 $2,000,000 – 2,499,999 250 $2,500,000 – 2,999,999 300 $3,000,000 – 3,499,999 350 $3,500,000 – 4,000,000 400

Figure 1 above identifies the minimum number of participants the project must enroll during the grant period based on the applicant’s requested funding amount. Applicants may request any funding amount up to $4,000,000 as long as the proposed minimum number of participants enrolled meets or exceeds the minimum required according to the above table. For example, an applicant requesting funding in the amount of $2,000,000 must propose to enroll no fewer than https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/

250 participants but may propose to enroll more than 250. Applicants should refer to Section IV.B.3.a. Statement of Need for information on how they will be scored on the proposed targets.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 42 months with an anticipated start date of 07/01/2024. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Non-profit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, including women’s, minority, community, and faith-based organizations;

• Public institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally controlled, and Alaska and Hawaii Native-serving higher education institutions;

• Nonprofit post-secondary education institutions with or without 501(c)(3) status;

• State or local governments;

• State and local workforce boards;

• Any Indian or Native American entity eligible for grants under Section 166 of WIOA;

• Labor or labor management organizations; and

• Non-profit industry organizations.

See the Funding Opportunity Announcement for complete eligibility requirements.

PLEASE NOTE:

In the event that more than one Pathway Home 5 application proposes to serve the same facility, the Department may decide which applicant to serve the facility based on the strength of the Memorandum of Understanding or Letter of Commitment between the applicant and the facility.

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

Proposed number of participants meets the minimum based on the funding request Section II.A

SAM Registration Section

IV.B.1

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section

IV.B.1

SF-424 includes a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Section

IV.B.1

Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) or Letters of Commitment from State Correctional Facility or Local or

County Jails as Mandatory Partner Section

IV.B.3(d)(i)

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section

IV.B.2

Budget Narrative Section

IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section

IV.B.3

Documentation that the facilities where participants will reside at the time of enrollment are defined as state correctional facilities or local or county jails for adults by state or local law.

Section IV.

B.4(a)(3)

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

We will consider only one application from each organization. If we receive multiple applications from the same 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 serve diverse participants from a variety of backgrounds who:

• Are at least 18 years old;

• Were convicted under federal, state, or local law and are incarcerated;

• Reside, at the time of enrollment in the project, in a state correctional facility or local or county jail for adults; please note that these grants cannot support projects in a federal facility or juvenile facility;

• Have a release date scheduled between 20 to 270 days of the individual’s enrollment in the program; and

• Upon release, are scheduled to return to reside in the target area identified in the applicant’s application.

Grantees must determine individuals’ eligibility before serving them with grant funds.

Applicants should consider establishing orientation activities such as initial recruitment, screening, and informal interviews during which grantees can conduct a preliminary program eligibility screening prior to enrolling participants into a grant-funded program.

Grantees have the discretion to enroll individuals convicted of violent offenses or sexual offenses, and those assessed as high-risk of violent offenses or sexual offenses. Grantees that choose to serve these populations must conduct a rigorous risk assessment of criminogenic need (i.e., causing or likely to cause criminal behavior). The participants’ strengths should also be considered when providing training that will lead to suitable employment. In all cases, the grantee must have a clear and consistent written enrollment policy that addresses program enrollment. Grantees will be required to submit their written enrollment policies if awarded a grant. More information on risk assessments can be found at:

https://reentry.ojp.gov/best-practices/risk-and-needs-assessment

All Pathway Home participants are eligible for the Federal Bonding Program (FBP). The fidelity bonds, issued by the FBP, give employers a peace of mind when hiring job candidates considered higher risk. For more information on how to collaborate with state bonding coordinators, visit www.bonds4jobs.com.

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 Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 11-11, Change 2, located here. This guidance applies to grants authorized by WIOA.

https://reentry.ojp.gov/best-practices/risk-and-needs-assessment https://www.sss.gov/ https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-11-11-change-2

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://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-10-09.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply/find-opportunities 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”

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

• 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 organization’s legal name on the SF-424 should match its name registered in the System for Award Management at www.sam.gov. If unsure of the legal name of your organization, visit www.sam.gov to confirm.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-10-09 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-10-09 http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply/find-opportunities https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply/find-opportunities https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

• The organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Unique Entity Identification (UEI) Number should match its information in www.sam.gov. If unsure of the EIN or UEI of your organization, visit www.sam.gov to confirm.

• 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/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

In addition, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the 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 and its implementing regulations at 29 CFR Part 38, which 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 or status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States, 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, 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-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.

a. Requirement for Unique Entity Identifier

All applicants for federal grant funding must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and must supply their UEI on the SF-424. The UEI is a 12-character (alpha-numeric) code that uniquely identifies all entities. Any entity registering to do business with the government is required to have one. UEIs are issued by SAM.gov and are a part of an entity's record in the Entity Information section of SAM.gov. If you do not have a UEI, you can get one for free at https://sam.gov.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://sam.gov/

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

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

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

(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 grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family). 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 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. Valuation of leveraged resources follows the same requirements as match. 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 be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate the average cost-per-participant. While there is no cost per-participant limit, some participants 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 cost-per-participant, including financial documentation, contracts or subawards, and information on program services (inclusive of case files).

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

https://www.sam.gov/

Personnel: List all staff positions by title (including individuals hired by an employment contract) 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 estimated 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 Part

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 the cost of supplies (e.g., general office supplies, desk/chairs, laptops/printers, other specialty items) in the detailed budget per category. Except for general office supplies, list the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR Part 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 Part 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 Part 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.

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 Part 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 (defined by DOL below) 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.

• Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) Definition: To avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, DOL defines MTDC as all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward or subcontract (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards and subcontracts 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 or subcontract in excess of $25,000.

• You will also note that participant support costs are not included in modified total direct costs. Participant support costs are defined below.

• 2 CFR Part 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/office-of-the-senior-procurement-executive/cost-price-determination-division.

Indirect-type costs (such as top management salaries, financial oversight, human resources, payroll, personnel, auditing costs, accounting and legal, etc. used for the general oversight and administration of the organization) must not be classified as direct costs; these types of costs are recovered as part of charging the de minimis or NICRA rate. Note that the SF-424, SF- 424A, and Budget Narrative must include the entire federal grant amount requested (not just one year).

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 required to have partnerships in place to address routine barriers to reentry (e.g., housing, legal services, substance abuse treatment, and mental health counseling).

Grantees must submit a written policy on the use of these funds as a condition of award.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/office-of-the-senior-procurement-executive/cost-price-determination-division https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/office-of-the-senior-procurement-executive/cost-price-determination-division

Additionally, while budgeting for this work, note the project manager/director must be one employee at 100% FTE and may not be two or more people totaling 100% FTE. The project manager is to be one person who is managing this Pathway Home 5 grant.

All applicants must include in their budget funds to cover travel to DOL-sponsored technical assistance training events, as required. DOL expects Pathway Home grantees to attend the DOL-sponsored New Grantee Orientation during the first year of grant award and annual peer-to-peer training or national conferences in subsequent years. Applicants must budget for different levels of staff to these national trainings. Applicants may allocate funds to travel outside of DOL-sponsored events only if the amount is reasonable, as defined in 2 CFR 200.404, and the event will provide a direct benefit to the program.

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 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.

Please be advised, full points will not be awarded for simply repeating the language in the FOA.

For example, the FOA states, in part, “Applicants must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the need, including the poverty rate of the planned target area...” Full points will not be awarded if the application reads, “ABC Non-profit grant program will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the need, including the poverty rate of the targeted area”. The application must clearly and accurately discuss the required factors.

a. Statement of Need (Up to 6 Points)

Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which the below factors are clearly and accurately addressed.

(i.) Applicants must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the need, including the poverty rate of the planned target area, the gap in resources in the target area, and the consequences of not addressing the need. Applicants must describe existing service delivery offerings for the target population in the intended target area, including within the state correctional facility or local or county jail, and show that there is unmet demand for your services. (Up to 2 points)

(ii.) Applicants must clearly indicate the number of participants to be served and demonstrate through an explanation and letters of commitment of MOUs that there is a sufficient pool of eligible participants in the state correctional facility or local or county jail who are returning to the target area. Applications not demonstrating a sufficient pool of eligible participants will receive zero points for this rating factor. (Up to 4 points)

b. Performance Data Collection Strategies (Up to 6 Points)

Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which the following factors are clearly and accurately addressed:

(i.) Applicants must describe a clear and realistic plan to track performance on the WIOA primary indicators below, including staff and/or partner roles in tracking and reporting. Plans and strategies are to be specific, quantifiable statements and clearly linked to each WIOA primary indicator of performance. If applicants are not local workforce development boards, they may collaborate with such organizations around data collection. Applicants may propose their own additional performance measures with specific numeric goals. Plans should address outcomes pre- and post-release from incarceration, and include co-enrollment of participants in WIOA, if applicable. (Up to 4 points)

(ii.) Applicants must describe a clear and realistic plan to track and report recidivism rate based on the definition provided in this FOA. Plans should specify the intended source(s) of recidivism data, and staff and/or partner roles in tracking and reporting. (Up to 2 points)

WIOA Primary Indicators of Performance:

Grantees must report on the following six WIOA primary indicators of performance. These indicators are:

• Employment Rate – Second Quarter After Exit. (Goal is 55 percent)

• Employment Rate – Fourth Quarter After Exit. (Goal is 45 percent)

• Median Earnings – Second Quarter After Exit. (Goal is $6,000 for grantees with target areas where the minimum wage is $10 per hour or more. Goal is $5,000 for grantees with target areas where the minimum wage is $9.99 per hour or less)

• Credential Attainment. (Goal is 60 percent)

• Measurable Skill Gains. (Goal is 65 percent)

• Effectiveness in Serving Employers. (There is no set goal in this FOA. PH-5 grantees are establishing the baseline for this indicator.)

Additional information on these performance indicators is available in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 10-16, Change 2: “Performance Accountability Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs,” found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-10-16-change-2.

Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) Performance Indicator Grantees must also track and report:

• Recidivism rate: The percentage of participants convicted of a new criminal offense committed within 12 months of their release from the correctional facility. Grantees must track recidivism until the end of the grant period of performance to achieve this measure.

The goal for this measure is that grantees achieve a recidivism rate lower than the recidivism rate for the state in which the grantee is operating.

The Department expects grantees to track and report the primary indicators of performance as listed in WIOA section 116(b)(2)(A)(i), as well as recidivism rate and participation rate. As part of their data collection, all grantees must request participants’ social security numbers (SSNs).

While REO grantees are required to request participants’ SSNs, participants cannot be denied services if they choose not to disclose.

Additional information on allowable data sources is available in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 23-19, Change 1, Attachment II: “Guidance for Validating Required Performance Data Submitted by Grant Recipients of U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Workforce Programs, Attachment II: Source Documentation for WIOA Core/Non-Core Programs” available at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-23-19-change-1

c. Project Design (Up to 22 Points)

Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which the following factors are clearly and accurately addressed.

(i.) Applicants must propose a coherent, realistic and clear plan to meet or exceed DOL primary indicator goals of the grant, as well as any applicant-proposed performance goals. (Up to 2 points)

(ii.) Applicants must address factors that might accelerate or decelerate the required work, such as facility-related restrictions. Justify your approach while taking into account barriers that may affect the project’s success. Include viable procedures to provide services in the event internet is unavailable inside the state correctional facility or local or county jail. (Up to 2 points)

(iii.) Applicants must describe a coherent and realistic recruitment plan to ensure that partners can access the participants inside the state correctional facility or local or county jail as needed. The plan must include a feasible process to identify and select participants, including the waiting list process. (Up to 4 points)

(iv.) Applicants must identify and explain how they will provide wrap-around services https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-10-16-change-2 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-23-19-change-1 that support the short-term and long-term success of participants to obtain steady employment, including methods of expected delivery. This, at a minimum, includes all of the following employment and career services pre-release: job preparation, comprehensive case management, developing IDPs using state and local labor market information (LMI) that identify barriers to employment (additional information regarding “career” services, as defined in WIOA, can be found in Section 134I(2) and in TEGL 19- 16), needs assessment, career exploration and planning, assistance with obtaining state identification, legal assistance (e.g., modification of child support orders, expungement proceedings, securing participant licenses, child custody assistance, and protective and restraining order assistance), trauma informed care, mental health and academic counseling, and referrals to the legal and social services required to help them transition back to their communities. Pre-release occupational training is highly encouraged. (Up to 4 points)

(v.) The applicant must provide, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a clear and realistic sample schedule of activities for a month of pre-release operations. These activities must include, at a minimum, the items listed above in Section IV.I(c)(iv). The sample schedule must take into account the inmates’ opportunities for movement throughout the facility and ensure that all program participants have adequate opportunities to access the pre-release program; the applicant must identify the curriculum that will be utilized for employability skills and job readiness development activities. (Up to 2 points)

(vi.) Applicants must identify and explain how they will provide post-release skill-building services, including Registered Apprenticeships and occupational training in in-demand industries that lead to industry-recognized credentials and how the IDP links to employment. (Up to 2 points)

(vii.) Applicants must describe how the IDP links to post-release and follow-up services including services to address barriers to reentry, such as housing, mental health, and substance abuse treatment ensuring a continuum of services. Explain how assessments, including an assessment of each individual’s risk of recidivism and their level of job readiness, will be incorporated into the IDP. (Up to 2 points)

(viii.) Applicants must clearly and realistically describe the following: how the same caseworker providing pre-release services for a participant will be retained and engaged post-release; what services, if any, will be delivered to the…