Reentry Employment Opportunities

The Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program encompasses two distinct grant categories: adult reentry grants and youth/young adult-focused grants. Adult reentry grants are designed to enhance workforce reintegration for individuals returning fr

This program includes both reentry grants that focus on serving adults who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, and youth/young adults who are involved or at risk of involvement in crime and violence.

Eligible youth, young adult and adult applicants for Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) grants vary depending on the solicitation. Applicants are generally located in or have a staff presence in the community being served. Examples of possible eligible applicants include community-based organizations, school districts, state and local government juvenile justice agencies, tribal entities, and entities carrying out activities under WIOA, such as local Workforce Investment Boards or American Job Centers.

Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) Adult grants serve individuals, 18 years old and older, who have been convicted as an adult and have been imprisoned for violating a state or federal law, and who have never been convicted of a sex-related offense. Depending on the solicitation, enrollment may be limited based on whether the presenting offense was violent or whether the individual has previously committed a violent crime. Eligible applicants for youth focused grants vary depending on the solicitation.

Services under the adult reentry grants include assistance in finding employment, mentoring, job training, work-based learning remedial education, and other comprehensive transitional services. Services under the youth focused grants include a wide array of education, employment, mentoring, case management, violence and crime reduction and diversion.

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.

The period of performance varies by grant announcement. The possibility of additional years of funding varies by grant announcement. Payments to grantees are usually made by Letter of Credit draw-down procedures.

Criteria for each proposal are specified in the applicable request for proposals.

Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals. The general procedure is as follows: A technical review panel composed of staff from ETA program offices as well as peer reviewers evaluate submitted and eligible applications. The panel prepares a report for the ETA Grant Officer identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the application and the cumulative rating. Once recommendations are made by the Grant Officer and approved by the Secretary of Labor an Award Notification is sent through the appropriate congressional channels for notification. After awardees are notified, the list of awardees is posted on the ETA Web site at www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants. If an application is rejected, a letter is sent to the applicant as notification that they were not selected as a recipient of the grant.

ETA has instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist you in understanding the standards against which your application will be judged. The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application. Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below.

ETA may provide no-cost extensions at its own discretion based on the success of the project and other relevant factors.

Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals.