DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Civic Justice Corps Grants Serving Juvenile Offenders
Announcement Type: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY 10-04
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.261
KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 35 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications must be received no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 10-04, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to section IV.
SUMMARY:
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $20 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act for Civic Justice Corps Grants to serve juvenile offenders ages 18 to 24 who have been involved with the juvenile justice system within 12 months before entry into the program. Civic Justice Corps projects focus on community service projects that provide young offenders the opportunity to repair the harm they may have caused to the community in which they expect to return. Such community service projects can help rebuild severed relationships between the returning offender and members of the community. Through community service, returning offenders are offered the opportunity to reestablish community-based trust while enhancing their status in their communities. These grants will be awarded through a competitive process. The Department expects to award a minimum of 13 grants at various amounts. Applicants may submit only one proposal of up to $1.5 million to cover a 30-month period of performance that includes up to four months of planning and a minimum of 26 months of operation. The 26 months of operation includes time for follow-up services that may be on average between 3-4 months. Some participants may be receiving follow-up services while others are still receiving direct services.
This solicitation provides background information and describes the application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and outlines the evaluation criteria used as a basis for selecting the grantees.
Overview of Funding Opportunity
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $20 million for Civic Justice Corps Grants to serve juvenile offenders ages 18 to 24 who have been involved with the juvenile justice system within 12 months of entry into the program. Each year, Juvenile Courts in the United States handle roughly 1.6 million delinquency cases and an estimated 144,000 youth are placed in juvenile correctional facilities. Youth in the juvenile justice system have a high probability of returning to crime. As an example, the State of Virginia reports that 75 percent of youth released from state correctional facilities and 61 percent of youth placed on probation in the state are arrested for a new crime within three years.1 Civic Justice Corps projects provide young offenders the opportunity to give something back to their communities through community service to make up for past transgressions. Such projects hold promise for reducing the recidivism rate of juvenile offenders by improving their vocational and educational skills and long-term prospects in the labor market and by increasing their attachment to their community and their sense of community responsibility.
The Civic Justice Corps model is based on the notion that, by their criminal acts, offenders have hurt their communities and have depleted any trust that the community has in them. Civic Justice projects offer offenders a chance to demonstrate accountability for their actions and make reparations to the community. This effort at fostering a renewed sense of belonging and investment in their communities is accomplished through 1) community service projects that aid in the rebuilding of severed relationships between young offenders and community members while reestablishing trust and a positive status for the offender within the community; and 2) work experience, other vocational training, and academic interventions that enable participants to improve their skills and enhance their future educational and career opportunities.2
Civic Justice Corps programs funded under this SGA must include each of the following components: 1) meaningful community service projects and service-learning opportunities; 2) educational interventions that lead to a credential and increase placement opportunities in post-secondary education and/or vocational training that lead to long-term employability of participants; 3) community connections that result in opportunities for young offenders to rebuild trust and for the community to view them as assets rather than liabilities; 4) high staff to participant ratios, including close adult supervision on community service projects; 5) a career development component that seeks to place each participant in a job in which skills will be learned, post-secondary education, a registered apprenticeship, and/or career technical training that leads to an industry-recognized credential; and 6) post-program support and follow-up. These six program components are discussed in more detail in the Required Program Components section, Section I.B, below.
These Civic Justice Corps grants will be awarded through a competitive process. The Department expects to award a minimum of 13 grants at various amounts. Applicants may submit only one proposal of up to $1.5 million to cover a 30-month period of performance that includes up to four months of planning and a minimum of 26 months of operation.
The Department expects that participants will be enrolled in these programs full-time, as defined by a minimum of 32-hours per week, including time spent in both the community service and educational components. Civic Justice Corps programs may enroll participants for up to one-year terms, inclusive of the follow-up period, with the understanding that participants may leave the program before completion to take other jobs or for personal- or conduct-related reasons. The Department anticipates the approximate cost per participant to be in the range of $12,000 to $16,000 for average length-of-stays of six to eight months.
The Department will set performance goals for these grants relating to the rate at which participants enter employment, post-secondary education, or training; are retained in employment and education placements; do not return to crime; and receive high school diplomas and industry-recognized credentials. Programs already serving eligible participants are expected to increase their overall enrollment with DOL funds, rather than serve existing participants through a co-enrollment process.
DOL will provide guidance, post-award to assist grantees with working with youth that commit crimes while in the program and participants who continue to have substance abuse issues. DOL will also work with grantees after the grant award to conduct risk assessments of participants based on validated risk assessment tools.
B. Required Program Components
Each local project funded under these grants must include each of the components described below.
1. Meaningful community service projects and service-learning opportunities. Civic Justice Corps programs funded under these grants must conduct community service projects of value to the local community, state, or country. These projects should also help participants learn work skills, including soft skills required for effective and sustained employment. The Department also encourages having participants work in teams. Examples of possible community service projects include: conservation projects such as restoration of state or federal lands, Youth working with the Fish and Wildlife Service in federally-managed fish hatcheries, urban tree planting, and park trail maintenance; graffiti removal; staffing and support for community events like fairs or community days; improving sports fields; and other appropriate community service activities at health clinics, hospitals, or food banks. Grantees must also place a high priority on public safety, as well as the safety of program participants at project worksites. Funding for these grants is appropriated under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). Under WIA Section 181(a)(4), health and safety standards established under Federal and State law otherwise applicable to working conditions of employees are equally applicable to working conditions of program participants engaged in training and other activities.
2. Educational interventions that lead to a credential and increase placement opportunities in post-secondary education and long-term employability of participants. Civic Justice Corps programs funded under these grants should provide a comprehensive set of interventions to address the varying academic levels of participants. The educational component should integrate education interventions with career and occupational development and include basic skills instruction and remedial education; language instruction for individuals with limited English proficiency; exploration for accommodations for participants with disabilities; tutoring; study skills training; and credit retrieval; These interventions should be designed to lead to the attainment of a secondary school diploma, GED, or other State-recognized equivalent (including recognized alternative standards for individuals with disabilities). Additional educational interventions could include counseling participants on acquiring financial aid to attend college, taking them on visits to local community and four-year colleges, and helping them fill out necessary application forms for college.
3. Connections between program participants and the community that result in opportunities for young offenders to rebuild community-based trust and relationships. Civic Justice Corps programs funded under these grants must emphasize rebuilding the community’s trust in the young offenders served by the program and also instilling a sense of community responsibility of the youth offenders served. Programs should coordinate with their relevant community in developing and implementing community service projects that meet a real and specific need. Depending on the project, this could include working with civic organizations, state or national park rangers, local government leaders, employers, or clergy. The community should develop ways of giving recognition when the project is completed to the young offenders who worked on the project. The community also should help support further positive involvement by young offenders in the community. The community service projects conducted through these grants should incorporate service-learning opportunities, defined as projects integrating meaningful community service with instruction and reflection that enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and encourage lifelong civic engagement.
4. High Staff to Participant Ratio, including Close Adult Supervision on Community Projects. Civic Justice Corps programs funded under these grants must have a sufficient number of staff to run a high-quality program. In particular, grantees must have enough adult project site supervisors to ensure that work being conducted on community service projects is of high quality; that participants are being productive and demonstrating a positive attitude towards the community service project at hand; and that participants are gaining employment skills and learning positive behaviors such as leadership, teamwork, and respect for fellow participants. Programs will also need to ensure that case management is provided either directly with grant funds or through referrals to partner agencies to address the barriers to employment of participants, including such things as a lack of transportation and childcare, substance abuse and mental health issues, and history of family instability. Programs will also need to develop strategies to prevent the increase of juvenile delinquency resulting from the opportunity of interaction among juvenile offenders in the program.
5. Career Development. Civic Justice Corps programs funded under these grants must have a strong career development component that seeks to place each participant in a job in which skills are learned through post-secondary education, a registered apprenticeship program, or vocational training leading to an industry-recognized credential. This component must include partnerships with employers, the local workforce investment system’s One-Stop Career Center(s), community colleges, and four-year colleges. This component should be integrated with educational interventions. Career development services also should be an extension of community service projects so that employment skills gained during community service projects are related to future work opportunities. Where possible, there should be an emphasis on career development for in-demand or emerging occupations such as health care. Community service projects may provide exposure to various industries and, in such cases, participants should be exposed to relevant industry data such as future job openings and educational requirements for different occupations within those industries. For example, community service projects in the area of conservation may be connected to learning about job opportunities in land management agencies such as the National Park Service, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Other community service projects conducted in hospitals or clinics may be connected, for example, to job or post-secondary educational opportunities such as dental hygienists, diagnostic medical sonographers, opticians, and radiologic technologists and other technicians in the allied health field.
6. Post-Program Support and Follow-Up. Civic Justice Corps projects funded under these grants must have strong post-program support and follow-up components, including continued coordination and contact with employers, the local workforce development agency, local community colleges, and four-year colleges where participants have been placed to ensure that participants retain jobs and remain in schools and in other career development opportunities in which they are placed. Applicants will be asked to define the length of these post-placement services within the grant’s period of performance to ensure that all participants receive the appropriate length of post-placement services.
C. Partnerships with the Juvenile Justice System and Social Service Agencies
In addition to the links to employers, the local workforce investment system’s One-Stop Career Center(s), community colleges, and four-year colleges described in the Career Development and Post-Program Support and Follow-Up components, each Civic Justice Corps project funded under this SGA will be expected to develop partnerships with the following entities:
Juvenile correctional facility or facilities to receive referrals of eligible youth about to be released who plan to return to the community being served, to allow pre-release services and orientation at the correctional facility, and to coordinate post-release transitional services for program participants;
The local juvenile justice system to receive referrals of eligible youth who are on probation, who received an alternative sentence or were diverted before adjudication as an alternative to juvenile prosecution, or who have been involved in the juvenile justice system within the past year, and to coordinate services to program participants with juvenile probation officers;
Drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers to provide referrals to program participants in need of such services; and
Social service agencies to provide referrals for supportive services that program participants may need, including transportation, health and mental health services, substance abuse and mental health services, parenting classes and services, assistance in using the Earned Income Tax Credit, assisting in accessing Food Stamps and other Federal services, and housing.
D. Allowable Uses of Grant Funds
Allowable uses of grant funds for projects funded under these grants include but are not necessarily limited to the following activities:
1) Community service, workforce and education activities, such as:
Community service projects;
Skill and interest assessment and career development planning;
Vocational skills training;
Payment of wages to participants;
Payment of stipends to participants based on their performance in the program;
Job placement;
Accomodations for participants with disabilities;
Equipment, materials, and supplies for community service projects that support the occupational training aspect of public community service projects, consistent with requirements in 2 CFR 225 and 2 CFR 230, which require prior agency approval for equipment and that materials and supplies be charged at their actual net cost;
The purchase of bonds through the federal Bonding Program;
Basic skills instruction and remedial education;
Parenting classes
Credit retrieval and GED instruction;
Language instruction educational programs for individuals with limited English proficiency; and
Counseling and assistance in compiling high school credits, applying for post-secondary education, and applying for financial aid.
2) Case management services and related activities, including mentoring and referrals to housing assistance, mental health counseling, parenting classes and services, and substance abuse treatment;
3) Leadership and personal development activities that seek to develop cognitive and soft skills that participants will need to succeed in future jobs and that support one or more workplace competencies, including problem-solving, oral communication skills, a strong work ethic, and ability to work as part of a team; and
4) Follow-up services that focus efforts on job retention, wage gains and career progress through regular contact with employers and other post-placement supporting agencies, including assistance in addressing work-related problems that arise; assistance in securing better paying jobs, career development and further education; work in peer support groups; adult mentoring; and tracking of progress made by participants in employment after training.
The Department expects to award a minimum of 13 grants. Applicants may submit only one proposal of up to $1.5 million, with the amount requested depending on the number of juvenile offenders ages 18 to 24 in the geographic area to be served. Any grant application with a proposed value greater than $1.5 million will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered. The Department anticipates the approximate cost-per-participant to be in the range of $12,000 to $16,000 (including administration and planning costs) for average length-of-stays of six to eight months. In the event additional funds become available, ETA reserves the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this solicitation.
B. Period of Performance
These grants will be funded for a 30-month period of performance that includes up to four months of planning and a minimum of 26 months of operation. In the Budget Narrative, discussed in section IV.B.I, applicants must provide separate budgets for planning and operations. Regardless of the length of the planning period, applicants must budget for a maximum of 26 months of operation. Grantees should be judicious in their use of funds during the planning period and careful to use them specifically for planning and pre-implementation activities associated with this grant.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Any non-profit organization with IRS 501 (c) (3) status, unit of state or local government, or any Indian and Native American entity eligible for grants under WIA Section 166 may apply for these grants. An organization may submit only one application for up to $1.5 million. Applicants may focus these funds on a single site or serve multiple sites, with additional funding for these sites coming from other leveraged sources if DOL funding does not cover the full cost of operating a multi-site grant.
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for application.
C. Other Eligibility Criteria
An organization may submit only one application.
D. Eligible Participants
Participants Eligible to Receive Services
Youth ages 18 to 24 who have been involved with the juvenile justice system within the past 12 months may be served by these grants. Involvement in the juvenile justice system includes youth who within the past 12 months were:
under the supervision of the juvenile justice system either in out-of-home placements or on probation or parole;
placed in an alternative sentence by the juvenile justice system; or
placed in a diversion program as an alternative to juvenile prosecution by the juvenile justice system.
Veterans Priority for Participants
The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires grantees to provide priority of service for 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 can be found 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 http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.
This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
Proposals submitted in response this SGA must consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) a cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to the technical proposal. Applications that do not contain all of the three parts or that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the following items:
SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp). 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 shall be considered the authorized representative of the applicant. All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) number, and must supply their D-U-N-S® Number on the SF-424. The D-U-N-S® Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a D-U-N-S® Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.
The SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp). In preparing the Budget Information Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.
Budget Narrative: Applicants must provide a separate budget narrative for planning and operations. Regardless of the length of the planning period, applicants must budget for a maximum of 26 months of operation. Grantees should be judicious in their use of funds during the planning period and careful to use them specifically for planning and pre-implementation activities associated with this grant. In addition, the budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.
Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424 and SF-424A and budget narrative. No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. The amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A and budget narrative must be the same. Please note, the funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found. Applications that fail to provide an SF-424 including D-U-N-S® Number, SF-424A, and a budget narrative will be considered non-responsive and not reviewed.
Regardless of the method of application submission, all applicants must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR) before submitting an application. Step-by-step instructions for registering with CCR can be found at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step2.jsp. An awardee must maintain an active CCR 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 CCR database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update on an annual basis from the date of initial registration or subsequent updates its information in the CCR 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. Failure to register with the CCR before application submission will result in your application being found non-responsive and not being reviewed.
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit a 2-page abstract which includes a brief discussion of the geographic area to be served by the grant, the number of youthful offenders to be served, the community service projects to be conducted, the educational interventions to be provided, the partnerships that will be developed and the anticipated outcomes. Applicants may also submit letters of commitment from potential partners or memorandums of understanding with potential partners. The abstract and any letters of commitment or memorandums of understanding do not count against the 20-page limit for the Technical Proposal. The attachments must not exceed 15 pages. Any pages beyond this page limit will not be read.
Applications that do not include the required abstract will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
Only those attachments listed above will be excluded from the page limit. The attachments must be affixed as separate, clearly identified appendices to the application. Additional materials such as resumes or general letters of support or commitment will not be considered.
The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 45 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications may be submitted electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard-copy by mail or hand delivery (including overnight delivery). Hard-copy applications must be received at the address below no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications submitted on grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.
Applicants submitting proposals in hard-copy must submit an original signed application (including the SF-424) and one (1) ‘‘copy-ready’’ version free of bindings, staples or protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. Applicants submitting proposals in hard copy are also required to provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc (CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hard copy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.
If an application is physically submitted by both hard-copy and through http://www.grants.gov, a letter must accompany the hard-copy application stating which application to review. If no letter accompanies the hard-copy, we will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov. Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will be considered non-responsive. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted as part of the application.
Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 10-04, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered proposals will be received at the above address. All overnight mail will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be received at the designated place by the specified closing date and time.
Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then subsequently validated by Grants.gov. The submission and validation process is described in more detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. Applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if necessary.
The Department strongly recommends that before the applicant begins to write the proposal, applicants should immediately initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. Applicants should read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as much as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application. The site also contains registration checklists to help you walk through the process. The Department strongly recommends that applicants download the “Organization Registration Checklist” at http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last minute searches for required information and save time.
As described above, applicants must have a D–U–N–S® Number and must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR).
The next step in the registration process is creating a username and password with Grants.gov to become an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). AORs will need to know the D-U-N-S® Number of the organization for which they will be submitting applications to complete this process. To read more detailed instructions for creating a profile on Grants.gov visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step3.jsp.
After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E-Biz point of Contact (E-Biz POC) - a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for CCR – will receive an email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of their organization. The E-Biz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and approve an applicant as the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more about AOR Authorization visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step5.jsp, or to track AOR status visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step6.jsp.
An application submitted through Grants.gov constitutes a submission as an electronically signed application. The registration and account creation with Grants.gov, with E-Biz POC approval, establishes an AOR. When you submit the application through Grants.gov, the name of your AOR on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application. Applicants must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for the applicant organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.
When a registered applicant submits an application with Grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will send the applicant two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system. The first email, sent almost immediately, will contain a tracking number and will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and subsequently successfully validated will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission. While it is not required that an application be successfully validated before the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has not been successfully validated. Therefore, sufficient time should be allotted for submission (two business days) and, if applicable, additional time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered.
To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .xls or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. ETA will attempt to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding.
We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp.
ETA encourages new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit .
To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is available, applicants may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription_signup.jsp.
If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or email “[email protected]”. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is closed on federal holidays.
Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated will be considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit by Grants.gov.
Any hard-copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and it was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to the addressee not later than one working day before the date specified for receipt of applications. ‘‘Postmarked’’ means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ‘‘bull’s eye’’ postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be a basis for a determination that the application was not filed timely and will not be considered. Evidence of timely submission by a professional overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time and place of receipt.
This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”
All proposal costs must be necessary and reasonable and in accordance with Federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant.
Applicants, whether successful or not, will not be entitled to reimbursement of pre-award costs.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for Federal purposes: i) the copyright in all products developed under the grant, including a subgrant or contract under the grant or subgrant; and ii) any rights of copyright to which the grantee, subgrantee or a contractor purchases ownership under an award (including but not limited to curricula, training models, technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. The grantee may not use federal funds to pay any royalty or license fee for use of a copyrighted work, or the cost of acquiring by purchase a copyright in a work, where the Department has a license or rights of free use in such work. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.
If applicable, the following needs to be on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:
“This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.”
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.
This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be used for each category to evaluate grant proposals. The evaluation criteria are described below:
Criterion |
Points |
|
10 |
|
50 |
|
15 |
|
5 |
|
10 |
|
10 |
TOTAL |
100 |
1. NEED IN THE AREA TO BE SERVED (10 points)
Identify in the proposal the number of youth 18 to 24 expected to be served and the geographic area that will be served by the grant. This can be a city, a county, a sub-area of a city or county, a set of contiguous counties, an Indian Reservation, a local workforce investment area, or other designated area. State in this section the total number of youth 18 to 24 in the geographic area to be served who within the past 12 months were under the supervision of the juvenile justice system, placed in an alternative sentence by the juvenile justice system, or placed in a diversion program by the juvenile justice system. This number must be greater than or equal to the number of youth that the applicant proposes to serve in the project. Applications proposing to serve a larger number of youth than the number of youth ages 18 to 24 in the geographic area to be served who were involved in the juvenile justice system within the past year will receive 0 points for this criterion.
Make the best case for why the local area needs this grant. Present the number of youth of all ages from the area placed in a juvenile correctional facility this past year:
the number of youth of all ages placed in local detention centers, alternative sentences, and diversion programs; and
the number of youth of all ages who returned home from juvenile correctional facilities.
Provide the source of this data. Provide the total population of the area to put the number of youth offenders in perspective. Discuss the extent of youth gangs in the area. Discuss why the problems of juvenile crime and youth gangs exist to the extent that they do in the area, what resources are currently available for serving returning juvenile offenders, and what gaps currently exist in these services.
Proposals will be evaluated under this criterion as follows:
Up to 10 points will be awarded under this criterion based on the case the applicant makes in the proposal for the local need for the project. The strength of the case is based on:
the number of youth 18 to 24 in the geographic area to be served who were under the supervision of the juvenile justice system, which include: diversion programs, alternative sentencing programs, placed in juvenile correctional facilities or local juvenile detention centers within the past 12 months;
the number of youth of all ages from the geographic area to be served who were under the supervision of the juvenile justice system, which include: diversion programs, alternative sentencing programs, placed in juvenile correctional facilities or local juvenile detention centers within the past 12 months;
the number of youth of all ages who returned home from juvenile correctional facilities within the past 12 months;
the number of youth 18-24 who returned home from juvenile correctional facilities within the past 12 month;
the number of youth offenders of all ages relative to the total population of the area;
the extent of youth gangs in the area;
the resources currently available for serving returning juvenile offenders in the area; and
the current gaps in services to juvenile offenders in the area.
2. PROJECT DESIGN (50 points)
Fully demonstrate how the applicant will implement each of the required project components in Part I of the grant announcement and explained below.
Meaningful community service projects and service-learning opportunities. (20 points) Describe the community service projects and service-learning opportunities that the applicant will be implementing. Provide details of the specific community service projects that will be conducted and describe the benefit of these projects to the local community, state, or country.
Indicate the number of youth that the applicant plans to serve;
the length of time the applicant will ask youth to commit to being in the program;
the expected average length-of-stay given that all youth will not remain for their full commitment; and
the proportion of their time that participants will spend on community service projects versus educational activities.
Describe what work skills participants will learn while conducting the community service projects:
the extent to which participants will be working in teams, and
how the development of leadership skills and soft skills will be supported.
The points for the Community Service Projects Component will be rated based on the extent to which the proposed service projects will benefit the local community, state, or country and the extent to which the community service projects will provide an opportunity for participants to learn work skills. (Please address the following to fully demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the proposed service projects):
the number of youth that the applicant plans to serve;
the length of time the applicant will ask youth to commit to being in the program;
the expected average length-of-stay;
the proportion of time that participants will spend on community
service projects versus educational interventions;
whether participants will be working in teams;
how the development of leadership skills and soft skills will be supported; and
how the threat of negative peer pressure will be handled.
Educational interventions that lead to a credential and increase placement opportunities in post-secondary education and long-term employability of participants. (10 points) Describe the educational component that the applicant will implement to help individuals attain a high school diploma or GED and to enter post-secondary education. Present a comprehensive set of interventions to address the varying academic levels of participants. Describe in detail the array of interventions that will be provided.
The points for the Educational Component will be rated based on the comprehensiveness of the responses provided to the following:
the extent to which the applicant has a comprehensive set of interventions to address the varying academic levels of participants;
the level of detail provided about the array of interventions to be provided; and
the likelihood that these interventions will lead to the attainment of a high school diploma or GED and placement in post-secondary education.
Connections between program participants and the community that result in opportunities for young offenders to rebuild community-based trust and relationships. (5 points) Describe:
how the applicant will coordinate with the local community in developing service projects for the young offenders;
how the applicant will incorporate service-learning components into the community service projects;
how the applicant will coordinate with the community to give recognition to the young offenders when the project is completed; and
how the applicant will coordinate with the community to build ongoing opportunities for positive involvement by young offenders in the community.
The points for Connections between Program Participants and the Community will be rated based on the comprehensiveness and likely effectiveness of the responses provided to the following:
the extent to which the applicant will coordinate with the community, in developing community service projects for program participants;
the extent to which service-learning components will be incorporated into community service projects;
the ways recognition will be given within the community to program participants when the project is completed; and
the level of encouragement and on-going positive involvement of program participants in the community through the institutionalization of service opportunities for program participants in the community.
High Staff to Participant Ratio, including Close Adult Supervision on Community Service Projects. (5 points)
Include in the applicant’s proposal the number of staff that the applicant will hire using grant funds and the positions to be funded;
discuss the number of crew supervisors who will be hired through the grant, the qualifications for these positions, and the planned crew supervisor to participant ratio at the project site;
describe how the community service component manager and crew supervisors will ensure that the community service is of high quality;
describe how participants are gaining employment skills, learning positive project site behaviors such as leadership, teamwork, and productivity, and demonstrating a positive attitude toward the community service project at hand;
discuss the staff position that will be responsible for the community service component of the applicant’s program and managing the crew supervisors;
describe workplace safety measures and the ways in which the applicant’s staff will ensure that practices are being followed at the project sites; and
describe how youth will be provided case management either directly or through referrals to partner agencies to address the barriers to employment of participants.
The points for Staffing will be rated based on the comprehensiveness and likely effectiveness of the responses provided to the following:
the extent to which the staffing level is sufficient to operate a quality program and to teach positive work attitudes to participants;
the extent to which the qualifications that will be required for staff positions are sufficient to operate a quality program; and
the likelihood of the staffing pattern or referral plan ensure safe project sites and strong case management support to program participants.
Career Development. (5 points) Describe the career development component that the applicant will implement to place each participant in a job in which skills are learned through post-secondary education, a registered apprenticeship program, or vocational training leading to an industry-recognized credential.
discuss planned partnerships with employers, the local workforce system’s One-Stop Career Centers, community colleges, and four-year colleges;
describe how career development will be integrated into educational offerings;
describe how participant career development services and exposure to various industries or occupations will be connected to community service projects; and
discuss the extent to which career development in high-demand or emerging occupations such as green jobs or health care will be emphasized.
The points for Career Development will be rated based on the likelihood that participants will acquire skills that result in unsubsidized employment, or enter post-secondary education, registered apprenticeship programs, or vocational training leading to industry-recognized credentials. Applicants should address the following:
planned partnerships with employers;
the local workforce system’s One-Stop Career Centers;
community colleges, and four-year colleges;
how career development will be integrated into educational offerings;
how career development will be connected to community service projects; and
the extent to which career development in high-demand or emerging occupations such as green jobs or health care will be emphasized.
Post-Program Support and Follow-Up. (5 points)
describe the post-program support that the applicant plans to provide, including partnerships that the applicant will develop with employers, the local workforce development agency, and local community colleges and four-year colleges to ensure that participants retain jobs and remain in schools and in other career development opportunities in which they are placed;
describe the strategy for staying in contact with youth after they have left the program; and
discuss the length of the follow-up period, being sure to keep the follow-up period within the period of performance of the grant.
The points for Post-Program Support and Follow-up will be rated based on the comprehensiveness and likely effectiveness of the responses provided to the following:
the post-program support that the applicant plans to provide;
the strategy that will be used to stay in contact with participants after they have left the program;
the planned partnerships with employers, the local workforce development agency, local community colleges and four-year colleges to support retention in long-term placements; and
the length of the follow-up period that is consistent with the period of performance of the grant.
3. PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES (15 points)
Describe the partnerships that the applicant will develop with:
juvenile correctional facilities to receive referrals of eligible youth about to be released that plan to return to the community being served;
the local juvenile justice system and courts to receive referrals of eligible youth who are on probation who are receiving an alternative sentence or diverted prior to adjudication, or who have been involved in the juvenile justice system, and to coordinate services to program participants with juvenile probation officers;
drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers in order to make referrals that will result in the provision of assistance to program participants in need of such services; and
social service agencies to provide supportive services that program participants may need.
Provide evidence of progress made in developing these partnerships, such as dates and attendees of meetings held. Letters of commitment and memorandums of understanding may be included as evidence of expected partnerships. Note that partnerships with employers, the workforce system’s Career One-Stop Centers, community colleges, and four year colleges should be discussed and evidence provided in the Career Development and Post-Program Support and Follow-up sections above rather than in this section.
The points for Required Partnerships will be rated based on the comprehensiveness of the responses and the evidence provided to the following:
the extent to which the applicant has received commitments from juvenile correctional facilities to refer eligible youth about to be released;
the extent to which the applicant has received commitments from the local juvenile justice system and courts to refer eligible youth and to coordinate services to program participants with juvenile probation officers; and
the extent to which the applicant has received commitments from drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers; and social service agencies to provide supportive services that program participants may need.
4. ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN INVOLVING YOUTH IN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS (5 points)
Discuss the applicant’s experience involving youth in community service projects or other experience that demonstrates the capability to operate a program meeting the goals of this SGA which may also include the experience of its partners, staff or contractors.
Describe the number of years the applicant has experience operating such projects and the number of youth served this past year or in a typical year; and
Describe in detail the types of community service projects conducted; specifically:
How these projects benefitted the local community, state, or country;
The skills learned by participants in conducting these projects; and
The partnerships that the applicant developed with other organizations in order to conduct these projects.
The points for organizational experience in involving youth in community service projects will be rated based on the comprehensiveness of the applicant’s experience in the following:
years of experience operating such projects;
the number of youth involved in service projects this past year or in a typical year;
the extent to which the community service projects were meaningful, provided benefit to the local community, state, or country and taught skills to participants; and
involved partnerships with other organizations.
5. ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE SERVING YOUTH OFFENDERS (10 points)
Describe the applicant’s experience serving youth offenders or other experience that demonstrate the capability to operate a program meeting the goals of this SGA which may also include the experience of its partners, staff or contractors. Discuss how many years of experience the applicant has serving such youth and roughly how many youth offenders the applicant has served over the years. Applicants will receive up to 10 points for fully demonstrating the comprehensiveness and relevance of their organizational experience in serving youth offenders.
6. ORGANIZATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND FISCAL CAPACITY (10 points)
Provide evidence of the applicant's organizational administrative and the fiscal capacity to carry out this project in a manner that protects government funds:
Describe the administrative structure that the applicant will use to ensure that this grant will be operated effectively;
Describe the fiscal controls that the applicant has in place to safeguard Federal funds;
If applicable, discuss the positive and negative findings from the applicant’s three most recent OMB Circular A-133 audits, and the resolution of negative findings. (Applicants must agree to provide the Department with these audits if requested); and
Describe the capacity the applicant has in place to collect and provide the data elements required in this project.
Applicants must fully demonstrate the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of their approach to the following criterion:
The points for organizational fiscal capacity will be rated based on:
The strength of the applicant’s administrative structure;
The strength of the fiscal controls the applicant currently has in place; and
The fiscal controls in place to effectively resolve negative audit findings,
Applications for grants under this Solicitation will be accepted after the publication of this announcement and until the closing date. A technical review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this SGA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an application, depending on the quality of the responses to the required information described in section V.A. The ranked scores will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding, in conjunction with other factors such as urban, rural, and geographic balance; the availability of funds; and which proposals are most advantageous to the government. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her attention. The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussions, the award will be based on the applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov, which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted directly before the grant’s execution. Non-selected applicants will be notified by mail or email and may request a written debriefing on the significant weaknesses of their proposal.
Selection of an organization as a grantee does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. DOL reserves the right to not fund any application related to this SGA.
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions:
i. Non-Profit Organizations – OMB Circular A–122 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 230, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements)
ii. Educational Institutions – OMB Circular A–21 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 220, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments – OMB Circular A–87 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 225, and 29 CFR Part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
iv. Profit Making Commercial Firms – Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – 48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
v. All Grant Recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) and the applicable provisions of the regulations at 20 CFR 660 et seq. Note that 20 CFR part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules) includes unsuccessful applicant appeal information.
vi. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29 CFR Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 29 CFR 95.13 and Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, and drug-free workplace requirements), and, where applicable, 29 CFR Part 96 (Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and Other Agreements) and 29 CFR Part 99 (Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations).
vii. 29 CFR Part 2, subpart D—Equal Treatment in Department of Labor Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.
viii. 29 CFR Part 31—Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Labor—Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
ix. 29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
x. 29 CFR Part 35— Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
xi. 29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
xii. 29 CFR Part 37 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
xiii. 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.
2. Other Legal Requirements:
i. Religious Activities
The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. Section 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its implementation. If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act and maintain that hiring practice even though Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act contains a general ban on religious discrimination in employment. If you are awarded a grant, you will be provided with information on how to request such an exemption.
ii. Lobbying or Fundraising the U.S. Government with Federal Funds
In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611), non-profit entities incorporated under Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c) (4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive Federal funds and grants. No activity, including awareness-raising and advocacy activities, may include fundraising for, or lobbying of, U.S. Federal, State or Local Governments (see OMB Circular A-122).
iii. Transparency Act Requirements
Applicants must ensure that it has the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109-282, as amended by section 6202 of Pub. Law 110-252) (Transparency Act), as follows:
All applicants, except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 below, must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, should they receive funding.
Upon award, applicants will receive detailed information on the reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, as described in 2 CFR Part 170, Appendix A, which can be found at the following website: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22705.pdf.
The following types of awards are not subject to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act:
Federal awards to individuals who apply for or receive Federal awards as natural persons (i.e., unrelated to any business or non-profit organization he or she may own or operate in his or her name);
Federal awards to entities that had a gross income, from all sources, of less than $300,000 in the entities' previous tax year; and
Federal awards, if the required reporting would disclose classified information.
3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions
Except as specifically provided in this SGA, DOL/ETA’s acceptance of a proposal and an award of Federal funds to sponsor any programs(s) does not provide a waiver of any grant requirements and/or procedures. For example, the OMB Circulars require that an entity’s procurement procedures must ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to provide open and free competition. If a proposal identifies a specific entity to provide services, the DOL’s award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the procurement, i.e., avoid competition, unless the activity is regarded as the primary work of an official partner to the application.
4. Special Program Requirements
Evaluation. DOL may require that the program or project participate in a formal evaluation of overall grant performance. To measure the impact of the grant program, DOL may conduct an independent evaluation of the outcomes and benefits of the projects. By accepting the grant funds, the programs or projects agree to make individual records on participants, employers and funding available to the evaluator(s) under the direction of DOL with appropriate measures to protect the confidentially of participant. Please note this evaluation may make use of program MIS data, local administrative data on crime and recidivism, and program progress reports. DOL recognizes that there will be limitations on this cooperation due to State confidentiality requirements on data on individual offenders. It is critical that the grantee keep this information up to date and accurate for both performance measurement and evaluation purposes.
Performance Goals. These grants will be subject to performance goals measuring their progress in meeting the goals of the grants. National goals will be set after grant award in the following areas:
the employment rate of participants including placement in post-secondary institutions, advanced training, or occupational skills training;
the retention of participants in employment and education placements in the quarter after program completion;
the recidivism rate of young adult offenders served; and
the rate at which participants receive high school diplomas and industry-recognized credentials.
Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is required to provide the reports and documents listed below:
1. Quarterly Financial Reports
A Quarterly Financial Status Report (ETA 9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees.
2. Quarterly Performance Reports
The grantee must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. The report must include quarterly information regarding grant activities, and information on employment outcomes for those individuals who have exited to date. The last quarterly progress report that grantees submit will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report should provide both quarterly and cumulative information on the grant activities. It must summarize project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and related results of the project, and should thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches used by the grantee. DOL will provide grantees with formal guidance about the data and other information that is required to be collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request basis. Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements.
3. Management Information System (MIS) Reports. Organizations will be required to submit updated MIS data within 45 days after the end of each quarter based on a DOL template that will require quarterly, year-to-date, and program-to-date information on participant demographics at time of enrollment, participants services provided, and interim and long-term participant outcomes. This reporting will require post-placement follow-up and tracking of participants. 4. Record Retention
Applicants must be prepared to follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the time of final grant close-out.
For further information about this SGA, please contact Donna Kelly, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693-3934. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 10-04, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This announcement is being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.
A. Posting of Responses to Questions Submitted Regarding this SGA
Questions and responses submitted to the Grant Officer regarding the SGA will be posted on the Employment and Training website at http://www.doleta.gov. Questions will be received for one month after publication.
B. Workforce3One Resources
ETA encourages applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.
IX. Other Information
OMB Information Collection No. 1225-0086
OMB Information Collection No 1225-0086, Expires November 30, 2012.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments about the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor, to the attention of the Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N1301, Washington, DC 20210. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected]. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND IT TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY AS SPECIFIED IN THIS SOLICITATION.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. The information collected through this “Solicitation for Grant Applications” will be used by the Department of Labor to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicant best suited to perform the functions of the grant. Submission of this information is required in order for the applicant to be considered for award of this grant.
Signed______________________, in Washington, D.C. by:
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
1 See the State of Virginia’s Department of Juvenile Justice’s Data Resource Guide for FY 2009. For links to juvenile justice systems in other states see the State Juvenile Justice Profiles web site at http://70.89.227.250:8080/stateprofiles/, but data on recidivism is not typically available through these links.
2 For more information on the history and justification for involving offenders in civic justice projects, see Gordon Bazemore and David Carp, “A Civic Justice Corps: Community Service as a Means of Reintegration,” available at http://www.cjcj.org/files/bazemore.pdf.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Author | frugoli.pam |
| Last Modified By | freeman.jacqueline |
| File Modified | 2011-01-26 |
| File Created | 2011-01-26 |