Form FOA-ETA-20-10 YouthBuild Grant Program

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $89 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub. L. 113-128) for YouthBuild.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations providing pre-apprenticeship services that support education, occupational skills training, and employment services to at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, while performing meaningful work and service to their communities. In addition to construction skills training, YouthBuild applicants may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries. This expansion into additional in-demand industries is the Construction Plus component, a priority in this grant competition.

In 2021, DOL will fund approximately 75 projects across the country, depending on the size of individual grant awards. Individual grants will range from $700,000 to $1.5 million and require a 25 percent match from applicants, using sources other than federal funding. The grant period of performance for this FOA is 40 months, including a four-month planning period and a twelve-month follow-up period.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for the YouthBuild program. The purpose of this program is to fund organizations to provide a pre-apprenticeship program model that encompasses education, occupational skills training, leadership development, and post-program placement opportunities to at-risk youth. YouthBuild is a community-based alternative education program for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are high school dropouts that also have other risk factors, including being adjudicated youth, youth aging out of foster care, youth with disabilities, migrant farmworker youth, and other disadvantaged youth populations. The YouthBuild program simultaneously addresses multiple core issues important to youth in low-income communities: affordable housing, leadership development, education, and employment opportunities in in-demand industries and apprenticeship pathways. YouthBuild programs are the connection point to vital services for the youth they serve. Meaningful partnership and collaboration are key aspects of this service delivery model, through the workforce system, as well as the education and human services systems. We expect applicants funded through this solicitation to have well-established partnerships in place prior to grant award.

The YouthBuild model balances project-based academic learning and occupational skills training to prepare at-risk youth for career placement. The academic component assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skill development in obtaining a high school diploma or state high school equivalency credential. The occupational skills training component prepares at-risk youth for apprenticeship and other career pathways and/or further education or training. It also supports the goal of increasing affordable housing within communities by teaching youth construction skills learned by building or significantly renovating homes for sale or rent to low-income families or transitional housing for homeless families or individuals.

Career pathways, as defined in WIOA, are a key strategy to increase employment opportunities, including the use of apprenticeships. In the WIOA regulations at 20 CFR 688.120, YouthBuild programs funded by DOL are recognized as pre-apprenticeship programs. Grantees funded under this announcement are expected to develop program models that align with pre-apprenticeship as described in 20 CFR Part 688 of the Final Rule:

Pre-apprenticeship, as defined in § 681.480, means a program designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the “National Apprenticeship Act”; 50 Stat.664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.) (referred to in this part as a “registered apprenticeship” or “registered apprenticeship program”) and includes the following elements:

Training and curriculum that aligns with the skill needs of employers in the economy of the state or region involved;
Access to educational and career counseling and other supportive services, directly or indirectly;
Hands-on, meaningful learning activities that are connected to education and training activities, such as exploring career options, and understanding how the skills acquired through coursework can be applied toward a future career;
Opportunities to attain at least one industry-recognized credential; and
A partnership with one or more registered apprenticeship programs that assists in placing individuals who complete the pre-apprenticeship program in a registered apprenticeship program.

There are two key types of apprenticeship supported by DOL. Along with Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), which are a proven model of apprenticeship validated by the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency and registered under the National Apprenticeship Act, Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) are new and emerging across the country. IRAPs are high-quality apprenticeship programs available in all sectors except construction. A Standards Recognition Entity, pursuant to the DOL’s standards, recognizes IRAPs, which can benefit Construction Plus programs focused on in-demand industries. These programs provide individuals with opportunities to obtain workplace-relevant knowledge and progressively advancing skills. As with RAPs, IRAPs include a paid-work component and an educational component and result in an industry-recognized credential. An IRAP is developed or delivered by entities such as trade and industry groups, corporations, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, unions, and joint labor-management organizations. Grantees awarded under this announcement should be actively developing the connection points described above to develop relationships and pathways that lead to employment and placements in registered and industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.

To support this career pathway focus, DOL strongly encourages all YouthBuild applicants to develop program proposals that include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries in addition to construction skills training. This expansion into additional in-demand industries is referred to as the YouthBuild Construction Plus component, and is a priority element of the program. DOL offered Construction Plus in recognition that YouthBuild participants pursue fields beyond construction after exiting the program. The Construction Plus component creates expanded training opportunities in additional in-demand fields that benefit participants and local employers. As this is a program priority, DOL will award up to six priority consideration points for quality Construction Plus proposals from applicants. Please note that the evaluation criteria includes a total of 96 points, with the possibility of up to seven additional priority consideration bonus points. ETA will award up to six priority points to applicants proposing qualifying Construction Plus trainings(s). Additionally, all applicants will earn one priority consideration point based on the inclusion of designated Opportunity Zones in the application.

The Construction Plus model allows YouthBuild grantees to use DOL grant funds for training in additional in-demand industries with the goal of attaining industry-recognized certifications, hands-on work experience in industry settings, and direct entry into apprenticeships or direct hiring into these industries. Since Construction Plus began in 2012, YouthBuild grant programs have provided training in diverse industries and occupations, including healthcare, information technology, hospitality and retail services, and logistics. Construction Plus programs must use the same five pre-apprenticeship elements listed above from 20 CFR 688.120 to develop their Construction Plus pathways.

YouthBuild programs are required partners of American Job Centers, or one-stop career centers, as described in 20 CFR 688.380. All YouthBuild programs must adhere to the requirements of being a one-stop partner. Connecting with American Job Centers provides an opportunity for YouthBuild grantees to develop the necessary partnerships for Construction Plus training. It also supports participant success through job development support, employer connections, basic assessment and referral services, supportive services provision, transition services for post-exit placements, and continuing education and training. Applicants for the YouthBuild program should initiate the one-stop partnership conversation with their local Workforce Development Board prior to submitting the application to ensure the budget reflects likely infrastructure sharing costs, shared staffing (such as the job developer, if applicable), and other beneficial partnerships that are part of the grant model.

WIOA strongly emphasizes the role of employers in successful workforce development strategies, and requires grantees to report on their effectiveness in serving employers. Grantees awarded under this announcement are expected to actively develop new employer relationships and strengthen existing connections, both in construction and non-construction industries. As a required one-stop partner, YouthBuild grantees will benefit from accessing and leveraging the strengths of the American Job Center network to support participant success by gaining access to employer networks, job development professionals with direct knowledge of local labor market needs, and additional supportive services.

Because one of the goals of the YouthBuild program is to provide affordable housing, all YouthBuild grant programs must offer construction skills training. Construction skills training is central to the overall philosophy of the YouthBuild program and can provide a visible transformational experience for young people who have rarely had opportunities to see tangible and positive results from their efforts. All applicants must demonstrate their commitment to increasing the supply of permanent housing for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families, which benefits the community where the affordable housing is built or renovated, and also provides youth with an opportunity to give back to their communities and work and learn in a team environment. YouthBuild grantees must accomplish this goal by having a sufficient number of youths enrolled in and completing the construction skills training component to enable the program to build or substantially renovate at least one unit of housing within the grant period of performance, which is the minimum requirement for a work experience in construction. The construction work sites built and renovated by YouthBuild participants must be constructed as residences only for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families, with these requirements stated in a restrictive covenant lasting at least five years, under the YouthBuild regulations at 20 CFR 688.730. It is up to the grantee to determine the threshold number of participants that they will need during the program cycle to complete at least one unit of housing. However, all applicants must ensure that every participant will have hands-on work experience, whether on a construction work site or professional setting of their in-demand industry training. To ensure that grantees are meeting the minimum construction requirement, and to aid in collecting data on the impact of the YouthBuild program on local communities, YouthBuild programs are required to submit an annual housing census that tracks the number of housing units completed in that reporting year for each active grant.

To build or substantially renovate at least one unit of housing requires the new construction or substantial renovation of single-family homes or apartment/condominium/townhouse complexes, or the construction or substantial renovation of a single dwelling within a complex. Substantial renovation includes those activities that will provide YouthBuild participants with significant construction experience and knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level employment in the construction industry and connect to the construction curriculum used by the program. Painting or cleaning apartments and simple weatherization tasks do not constitute substantial renovation or a sufficiently comprehensive level of construction training to satisfy the requirement that each program build or substantially renovate a unit of housing, and thus, do not qualify as work sites. Applicants should use their selected construction curriculum as a planning resource for the proposed work sites, in order to ensure the training curriculum aligns with the skills participants can learn in hands-on work site experiences. For guidance on qualifying work sites, please refer to Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 06-15, “Qualifying Work Sites and Construction Projects for YouthBuild Grantees and Their Role in Training,” found athttp://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=6610.

The YouthBuild final rule (regulations found at 20 CFR Part 688) sets the standards under which YouthBuild program providers can carry out the goals of the program, and can be found at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-08-19/pdf/2016-15975.pdf. For more information on the YouthBuild program, please go to https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild/.

PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Section 171 of WIOA (Pub. L. 113-128) authorizes this program.

AWARD INFORMATION

AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $89 million to fund approximately 75 grants. You may apply for an amount ranging from $700,000 to a ceiling amount of up to $1.5 million. Awards made under this Announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement.

Due to the complex nature of the YouthBuild program model and the interest in expanding YouthBuild beyond construction skills training, this FOA focuses on supporting the continuity of strong programs, while supporting the opportunity for innovation from new organizations. Therefore, DOL intends to award at least 50 percent of the total available grant competition funding to eligible applicants previously funded by the DOL YouthBuild program and which have demonstrated success in the program. The remainder of funds will be awarded to other qualifying organizations, further described in Section III.A below.

DOL’s intended mix of grant awards ensure that organizations with little or no experience with a DOL YouthBuild grant have an opportunity to implement a DOL YouthBuild program, while allowing for continued support to the existing, previously-funded YouthBuild grants that have demonstrated success.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 40 months with an anticipated start date of MONTH DAY, YEARXX. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. This includes the following:

A planning period of up to four months to complete the planning milestones below;
Two years of active program services (education, occupational skills training, and youth leadership development activities) for one or more cohorts of youth; and
An additional twelve months of follow-up support services and tracking of participant outcomes for each cohort of youth.

DOL requests that applicants describe, as an attachment to the application, the activities they expect to undertake during the planning period in order to ensure that they may begin active program services on schedule. Applicants may be prepared to start the active program services sooner than described above. If so, they must explain the rationale for why the planning period is less than four months; beginning active program services earlier does not shorten the period of performance. A minimum of five percent of total funds should be reserved for the twelve-month follow-up period. Grantees must fully expend grant funds during the period of performance. Therefore, applicants must carefully consider their ability to spend the level of funding requested during the allotted time while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures.

Grantees must ensure the achievement of the following milestones during the planning period:

Hiring of, or committing of, additional core program staff (including the Project Director, Construction Trainer(s), Classroom Teacher(s), Case Manager(s), Job Developer(s) positions), if needed;
Reaching out to the Local Workforce Development Board or American Job Center to finalize MOU requirements, such as the infrastructure costs and plans for collaborating with other required partners, including employers, at a minimum;
Revising the program budget to reflect updates as necessary, such as infrastructure costs and Construction Plus training agreements;
Solidifying relationships with all necessary partners for the successful delivery of services;
Initiating recruitment and outreach efforts for enrollment of participants;
Reconfirming work site financing and access (see Section IV.B.4(b) for more information); and
Reconfirming match sources and amounts.

Note that, while the core program staff described above do not need to be in place at the time of application, DOL expects applicants to describe the plan to recruit each core position during the implementation period (if not already hired), and/or provide training for each core position as they come onboard, and to provide sufficient coverage of each position for the full 36 months of active programming.

The Federal Project Officer (FPO) will review the completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning period. DOL may subject grantees who have not met these milestones to corrective action.

OUTCOMES

DOL expects YouthBuild grantees awarded under this FOA to track and report on the primary indicators of performance as listed in WIOA Section 116(b)(2)(A)(ii). The YouthBuild program is required to report on the six WIOA primary indicators of performance for youth. These indicators are as follows:

Education and Employment Rate – Second Quarter After Exit;
Education and Employment Rate – Fourth Quarter After Exit;
Median Earnings – Second Quarter After Exit;
Credential Attainment;
Measurable Skill Gains; and
Effectiveness in Serving Employers.

Applicants for this funding opportunity must also provide a chart of their anticipated performance outcomes against these indicators, which will be incorporated into the grant award package of awarded applicants (see Section IV.B.4.a(3)). These WIOA performance indicators are further described in TEGL 10-16, Change 1, “Performance Accountability Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs,” found at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3255.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants for these grants are public or private non-profit agencies. These organizations include rural, urban, or Native American agencies that have previously served disadvantaged youth in a YouthBuild or other similar program. These agencies or organizations may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Community and faith-based organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status;
An entity carrying out activities under WIOA, such as a local workforce development board or one-stop career center partner program;
Educational institutions, including a local school board, public school district, or community college;
A community action agency;
A state or local housing development agency;
Any Indian and Native American entity eligible for grants under Sec. 166 of WIOA, including federally and other than federally-recognized Tribes, Native American non-profit organizations, and Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native organizations;
A community development corporation;
A state or local youth service conservation corps; and
Any other public or private non-profit entity that is eligible to provide education or employment training under a federal program and can meet the required elements of the grant.

Grantees who received funding from the FY 2019 YouthBuild competition [FOA-ETA-19-04] are funded through April 30, 2023, and these grantees (based on their unique Employer Identification Numbers) are not eligible to participate in this competition. Additionally, only one grant will be awarded to an individual organization. An individual organization must have a unique Employer Identification Number and it must not administer its program services at the same location as any other YouthBuild grantee.

Among eligible applicants listed above, the applicant agency or organization must also maintain a local presence in any identified target communities to be served.

Applicant Types

This FOA distinguishes between previously-funded applicants (those applicants that have previously received at least one YouthBuild grant from DOL which is complete or near completion and provides acceptable performance outcomes for review) and new applicants (those applicants that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award, have not received an award within the last seven grant cycles, or have not yet completed, or nearly completed, their first DOL YouthBuild grant). Carefully consider the requirements below and apply under the appropriate category (Category A or Category B) and make certain to respond to the application instructions (project narrative, evaluation criteria, and attachments) that correspond to your category.

This FOA refers to previously-funded applicants as “Category A applicants.” DOL intends to award at least 50 percent of the available grant funds to applicants in Category A. A Category A applicant must meet the following requirements, as of the date of publication of this FOA:

At least one of the applicant’s previous YouthBuild grants must have been awarded from a competition that took place in FY 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016; and
The applicant must not have received an award from the FY 2019 (FOA-ETA-19-04) competition.

Note that applicants previously funded by DOL’s YouthBuild program, but not within the past seven grant competitions (i.e. the applicant has not received a YouthBuild award since FY 2012 or earlier), will be considered as new applicants who must apply under Category B. This will provide applicants who have not been funded under the YouthBuild program in recent years to demonstrate growth and increased success in serving disconnected youth through improved organizational capacity, implementation of best practices, and more relevant performance outcomes than those available prior to FY 2013.

This FOA refers to new applicants as “Category B applicants.” DOL intends to award up to 50 percent of grant funds for awards to applicants in Category B. All applicants that do not meet the requirements for Category A above must apply as Category B. Category B applicants fall into one of these categories:

Applicants that did not receive a YouthBuild award from the FY 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 competition, but received a DOL YouthBuild award from one or more of the following grant competitions: FY 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, or 2018; or
Applicants that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award.

During this competition, the 2017 and 2018 grantees will not have completed their grant’s active service cycle (as defined by the two-year period during which they are enrolling and serving active participants) and are therefore categorized as Category B applicants.

As noted in the previous section, grantees funded in FY 2019 (FOA-ETA-19-04), regardless of any previous grant awards from DOL for YouthBuild funding, are not eligible to participate in this competition under Category A or Category B and should not respond to this FOA. The following chart summarizes the requirements specified in this section:

Applicant Type:	Category A	Category B	Not Eligible to Apply
Grant Classes Included:	Those funded at least once from a FY 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 competition	Applicants last funded by DOL’s YouthBuild program in FY 2012 or earlier Applicants last funded by DOL’s YouthBuild program in FY 2017 or 2018 Those never funded by the DOL YouthBuild program	Any applicant who received an FY 2019 DOL-funded YouthBuild grant
Percent of Grant Funds Available:	At least 50 percent	Up to 50 percent	N/A

COST SHARING OR MATCHING

This program requires cost sharing or matching funds. Such funds may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions and equal to 25 percent of the total federal share of costs. Any resources contributed to the project in addition to cost sharing or matching funds will be considered leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources.

To be allowable as part of match, an expenditure must be an allowable charge for federal grant funds and considered necessary and reasonable to accomplish the project or program objectives. DOL will make determinations of allowable costs in accordance with the applicable Federal Cost Principles as indicated in Section IV.E. If the cost would not be allowable as a grant-funded charge, then DOL cannot count it toward the applicant’s matching funds.

The recognition of documentation of match has changed since the release of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards regulations at 2 CFR Part 200 and OMB’s approved exceptions for DOL at 2 CFR Part 2900.

2 CFR 2900.8 Cost sharing or matching states that, in addition to the guidance set forth in 2 CFR 200.306(b) for federal awards from the Department of Labor, the non-federal entity accounts for funds used for cost sharing or match within their accounting systems as the funds are expended. It is not sufficient or adequate to receive and report monies as match; the monies must be expended on the program in order for it to be counted as match. Expenditures of match funds must be reported on the recipient share section of the ETA-9130 Form.

Additionally, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.306, match amount must be verifiable from the non-federal entity’s records, not included as contributions for any other federal award, necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives, and not provided by the Federal Government under another federal award.

DOL encourages applicants to leverage additional resources beyond the required match to supplement grant activities. Applicants must count and document as leveraged resources any cash or in-kind commitments beyond 25 percent of the grant award amount required as matching funds.

Applicants should pay special attention to the requirements regarding match sources listed in TEGL 05-10, Change 1, “Updated Guidance on Match and Allowable Construction and Other Capital Asset Costs for the YouthBuild Program,” as well as the YouthBuild Selected Cost Items attachment, both available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=3801.

Examples of Match Sources that Do Not Qualify:

Funding Source	Type of Match	Reason Match does not Qualify
Work site	Applicant lists full value of home as in-kind match.	Only the portion of match that involves direct training of YouthBuild participants can be applied toward match–not the full value of the house.
Work Site	Applicant lists value of “sweat equity” from volunteer labor to finish the construction of low-income housing that was used for training.	Volunteer services furnished by third-party professional and technical personnel, consultants, and other skilled and unskilled labor may be counted as cost sharing or matching only if the service is an integral and necessary part of an approved project or program. The value of the sweat equity of volunteers is not integral and necessary for training participants and is not considered an allowable match.
Federal funds from another agency or through pass-through entity	Applicant lists pass-through grant as match (e.g., using Department of Education funds that were passed through to a local school district as match).	Federal funds do not qualify as a match source, even where the immediate funder was not federal. In this case, a federal agency awarded funds to a non-profit which then provided them to the applicant to be used on the current grant. These funds are still federal in source. Federal funds cannot be used to meet a matching requirement unless expressly authorized by that federal agency. It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to confirm and document such authority in its records.
The rental value of an office laptop	An in-kind rental rate of a laptop over the three-year life of the grant at a monthly rate that cumulatively is much higher than the value of buying the same equipment outright (i.e. valuing a monthly rental of a laptop at $70/month over three years (36 months) of the grant = a total rental valuation of $2,520 per laptop when a comparable purchase of the laptop would be $700).	Overvaluation of match–the value of any match contribution cannot be more than the actual value of the match product and must also account for devaluation over time (i.e., a laptop match valuation must account for the devaluation of the laptop in year three compared to year one).

For the purposes of the grant application, match letters of commitment must contain the following:

Letterhead of contributing agency;
Written or electronic signature of authorized individual at the contributing agency, dated between the publication date and application date of this FOA;
Total dollar value of commitment, per year of grant and full period of performance;
The source of match funds; and
Detailed calculations showing how the total dollar value was derived.

For match based on participants served, the calculation should be as follows: __ participants enrolled x ___ cost of training/class/session per participant per year x __years of the commitment = total commitment
- Example: XYZ Community College is committing 10 slots per year in a computer programming class. The match commitment letter must read as follows: 10 slots X $500 per slot x 2 years = $10,000
For match based on staff time, the calculation should be as follows: __ hours per year (or percentage of FTE) x __hourly rate (or annual salary) x __ years of commitment = total commitment
- Example: Applicant is committing Executive Director for 20 percent of the FTE over the life of the grant. The match commitment letter must read as follows: 20% x $75,000 per year x 3 years = $45,000
For match based on a set resource, the calculation should be as follows: __ monthly rate x __ months per year x __ years of commitment = total commitment
- Example: ABC Organization is committing office space for the program. The match commitment letter must read as follows: 800 square feet x $2.00/sq. ft. x 12 months x 3 years = $57,600.

The valuation process of an in-kind match includes determining the fair market value of an expenditure at the time of donation, appraising donated space and buildings, and determining the value of personnel services. The value of personnel services will depend, in part, on the staff person’s role on the grant relative to their role in the overall organization. Calculations must be clear and replicable by reviewers. Applicants proposing to use their own non-federal resources to provide match must also have a letter of commitment that details the same information as above.

These letters of commitment are critical during the application process but are not sufficient, nor do they meet the supporting documentation requirements of matching as specified in 2 CFR 200.306. DOL recognizes match at the time it is expended as specified at 2 CFR 2900.8 and not when it is earned or received. Additionally, the grant recipient must apply the same supporting documentation requirement to tracking match expenditures as it would grant expenditures.

Matching Waiver for U.S. Insular Areas, Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. §1469a(d) Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. § 1469a(d), for the purposes of this FOA, DOL does not require any match for grants made to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Accordingly, DOL does not require these areas to include a match commitment in their applications and these applications will not be screened out on that basis. However, even though DOL does not require matching funds from these areas, it encourages these areas to leverage resources, including dollars from federal sources.

OTHER INFORMATION

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
If submitted through Grants.gov, 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 is within the grant award range of $700,000 to $1.5 million	Section II.A
SAM Registration	Section IV.B.1
SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance	Section IV.B.1
SF-424 includes a DUNS Number and an Employer Identification Number (EIN)	Section IV.B.1
SF-424 lists the 25% match amount on lines 18b-f, as appropriate.	Section IV.B.2
SF-424A, Budget Information Form	Section IV.B.2
Budget Narrative	Section IV.B.2
Match Narrative	Section IV.B.2
Project Narrative	Section IV.B.3
Work Site Description(s) (ETA-9143) for each work site (may submit up to three separate work site forms with attachments; only three work site forms will be reviewed)	Section IV.B.4.a(2)
Proposed WIOA Performance Outcomes Chart	Section IV.B.4.a(3)

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.

Eligible Participants

Participants Eligible to Receive Training

The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide education/training services to any individual who meets these criteria:

Is between the ages of 16 and 24 on the date of enrollment; and
Is a member of a low-income family, and/or a youth in foster care (including youth aging out of foster care), and/or an offender, and/or a youth who is an individual with a disability, and/or a child of an incarcerated parent, and/or a migrant youth; and
Is a school dropout, or an individual who was a school dropout and has subsequently reenrolled (as provided in WIOA Sec. 171(e)(1) Eligible Participants).

As it relates to determining which youth are considered out-of-school youth, DOL does not consider providers of Adult Education under YouthBuild programs to be “schools.” Therefore, WIOA Youth programs may consider a youth to be an out-of-school youth for purposes of WIOA Youth program eligibility if they are attending Adult Education provided under YouthBuild.

Up to, but not more than, 25 percent of the participants in the program may be youth who do not meet criteria 2 or 3 above, but they must meet the following:

Be basic skills deficient, despite attainment of a high school diploma or its state-recognized equivalent; or
Have been referred by a local secondary school for participation in a YouthBuild program leading to the attainment of a high school diploma.

NOTE: Male participants aged 18 or older must register for the U.S. Selective Service System (www.sss.gov) before services can be provided. If they turn 18 while participating, they must register at that time.

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 TEGL 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 10-09 is available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816. This guidance applies to programs funded under WIOA. For additional information on veteran’s priority of service and WIOA, please see TEGL 19-16. TEGL 19-16 is available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3851.

Participant Enrollments

To ensure that grant funds are providing the greatest benefit, we have established goals for the minimum number of participants to be enrolled during the period of performance, based on the amount of funds requested by the applicant (see Figure 1 below). Applicants must clearly identify the proposed number of participants to be enrolled over the life of the grant, based on the minimum thresholds identified in the table below, for which they are seeking funding.

Figure 1. Minimum Goals for Enrolled Participants During the Grant Period Based on Funding Request
Funding Request	Minimum Participants Enrolled During Grant Period
$1,500,000	84
$1,499,999 – 1,400,000	81
$1,399,999 – $1,300,000	75
$1,299,999 – $1,200,000	70
$1,199,000 – 1,100,000	64
$1,099,999 – 1,000,000	59
$999,999 – $900,000	53
$899,999 – $800,000	48
$799,999 – $700,000	42

The goals listed above in Figure 1 identify the minimum number of participants the project must enroll in the YouthBuild program during the grant period based on the applicant’s requested funding amount. Applicants may request any funding amount between $700,000 and $1,500,000, 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 for $1,500,000 must propose to enroll no fewer than 84 participants, but may propose to enroll more than 84 participants. Enrollment targets may be a factor used by the Grant Officer in determining final award selections (see Section V.B.1).

Target Community Service Area

Please note that DOL evaluates applications on the need of the proposed service area. For YouthBuild programs, DOL considers not only the need for the services to youth participants in this area, but also the area’s need for affordable housing. Applicants must use zip codes to define one contiguous service area or closely located communities within a metropolitan service area to be served. If an applicant proposes to serve multiple service areas that are not contiguous or closely located, they must document that there is a local organizational presence (office or office-sharing agreement with a non-YouthBuild organization) in a physical space sufficient to provide program services, including work site access, within each service area proposed. Applicants should provide, as a separate attachment, a map of the zip codes for the area being served, as produced by https://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/ or a similar web site that can map zip code areas.

DOL expects applicants to provide services only within their proposed service area(s), both in terms of recruitment and enrollment of youth and the work sites used by grantees for construction training. Grantees may, however, recruit and enroll up to 20 percent of eligible youth from beyond the targeted service area, if necessary. Work sites must be within a reasonable commuting distance of the target community at a minimum, but grantees should focus on securing work sites within the target community where possible.

Work Site Requirements

The Department will consider an applicant non-responsive if the applicant fails to provide a work site form that meets the following requirements.

The applicant must provide a separate work site form (ETA-9143), with attachments, for each qualifying work site. Attachment E provides instructions on how to complete the ETA-9143 form and all required attachments. A letter of commitment must be provided from each funding source indicating what is being provided, its dollar value, and the site where this will be applied. If any unit is currently occupied, the applicant must provide as an attachment a narrative that identifies who is occupying the property, the estimated cost of relocation, the relocation funding source, and the contact information of who will be providing relocation assistance. For each work site, the applicant must provide proof of ownership or a letter from the owner of the property granting them access. The applicant must also provide the roles and responsibilities, including specific training activities, that youth will perform on each work site. Applicants may submit up to three separate work site forms with attachments. Only three work site forms will be reviewed.

Applicants must include only one property address (or parcel number) per work site form and all related attachments must be included for each work site submission. If an applicant provides a parcel number and cites multiple housing units, they must identify the building type and the number of units on which participants are anticipated to be trained.

Please note: Each applicant must comply with the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.112 Conflict of Interest, ensuring that no employee will personally benefit from a YouthBuild construction project.

Sections 7 and 8 of ETA-9143 request information about the property owner or property management company(ies) allowing access to the housing site(s) for on-site construction training. Sufficient evidence of site access varies, depending on the property ownership:

If the applicant has a contract or option to purchase the property, the application must include a copy of the contract or option; or
If the applicant owns the property, the applicant must include a copy of the deed or other documentation showing proof of ownership (a letter from the applicant does not serve as proof of ownership); or
If a third party owns the property or has a contract or option to purchase, that third party must provide a letter stating the nature of the ownership, that they specifically allow access to the property for the purposes of the program, and the timeframe during which the property will be available. Additionally, if the third party has a contract or option to purchase, the application must include a copy of the contract or option to purchase along with the letter of access from the third party.

Applicants must include completed ETA-9143 forms (including all required attachments) for up to three, and at least one, proposed work site as attachments to the Project Narrative. These attachments do not count against page limitations.

Additionally, all properties rehabilitated or constructed using DOL YouthBuild grant funds require a restrictive covenant clause that ensures that, for a period of at least five years, all residential housing that is constructed or rehabilitated with DOL YouthBuild funds will be rented or sold to low-income or homeless individuals or families. The restrictive covenant requires that, for sales or rentals of residential housing units constructed or rehabilitated using YouthBuild funds, YouthBuild grantees must ensure that owners of the property record a restrictive covenant at the time that an occupancy permit is issued. The restrictive covenant informs the buyer of the property that it can be sold or rented only to low-income individuals during the five-year restrictive covenant period. For further information on the restrictive covenant requirements, see 20 CFR 688.730.

All parts of the Work Site Description (not including the Annual Housing Census starting on page 5 of the form) need to be submitted for each work site. (Please see Attachment E for instructions and a link to the form ETA-9143, which includes Page 1, Page 2, and templates for Attachments C and D.)

Applicants should pay special attention to the following areas of the ETA-9143:

Page 1 of form ETA-9143 must have the work site address or parcel number, the current owner’s name, and be signed by a Grantee Signatory.
Page 2 of form ETA-9143 must have the applicant’s name and work site address or parcel number as listed on Page 1, the applicant must provide a letter of commitment from each Provider/Donor listed, and the funding amounts listed in the top Resources chart must match those listed in the bottom Documentation of Housing Resources chart.
Attachment A of ETA-9143 can be (1) a deed or tax bill, if they are the owner; (2) a contract or option to buy documentation if under contract to purchase the property; or (3) if the property is owned by a third party, a letter that contains the (a) name of the owner and explicitly stating that they own the property, (b) complete address of the property, (c) allowing access to the property, (d) signed, and (e) dated (using current date). This attachment should be labeled as Attachment A.
Attachment B of ETA-9143 must provide a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities and the specific construction training activities the youth will undertake at each individual work site. Please note: the Construction Training Plan is not a substitute for Attachment B. This attachment should be labeled as Attachment B.
Attachment C of ETA-9143, if applicable, must be provided if any of the units are occupied. It must identify the individual(s) or organization occupying the property on the date of the submission of this application and whether the occupants must be relocated.
Attachment D of ETA-9143, if applicable, must be provided if any YouthBuild grant funds are being used for construction materials. Please describe applicable materials and costs. (Note: refer to TEGL 05-10, Change 1, “Match and Allowable Construction and Other Capital Asset Costs for the YouthBuild Program” for allowable and unallowable costs.)

Applicants should also note that construction work sites that use funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may trigger Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) requirements. DBRA prevailing wage rates are generally equivalent to journeyman-level wages and may be prohibitive for YouthBuild programs to pay participants. For more information, see the Davis-Bacon web page of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/construction).

DBRA rules are quite complex and cover a number of different statutes within HUD. Not all HUD funding triggers DBRA and there are exemptions within some of the related statutes under which prevailing wage rates do not apply. Determining exactly which units of a construction project may be funded with HUD assistance is also quite complex. It does not necessarily have to mean that the construction itself is supported by HUD funding but could mean that rental assistance to residents is supplemented by HUD. Review TEGL 11-16, Change 1, “YouthBuild Compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA),” found at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3404, for additional guidance.

Industry-Recognized Credentials

Participants in the YouthBuild program are expected to attain a stackable and portable credential, certification, or degree that employers recognize and use in hiring decisions. A credential is considered stackable when it is part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time and move an individual along a career pathway or up a career ladder. A credential is considered portable when it is recognized and accepted as verifying the qualifications of an individual in other settings—either in other geographic areas, at other educational institutions, or by other industries or employing companies.

Refer to guidance from TEGL 15-10 (http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL15-10.pdf) and Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 25-19 (https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_25-19.pdf) regarding industry-recognized credentials. “Credential” refers to an attestation of qualification or competence issued to an individual by a third party (such as an educational institution or an industry or occupational certifying organization) with the relevant authority or assumed competence to issue such a credential. WIOA includes a credential attainment performance indicator for which YouthBuild programs will be accountable. The WIOA Final Rule and TEGL 10-16, Change 1, “Performance Accountability Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs” (https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_10-16-Change1.pdf) define the credential attainment measure. Any credential proposed in the application that is determined not to qualify for the purposes of the credential attainment measure will require a modification to the grant agreement after award.

Examples of credentials that may qualify include the following:

Educational Diplomas and Certificates (typically for one academic year or less of study);
Educational Degrees, such as an associate’s (two-year) or bachelor’s (four-year) degree;
Apprenticeship Certificate;
Occupational Licenses (typically, but not always, awarded by state government agencies); and
Industry-recognized or professional association certifications, also known as personnel certifications.

The Department aims to ensure that individuals, employers, education and training providers, and others have access to the information necessary to make more informed decisions. This includes access to the most complete, current, and beneficial information about providers, programs, credentials, and skills. Facilitating access requires having such information fully operable on the semantic web (meaning machine-readable and machine-discoverable). This enables the information to be used in modern applications, tools, and services to support better understanding of available pathways. It also supports the development of improved navigation and guidance tools to help individuals make better decisions about which pathways are best for them. To achieve this, the Department requires that information about all credentials and competencies developed or delivered through the use of federal funds be made publicly accessible through the use of linked open data formats, such as through the use of the credential transparency description language specifications. Credentials include, but are not limited to, occupational certificates, certifications, licenses, and degrees of all levels and types. Competencies are generally considered to be groupings of knowledge, skills, and abilities. The linked open data formats support full transparency and interoperability of information.

Construction Plus Expectations

As described previously, all YouthBuild applicants are strongly encouraged to expand into Construction Plus programming. Construction Plus allows programs to meet the needs of employers in high-growth industries locally, while also meeting the diverse needs and interests of youth served. Construction Plus is an intentional approach to training youth that aligns with the traditional construction model of YouthBuild while allowing for the development of training programs in a diversity of other in-demand fields as well. In choosing to provide this additional YouthBuild component, DOL wants applicants to understand what Construction Plus encompasses. For this reason, this year’s FOA offers bonus points for applicants that propose qualifying Construction Plus models.

One goal of the Construction Plus model is to use the strengths of the pre-apprenticeship model and provide training in in-demand industries for participants who are not interested in pursuing a construction career or in local areas where construction may not be as much of a growth industry as other fields. In order to be a Construction Plus program, YouthBuild grantees must provide additional industry training, either directly by the applicant or through a contract in which DOL grant funds are used in support of the training, industry-recognized certification attainment, training providers, or staff. YouthBuild funds may also pay for stipends or subsidized wages during the required Construction Plus work experience. The Construction Plus component must also include a focus on training for the attainment of industry-recognized certification. Note that some YouthBuild programs and applicants may have strong referral partnerships that allow them to refer YouthBuild participants to training partners focused on non-construction sectors during or after exit. However, this is not Construction Plus and is instead a referral partnership or a placement outcome, depending on when the partner services occur. To be approved as a Construction Plus program, applicants must show costs in the budget and/or match narrative supporting the Construction Plus component of the program. They must also provide letters of commitment for any partners supporting the Construction Plus pathway, whether as the contractor providing the training services or as the work experience employer partner.

Programs that propose to provide additional certifications that do not rise to the level of industry-recognized credentials described above, such as CPR, ServSafe Food Handlers certification, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety Cards are not providing a Construction Plus component and cannot count those credentials as participant credential outcomes, though the OSHA-30 safety card can qualify as a Measurable Skill Gain. Programs that propose specialized construction industry training, such as weatherization, solar paneling, and green building also do not qualify as Construction Plus, as these are still considered to be part of the construction industry and are therefore, a component of the traditional YouthBuild program model. DOL recommends that applicants review TEGL 15-10, “Increasing Credential, Degree, and Certificate Attainment by Participants of the Public Workforce System” (available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2967) and TEN 25-19, “Understanding Postsecondary Credentials in the Public Workforce System” (available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=5953) for additional information on qualifying credentials. DOL also recommends that applicants review TEGL 07-14, Change 1, “Updated Guidance for Implementing the Construction Plus Component of the YouthBuild Program, as authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).” This TEGL includes a synopsis of what Construction Plus entails, including how Construction Plus should align to a pre-apprenticeship framework and key considerations for determining viable industries and credential pathways, and can be found at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=5631.

A pre-recorded Construction Plus Webinar, Construction Plus Framework: Overview and Strategies for Program Alignment, is available to the public online (at https://youthbuild.workforcegps.org/sitecore/content/global/events/2018/05/01/12/18/YouthBuild-Series-Construction-Plus-Framework-Overview-and-Strategies-for-Program-Alignment) for more information about Construction Plus programming to support successful grant applications.

Travel and Technical Assistance

All applicants should include in their budget funds to cover travel to DOL-sponsored technical assistance training events, as required. DOL expects YouthBuild programs to be able to attend any DOL-sponsored (not to be confused with YouthBuild USA-sponsored) training events, whether in-person or virtual, which may occur in each year of program operation. This could include a national New Grantee Orientation during the first year of their grant award; a Management Information System (MIS) training in the first year of grant award and as new staff are hired; construction train-the-trainer events, as needed; and a regional peer-to-peer training event each year which may be held in any of the six ETA regional office locations.

Applicants should budget for different levels of staff to obtain any needed specialized training, such as that offered either at learning exchanges or in specific training programs. For example, DOL offers construction-training certification several times a year in various locations across the country. In addition to sending the construction supervisor, grantees may consider sending the classroom instructor(s) as well, to create stronger connections between educational and construction components of YouthBuild programs.

Applicants may also budget grant funds for participation in other non-DOL sponsored events, such as those sponsored by YouthBuild USA or other government or non-governmental entities. Applicants must 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.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
1. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.grants.gov and https://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts:

1. The 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.

SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

You must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1).

In the address field, fill out the nine-digit (plus hyphen) zip code. Nine-digit zip codes can be looked up on the USPS website at https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action.

The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, the signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

In addition, subject to the provisions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, 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, which, as interpreted through Departmental regulations, 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 status 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, subject to RFRA, 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. Note that the RFRA applies to all federal law and its implementation. If an applicant 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 this grant solicitation and maintain that hiring practice. If a faith-based organization is awarded a grant, the organization will be provided with more information.

Requirement for DUNS Number and an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

All applicants for federal grant and funding opportunities must have a DUNS number and an EIN, and must supply their DUNS Number and EIN on the SF-424.

The DUNS Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a DUNS Number, you can get one for free through the Dun & Bradstreet website: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.
An EIN is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to businesses for tax filing and reporting purposes. If you do not have a EIN, you can get one for free through the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/filing.

Grant recipients authorized to make subawards must meet these requirements related to DUNS Numbers and EIN:

Grant recipients must notify potential subawardees that no entity may receive a subaward unless the entity has provided its DUNS number and EIN.
Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS number and EIN.

(See Appendix A to 2 CFR Part 25.)

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.

Project Budget

You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It must also include a section on the required match with a complete description of projected match, the source and how it will be spent on the project. The information on match sources must clearly indicate the origin of the match and that it is not from otherwise unallowable federal funding (i.e., do not include U.S. Department of Education school funds, Corporation for National and Community Service AmeriCorps funds, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Block Grants, etc. as match). The match narrative must also describe the use of all match funding to ensure it is to be expended on allowable grant costs. The narrative should also indicate whether match sources are cash or in-kind. Applicants must determine the value of all in-kind match by using a valuation process. This narrative does not replace the requirement for letters of commitment for all match funding. These letters of commitment must follow the format and contain the information described in Section III.B.

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 and associated match. 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 demonstrate that the cost-per-participant is at or under $18,000. DOL calculates the expected cost-per-participant by dividing the total DOL grant award by the number of participants the grantee expects to enroll.

Note: Construction Plus Applicants:

You must show costs in the budget and/or match narrative supporting the Construction Plus component of the program to receive the related bonus points for a Construction Plus program.

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

Personnel: List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed) including the roles and responsibilities. For each position, give the annual salary, the percentage of time devoted to the project, and the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant.

Fringe Benefits: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement, etc.

Travel: For grantee staff only, specify the purpose, number of staff traveling, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel.

Equipment: Identify each item of equipment you expect to purchase that has an estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if your capitalization level is less than $5,000, use your capitalization level) and a useful lifetime of more than one year (see 2 CFR 200.33 for the definition of Equipment). List the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item.

Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies, not “equipment.” In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies: Identify categories of supplies (e.g., office supplies) in the detailed budget and list the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.94 for the definition of Supplies).

Contractual: Under the Contractual line item, delineate contracts and subawards separately. Contracts are defined according to 2 CFR 200.22 as a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. A subaward, defined by 2 CFR 200.92, 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.

b) If you intend to claim indirect costs using the 10 percent de minimis rate, please confirm that your organization meets the requirements as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f). Clearly state that your organization has never received a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), and your organization is not one described in 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix VII of paragraph (D)(1)(b).

Applicants choosing to claim indirect costs using the de minimis rate must use Modified Total Direct Costs (see 2 CFR 200.68 below for definition) as their cost allocation base. Provide an explanation of which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Note that there are various items not included in the calculation of Modified Total Direct Costs. See the definitions below to assist you in your calculation.

2 CFR 200.68 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may be excluded only when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

The definition of MTDC in 2 CFR 200.68 no longer allows any sub-contracts to be included in the calculation. You will also note that participant support costs are not included in modified total direct cost. Participant support costs are defined below.

2 CFR 200.75 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.2 and Section IV.C.2 for more information. Additionally, the following link contains information regarding the negotiation of Indirect Cost Rates at DOL: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination.

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative must include the entire federal grant amount requested (not just one year). Applicants must also show cost sharing or match on the SF-424 (lines 18b-f, as appropriate), SF-424A, and Budget Narrative.

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.

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:

Statement of Need (Up to 12 points)

The application must identify the proposed target service area and the number of youth ages 16 to 24 that the applicant expects to serve. For the proposed service area, applicants must provide the information identified below. For specific instructions on how to locate the information requested in Section IV.B.3.a(1) and (2) below, please see Section VIII. Other Information.

The YouthBuild program is focused on serving areas that have demonstrated historical economic depression through consistently high rates of unemployment and poverty. YouthBuild programs are intended to serve localized communities most in need. DOL recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the landscape of need across the country but is assessing need based on the most recent data available that include unemployment by both demographics and locality, as well as community-level poverty data (American Community Survey (ACS) data from 2018), to target communities most in need.

Unemployment Rate (Maximum 6 points)

The applicant must provide weighted average unemployment rate (rounded to one decimal place) of the combined cities or towns identified as part of the target community(ies) (based on zip codes), compared to the national unemployment rate as of the latest available comparable data. The national unemployment rate for youth ages 16–24 against which DOL will evaluate applicants is 14.1 percent (using 5-year ACS weighted average estimates as of 2018). Applicants must use ACS data for the unemployment rate for the local area(s) to be served. For specific instructions on how to locate and calculate the information requested here, please see Section VIII. These data are broken into two youth age subsets: 16–19 and 20–24. Applicants must calculate the weighted average unemployment rate for these two age groups by adding the unemployed population for each age group together, and then dividing by the total population of both age groups. Applicants are required to provide, as an attachment, the print-out of the ACS data source information used. If applicants do not provide, as an attachment, the print-out of the ACS data source information used, they will receive 0 points for the Unemployment Rate criterion.

If applicants are serving a community that spans more than one zip code, they should add each age group’s unemployed population numbers together for each zip code and divide the total by the total population of 16–24 year-olds for all the zip codes combined to find the weighted average unemployment rate for the combined zip codes.

To assist with the weighted average calculations, applicants are encouraged to use the formatted Excel spreadsheet in Attachment D and available for download at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild/.

DOL will score applicants based on the weighted average youth unemployment rate across the zip codes that the applicant proposes to serve.

If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years for the proposed zip codes is greater than 14.1 percent: 6 Points.
If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is between 11.2 and 14.1 percent: 4 Points.
If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is between 8.3 and 11.1 percent: 2 Points.
If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is less than 8.3 percent: 0 Points.

Poverty Rate (Maximum 6 points):

The application must provide, across all census tracts within the zip codes that make up the proposed area the applicant intends to serve, the weighted average poverty rate from the ACS poverty data available at https://www.census.gov. As ACS Poverty Data is reported by census tract, applicants must collect this data using all census tracts with which the target zip codes align. The national poverty rate against which DOL will evaluate applicants is 13 percent (using 5-year ACS estimates as of 2018). For specific instructions on how to locate and calculate this information, please see Section VIII. Other Information. Applicants are required to provide, as an attachment, the print-out of the American Community Survey data source information used. If applicants do not provide, as an attachment, the print-out of the ACS data source information used, they will receive 0 points for the Poverty Rate criterion.

To assist with the weighted average calculations, applicants are encouraged to use the “Weighted Average Worksheet” available for download at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild/.

DOL will score applicants based on the weighted average poverty rate across all census tracts within the zip codes that the applicant proposes to serve.

If the weighted average poverty rate is 13 percent or more across all zip codes to be served: 6 Points.
If the weighted average poverty rate is between 10 percent and 12.99 percent across all zip codes to be served: 4 Points.
If the weighted average poverty rate is between 7 percent and 9.99 percent across all zip codes to be served: 2 Points.
If the weighted average poverty rate is less than 7 percent across all zip codes to be served: 0 Points.

Training and Curriculum (up to 12 points)

The applicant should identify and describe the various components of the proposed program, how these components integrate with each other, and how youth will progress through the program.

Applicants may propose to serve all participants directly or they may use subrecipients to carry out some portion of the required services. Where subrecipients are going to be used, the application should specifically indicate that. Applicants must also have a variety of partners to support participant success and these are specifically addressed below.

Construction Training (Maximum 4 points):

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

Applicants must describe their plan to ensure that sufficient youth will participate in the construction skills training to build or renovate at least one unit of housing over the grant period of performance.

Construction Training Plan (submit as an attachment to the Project Narrative; see Attachment B of this FOA for an example of this template): For all applicants, DOL requires detailed information on the specific training activities that they plan to implement to successfully meet the performance outcomes in the FOA. Applicants must provide a Construction Training Plan as an attachment to the Project Narrative. If this plan is not provided, applicants will receive zero points. The Construction Training Plan is intended to ensure the delivery of a comprehensive training program for YouthBuild participants. Construction skills training is one of the most complex aspects of the YouthBuild model and applicants must take into consideration and plan for contingencies that may prevent the proposed training from taking place. The Construction Training Plan should be limited to the roles and responsibilities of the staff and must describe the following:

the project in summary;
the overall scope of the construction skills training including objectives and goals;
the training strategy including the type of training, the skills training curricula and how it aligns with the scope of construction work for the proposed work sites, the use of project-based learning, and the training schedule, including the division between classroom-based and work site-based skills training;
the roles and responsibilities for all of the staff involved in preparing and conducting the training, including ensuring the certification of construction trainers;
a contingency plan to ensure that alternate training can be quickly implemented should barriers arise, such as inclement weather, loss of work sites, or the loss of certified construction trainers or program partners;
information about the training materials, including the standards and guidelines that ensure the use of quality industry-recognized curricula and certifications; and
applicant acknowledgement that all work sites will have the required restrictive covenant clause in place. Please note that the Construction Training Plan and Attachment B of form ETA-9143 are distinct requirements and the same document cannot be provided for both.

Need for Affordable Housing: Applicants must provide a narrative describing the condition and availability of affordable housing in the community, including a description of existing housing, such as the number and percentage of substandard and/or overcrowded units, rent burden (defined as average housing cost divided by average income), and/or the incidence of homelessness.

The applicant must also describe the use of work site safety training as outlined by OSHA to ensure youth safety and responsibility on work sites.

Applicants must provide a description of their internal controls to ensure the timely submission of each required Annual Housing Census Form during the period of performance.

Education and Occupational Skills Training Alignment (Maximum 8 points):

One key component of an effective YouthBuild program is project-based learning, which involves an activity of extended duration, resulting in a product, presentation, or performance. Project-based learning emphasizes interdisciplinary and student-centered activities. Unlike traditional, teacher-led classroom activities, students often must organize their own work and manage their own time in a project-based class where the learning concepts are applied to real-life situations. Benefits of project-based learning include a greater depth of understanding of concepts, broader knowledge base, improved communication and interpersonal/social skills, enhanced leadership skills, increased creativity, and improved writing skills.

Within project-based learning, there is a subset of objectives, referred to as “problem-based learning,” that specifically focuses on a solution to a known problem. Problem-based learning focuses on the problem and the process, while project-based learning focuses on the product. In problem-based learning, a specific problem is defined by the course instructor. Students work individually or in teams over a period of time to develop solutions to this problem. Applicants should consider the many ways in which project-based and problem-based learning may be applied to the YouthBuild curriculum, both in the classroom and on the work site, to enhance the engagement and learning outcomes for participants.

Additionally, the YouthBuild program model requires participants to be provided education services and activities for at least 50 percent of the youth participation period. They must also provide work and skill development activities in occupational skills training for at least 40 percent of the youth participation period, which includes both time spent on the construction work sites or other hands-on work experience, as well as classroom training related to the occupational field. The 50-40 percent time allocation applies at the program level and not to the actual time that any one participant spends in a component. Applicants can use the remaining 10 percent to strengthen the vocational training component or the education services, or they can use this time for a distinct youth leadership development or community service learning component. Community service and youth leadership are core aspects of the YouthBuild model and generally should be integrated throughout the education and occupational skills training.

To receive full points for this section, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe the education component, where and how they will conduct occupational skills training, and the intended curriculum(a). Given the connection between education and earnings, the applicant should describe a rigorous and challenging academic component, and must provide participants with opportunities to transition to post-secondary education and/or advanced occupational skills training.

The applicant must describe the design and integration of the required program components, including education, occupational skills training, youth leadership development, career exploration and planning, post-program support and follow-up, and community service learning opportunities. The applicant must describe the academic training that it will offer to YouthBuild participants, including a description of the type of academic instruction that it will offer and evidence that this instruction will result in a high school diploma or other state-recognized high school equivalency degree. If project-based or problem-based learning strategies will be incorporated, these must be described as well.

The applicant must describe the qualifications and experience of teaching staff, use of partner organizations, where appropriate, for education and occupational skills training components, and how it will determine whether a student has mastered a skill.

The applicant must describe the targeted approach for assessing and supporting the training of young women (including women with dependent children) into non-traditional (predominantly male) career pathway programs, such as construction. Where applicable to the industry, Construction Plus applicants must also describe efforts to engage men into non-traditional (predominantly female) career pathways for men, such as nursing or childcare.

The applicant must describe the involvement of industry and apprenticeship partners in the design of the education and occupational skills training components, to ensure that the skills learned match the needs of employers and equip youth to enter apprenticeship programs.

Hands-On Meaningful Learning Activities Connected to Education and Training (up to 6 points)

Applicants must describe how they will ensure that participants receive hands-on work experience in all industries in which they provide training. For construction, this also requires the identification of qualifying construction work sites (see Section III.C.6).

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe how they will provide hands-on work experience to all participants. For construction training, applicants must provide access to low-income home building or renovation projects where participants can practice their skills directly, as well as shadowing journeyman tradespeople in specialized areas of construction.

The applicant should integrate the work experience component into the timeline of training and certification.

The extent to which the letters of commitment from employer partners describe and ensure hands-on training that may connect to career pathways into apprenticeship and/or employment.

Grantees must provide diverse work experience opportunities to meet the needs and interests of youth participants. For youth not interested in construction and youth participating in Construction Plus industries, the program must describe efforts to connect participants to additional work experiences, such as job shadowing, on-the-job training, or internships. These work experiences may be part of the Construction Plus industries in which they are providing training, as well as opportunities in additional industries through applicant partnerships, such as local employer connections, the American Job Centers, or other opportunities for referral.

Career Counseling, Leadership Development, and Supportive Services (up to 12 points)

Applicants must describe the required 12-month follow-up period. Follow-up services may include regular contact with a youth participant’s employer, including assistance in addressing work-related problems that arise. All participants must be offered an opportunity to receive follow-up services that align with their individual service strategies. Furthermore, follow-up services must be provided to all participants for a minimum of 12 months unless the participant declines to receive follow-up services or the participant cannot be located or contacted. Follow-up services must include more than only a contact attempted or made for securing documentation in order to report a performance outcome. Under YouthBuild, as defined in 20 CFR 688.120, allowable follow-up services may include the following program elements:

Supportive services;
Adult mentoring;
Financial literacy education;
Services that provide labor market and employment information about in-demand industry sectors or occupations available in the local area, such as career awareness, career counseling, and career exploration services; and
Activities that help youth prepare for and transition to postsecondary education and training.

Supportive Services and Post-Program Follow-Up Services (Maximum 8 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe work readiness and career exploration opportunities offered to youth and how educational and career counseling will be provided.

The applicant must describe the post-program transition services that they will offer to prepare youth for employment placements (including apprenticeship) and/or educational placements, including the use of assessments of college and career readiness, the need for ongoing supportive and post-program services, and opportunities for advanced training.

The applicant must describe how they will ensure that all youth participants are offered follow-up supportive services in an ongoing manner during the twelve-month post-exit period.

The applicant must also describe the integrated approach to post-program placement planning and follow-up strategies to support ongoing communication and tracking for youth during the follow-up period. These descriptions should include how the applicant plans to minimize the number of participants who cannot be located or contacted during the follow-up period.

The applicant must also describe how they will link participants to opportunities with local community colleges and four-year colleges particularly for youth who may receive a high-school state equivalency degree, rather than a traditional high-school diploma.

The applicant must also describe a clear and feasible plan that ensures the placement of participants into post-program employment, which includes the Job Developer engaging potential employers, ensuring that youth that get employment placements are meeting employer expectations, and creating a network of employment opportunities, including internships and unsubsidized employment.

Leadership Development and Community Service (Maximum 4 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe the community service learning and leadership development opportunities and how these activities are integrated and aligned with occupational skills training opportunities, including construction and other skills training programs, as relevant.

The applicant must describe how they will train staff in the leadership curriculum(a) used and the underlying principles of youth leadership development, and how to encourage youth participant input in program activities.

Industry-Recognized Credentialing (up to 6 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe the industry-recognized credentialing opportunities that will be offered to participants, and how these credentials align with the industry trainings being provided.

The applicant must also describe the curriculum and training plan for each industry training being offered, including the plan for ensuring sufficient class and hands-on training hours and the testing and certification process to achieve the credentials. Applicants must describe all industry-recognized credentialing opportunities being provided, including the accrediting agency that supports the recognition of the credential, as described in section 7.D of TEGL 10-16, Change 1 (https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3255 on pages 12-17).

The applicant must describe the plan for ensuring each participant has the opportunity to earn at least one industry-recognized credential during program participation. Applicants must also describe how they will ensure that the program has staff qualified to teach and certify credentialing for participants.

The applicant must describe all industry-recognized credentialing opportunities being provided, including the accrediting agency that supports the recognition of the credential.

The applicant must describe whether all credentialing will be provided in-house or where partners will be used, and where staff turnover occurs, applicants should provide the strategy to ensure continuity of training and credential attainment.

The applicant must describe how the industry-recognized credential(s) provided will support and lead to a career pathway placement.

Partnerships with Placement into Education, Employment, and Apprenticeship (up to 12 points)

Applicants must identify and describe the key partners who the applicant anticipates will help implement and operate the proposed YouthBuild project. The roles for key partners must be verified through a signed letter of commitment submitted by each partner including any resources committed, match or otherwise, as appropriate. For more details on what match commitment letters must contain, see Section III.B. Letters of commitment will not count against the 25-page limit of the Project Narrative.

Partners (Maximum 4 points)

DOL will score this section based on the quality of partnerships, not the quantity. In order to receive full points, applicants must demonstrate partnerships with one or more businesses or employers (including those with apprenticeship opportunities such as a joint apprenticeship program or industry-recognized apprenticeship program), state or local governments, and institutions of higher learning.

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe how they will fulfill the responsibilities of a required One-Stop partner program, including making their services available in an American Job Center.

The applicant must describe how they will connect with local programs that may or may not be one-stop partners, including benefit programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP), including SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) programming, and WIOA Title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy), and WIOA Title IV (Vocational Rehabilitation) programs.

Any applicant planning to co-enroll participants in WIOA services must describe the approach to co-enrollment. For example, applicants may consider co-enrollment of YouthBuild participants aged 18 and older into the Adult formula system for assessments, referrals, access to Individual Training Accounts and other career training opportunities. Applicants may also consider co-enrollment of YouthBuild participants into the Youth formula program for access to additional resources including financial literacy, entrepreneurship training, and paid and unpaid work experience.

The applicant must describe how they will connect with community colleges, four-year universities, and trade schools to assist youth in applying, enrolling, and seeking financial aid to support continuing post-secondary education.

Partnership Engagement Strategies (Maximum 4 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant has identified and described how each partner will support planning of the program, as well as implementation and operation of the program in meeting performance goals, including a letter of commitment from each partner that clearly specifies their role, as well as their resources contributed to the project (if applicable).

The applicant has fully described apprenticeship opportunities for participants, including the detailed description of apprenticeable fields, partnering agencies, and the industry-recognized certifications expected to result.

The applicant must describe any existing partnerships with apprenticeship programs in demand industries and how they will train and connect participants to these career pathway opportunities. Where such partnerships do not yet exist, applicants should describe plans to develop such pathways.

The applicant should describe efforts to support the focus on increasing equity in apprenticeship opportunities by actively pursuing opportunities for increased participation of minorities and women in apprenticeship.

Employer Engagement Strategy (Maximum 4 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must explain their use of labor market information and/or employer-provided information to inform education/training.

The applicant must also describe their approach for targeting employers and the outreach strategy, as well as any distinct approaches used to target specific industry employers and/or union trades, including through apprenticeship programs. Applicants must also describe how employers will be engaged in work experience and career exploration activities with youth participants.

The applicant must describe their approach to working with their local Workforce Development Board to leverage employer partnerships through board members. Applicants must also describe their approach to accessing industry employers through the Business Services Representatives or other relevant job developer staff at the American Job Center and how they will use labor market information to inform and enhance employer engagement.

The applicant must also describe the approach for ongoing communication with, and feedback from, employers, to ensure the needs of employers are being met by the program’s engagement strategy.

Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (up to 2 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must provide information on how they will manage the program, including the applicant’s current mission, structure, and relevant experience. Describe how these factors contribute to the ability of the applicant to administer the program and meet expected outcomes. Include any previous experience implementing projects of similar design or magnitude.

The applicant must describe the applicant’s fiscal and administrative controls in place to manage federal funds.

The applicant must describe its process to monitor, track, and manage grant performance to ensure all planned outcomes, goals, and deliverables are achieved.

The applicant must provide a staffing plan that reflects how it will staff the YouthBuild program during the full period of performance (as described in Sec. II.B. Period of Performance). This includes a staffing strategy during all three program phases (start-up, active program services, and follow-up) and how they will retain staff. The staffing plan must highlight key positions during the start-up phase that are currently staffed and highlight the strategy for hiring open positions. The plan should also highlight the staffing structure during the follow-up stage and how this strategy may differ. The staffing plan must include, at a minimum, a Project Manager/Director, a Case Manager, and a Job Developer/Placement Specialist, either through direct employment or contracting. Core staff positions are expected to be budgeted, at a minimum, for some portion of an FTE for all 36 months of active programming within the period of performance. Applicants must also explain how the program will quickly address staff turnover if the need arises. Where staff are shared among multiple programs of an organization, applicants must indicate in the staffing plan how the organization will track staff time and ensure sufficient resources for the effort.

Budget and Budget Narrative (up to 4 points)

The Budget and Budget Narrative will be used to evaluate this section. Please see Section IV.B.2 for information on the requirements. The Budget and Budget Narrative do not count against the page limit requirements for the Project Narrative.

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The budget narrative provides a description of all costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A and the extent to which the budget narrative includes a description of the projected match funds expenditures, delineated by the same expenditure categories. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.

The totals on the SF-424A and the Budget Narrative align.

The key personnel are budgeted for at least the 36 months of active programming to achieve project results.

Past Performance – Category A Programmatic Capability (up to 30 points)

Organizations that have previously received and completed (or nearly completed) a YouthBuild grant award from DOL will receive points based on past performance demonstrated by their quarterly performance report submissions. Depending on whether a previously-funded grantee was funded under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or the WIOA, the past performance review will be distinct.

For WIA-funded Category A applicants (those funded in FY 2013, 2014, or 2015), the WIA measures will be reviewed, using the Quarterly Performance Report (ETA-9136) and Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130). For WIOA-funded Category A applicants (those funded in FY 2016), the WIOA measures will be reviewed, using the WIOA Ad-Hoc Report, Measurable Skill Gains and Median Earnings Excel Report, and the Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130). Applicants do not need to submit these reports as attachments; DOL will use data previously submitted through the YouthBuild MIS and the DOL financial reporting system. In the event that the requested quarterly report is not submitted or available, the most recent previous report will serve this purpose.

For WIA-funded Category A applicants, the three performance measures that are evaluated under this criterion are as follows:

placement in education or employment in the first quarter after exit;
retention in education or employment in the third quarter after exit; and
certificate/degree attainment.

For WIOA-funded Category A applicants, the three performance measures that are evaluated under this criterion are as follows:

placement in education or employment in the second quarter after exit;
placement in education or employment in the fourth quarter after exit; and
certificate/degree attainment.

Applicants should refer to the chart below to determine which reports will be reviewed for their most recently-completed grant from FY 2013-2016.

YouthBuild Grantees (for the Period of Performance):	Reports to Be Reviewed:	Will Be Reviewed for Period Ending:	Performance Measures to Be Reviewed:
September 1, 2013 – December 31, 2016	ETA-9136 and ETA-9130	December 31, 2016 (Q2 of PY16)	Placement 1^st Quarter Retention 3^rd Quarter Certificate/Degree Attainment
July 15, 2014 – November 14, 2017	ETA-9136 and ETA-9130	December 31, 2017 (Q2 of PY 17)	Placement 1^st Quarter Retention 3^rd Quarter Certificate/Degree Attainment
August 11, 2015 – December 30, 2018	ETA-9136 and ETA-9130	December 31, 2018 (Q2 of PY 18)	Placement 1^st Quarter Retention 3^rd Quarter Certificate/Degree Attainment
October 1, 2016 – January 31, 2020	WIOA Ad-Hoc Report, Measurable Skills Gains and Median Earnings Excel Report, and ETA-9130	March 31, 2020 (Q3 of PY 19)	Placement 2^nd Quarter Placement 4^th Quarter Certificate/Degree Attainment

If the applicant’s organization has received multiple YouthBuild awards within the relevant Category A funding years, DOL will base scoring in this section on performance shown for the most recently completed (or nearly completed) grant from the Fiscal Years described above.

Performance Goals (Maximum 26 points)

WIA-funded Category A applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Placement in Education or Employment in the First Quarter After Exit, as defined under WIA (Maximum 10 points):

Category A applicants with placement rates of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 10 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 9 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 70.00 percent - 74.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Retention in Education or Employment in the Third Quarter, as defined under WIA (Maximum 8 points):

Category A applicants with retention rates of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 85.00 percent – 89.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 70.00 percent – 74.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with retention rates of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Certificate/Degree Attainment, as defined under WIA (Maximum 8 points):

Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 70.00 percent – 74.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

WIOA-funded Category A applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Placement in Education or Employment in the Second Quarter, as defined under WIOA (Maximum 10 points):

Category A applicants with placement rates of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 10 points for this subsection.

Category A applicants with placement rates of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 9 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 8 points for this subsection.

Category A applicants with placement rates of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 70.00 percent - 74.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Placement in Education or Employment in the Fourth Quarter, as defined under WIOA (Maximum 8 points):

Category A applicants with placement rates of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 85.00 percent – 89.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 70.00 percent – 74.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with placement rates of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Certificate/Degree Attainment, as defined under WIOA (Maximum 8 points):

Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 70.00 percent – 74.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Spending Rate Analysis During the Original Period of Performance (Maximum 4 points):

For organizations that received a YouthBuild award in FY 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016, DOL will award points as follows:

Category A applicants that expended at least 98 percent of grant funds and met 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 4 points.
Category A applicants that expended at least 90 percent but less than 98 percent of grant funds and met 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 3 points.
Category A applicants that expended at least 80 percent but less than 90 percent of grant funds and met 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 2 points.
Category A applicants that expended less than 80 percent of grant funds, even if they expended 100 percent of match funds, will receive 0 points.
Category A applicants that did not meet 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award), regardless of the percentage of funds expended, will also receive 0 points.

Past Performance – Category B Programmatic Capability (up to 30 points)

Category B applicants must provide data from a previous project, according to the following guidelines. If the Category B applicant has completed one or more DOL grant(s) as the direct grant recipient within the past five years, they must provide the performance data from the most recently completed DOL grant. Category B applicants that have not completed any DOL grant as the direct grant recipient within the last five years must choose a recently completed grant similar in size, scope, and relevance to the YouthBuild program completed within the last five years (which may include DOL grants for which they were a sub-recipient), as of the closing date of this Announcement (includes federally or non-federally-funded assistance agreements; federally-funded assistance agreements include federal grants and cooperative agreements but not federal contracts).

Category B applicants must submit a brief description of the completed grant for which they are submitting past performance data, including the overall objectives of the grant (which must include a placement focus), population served, funding amount, and grantor. Each Category B applicant must also submit a chart of past performance for the most recently completed relevant grant that identifies and describes three performance metrics and the performance outcomes for the grant, as specified above. Category B applicants must provide data on three metrics, the first of which is required and the next two of which should be outcomes most similar to those listed below:

Employment/education placement (REQUIRED);
Degree/certificate attainment (MOST SIMILAR TO); and
Retention in education or employment (MOST SIMILAR TO).

ETA views these three metrics as important to demonstrate successful career outcomes for youth. These three metrics also align with the performance indicators against which the previously-funded applicants are being evaluated in this FOA. This data will provide a demonstration of how the applicant’s past success in a similar program has prepared its organization to succeed in operating a YouthBuild project. Applicants must include employment/education placement, and choose at least one of the two other metrics (or substantially similar metrics) in demonstrating past performance.

The applicant may substitute a different metric in lieu of either degree/certificate attainment or retention in education or employment, if data from one of these metrics is not available. The substitute metric must be (or have been for completed grant projects) required by the applicant’s grantor. In the performance chart, Category B applicants must identify the total number of participants enrolled in the program and the performance outcome for each metric, displayed as both a fraction (i.e., the numerator equal to the number of program participants who achieved the identified metric and the denominator equal to the total program participants eligible for the identified metric) and a percentage. Category B applicants will receive points based on past performance demonstrated in the attached performance chart. The performance chart attachment must clearly identify the three metrics being used (with employment/education placement required and at least one other being the same as or sufficiently similar to the ETA metrics listed above) and must include a definition for how the outcome is calculated (i.e., the numerator and denominator for the outcome). DOL reserves the right to disqualify metrics provided that are determined not to be sufficiently similar to the metrics required above and to award zero points for the non-qualifying metric.

When providing the description of performance metrics, it is expected that, at a minimum, the applicant will specify the population and outcome of the numerator and those eligible for the outcome in the denominator. For example, if using the employment/education placement metric, the performance metric description might be the following: Participants ages 18-21 who were placed into unsubsidized jobs within one year of program completion divided by all participants ages 18-21 that were served by the program and completed within the past year.

All Category B applicants must provide a performance chart.

Applicants that do not provide all of the following will receive 0 points for subsections 1-2 below:

Performance chart that will include

previous grantor contact information, and
a signed past performance chart or an associated grantor verification letter on grantor letterhead.*

* If the past performance grant is a non-YouthBuild DOL grant, the following apply:

The applicant must email the FOA contact listed in Section VII of this FOA with the grant number for the grant that they are proposing to use for past performance consideration.
The FOA contact will then provide contact information for the relevant program office.
The applicant must include the performance outcomes they will be using for the application in their request to the program office.
The program office will provide confirmation of the accuracy of the performance outcomes in an email, which must then be attached as documentation with the grant application.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to request past grant performance information, and to do so in a timely manner that allows for response. To facilitate the process of confirming past non-YouthBuild DOL grant performance, the applicant must email the FOA contact listed in Section VII of this FOA for program office contact information, and contact the program office no later than 30 days prior to the FOA closing date. Any requests for past performance confirmation less than 30 days prior to the FOA closing date may or may not be addressed, at the discretion of the program office.

Category B applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Size, Scope, and Relevance (Maximum 4 points)

As stated, the applicant must have completed a grant similar in size, scope, and relevance to the YouthBuild program within the last five years.

Funding amount of the grant reported on is at least $500,000.
Must have enrolled at least 40 participants during the grant period.
Must have provided education and workforce development/training services.

Performance Goals (Maximum 26 points)

The applicant must choose employment/education placement and at least one of the two metrics identified in that section (or substantially similar metrics) in demonstrating past performance. For the third metric, the applicant must provide another performance metric, which may be the third metric from the list specified in Section IV.B.3 or another different metric from their grantor. The applicant will receive 0 points for any metric that does not meet these requirements.

Employment/Education Placement (Maximum 10 points)

Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 10 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 9 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 75.00 percent - 79.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 70.00 percent - 74.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Metric 2 (i.e., Degree/Certificate Attainment) (Maximum 8 points)
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 70.00 percent – 74.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Metric 3 (i.e., Retention in Education or Employment) (Maximum 8 points)
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 95.00 percent or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 90.00 percent - 94.99 percent will receive 7 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 85.00 percent - 89.99 percent will receive 6 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 80.00 percent - 84.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 75.00 percent – 79.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 70.00 percent – 74.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 65.00 percent – 69.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.
- Category B applicants with an outcome rate of 64.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

Please see Attachment F for a sample format of a Past Performance Chart.

Priority Consideration – Construction Plus (Maximum 6 bonus points)

Applicants that are pursuing Construction Plus industries should include as an attachment to the project narrative a Construction Plus Field Proposal (see Attachment C of this FOA for an example of this template). Applicants must provide information, on separate Construction Plus field proposals, for each additional industry proposed beyond construction.

If the applicant does not use the suggested Construction Plus Field Proposal template, each industry attachment must address, at a minimum, the following:

the occupational skills training proposed;
what industry-recognized certification(s) will result;
how employers will be involved in training/hiring;
the curriculum or training strategy to be used;
how many youth the program anticipates training in the specific Construction Plus industry; and
how the program will incorporate community service, youth leadership development, and work experience opportunities into the occupational skills training.

Applicants will not be evaluated on the number of Construction Plus industries but on the quality of the proposed trainings as they relate to the Construction Plus requirements.

The awarding of any bonus points for Construction Plus is not an indication that the Construction Plus pathway has been approved. Final determination of the qualification of any Construction Plus industry pathway will occur during the post-award Condition of Award review.

(1) Source of Training, Credentialing, and Labor Market Information (Maximum 2 bonus points)

For all Construction Plus industries proposed, to receive full points, each of the below must be fully met:

Any applicant planning to offer Construction Plus may provide the training(s) directly or through a contract. The applicant must demonstrate this by clearly documenting in the budget and budget/match narrative that grant and/or match funds will support the Construction Plus component of the program, either through the cost of the instructor, the cost of tuition at a community college partner, or some other substantial direct training-related cost.

If the applicant proposes to provide training directly, they must demonstrate their capacity by describing relevant previous training experience, staff expertise, work experience opportunities, and employer partnerships that will be available in the chosen industry(ies). If planning to contract the Construction Plus training, the applicant must describe the plan for procurement of a qualified training provider(s) and provide letters of commitment or memoranda of understanding from the training provider(s) documenting this partnership.

The applicant must describe all training curricula that will be used and the industry-recognized credential(s) that will result from the training. The applicant must describe how industry partners have or will be engaged in the design of the program. In particular, the applicant must demonstrate a capacity to work with employers to identify local or regional hiring needs and design training programs that are responsive to those needs.

Additionally, applicants must provide information on the industry(ies) in which they plan to offer training. The applicant must include local labor market data to support the addition of occupational skills training in the targeted field(s). Local labor market data should be focused on the service area of the grant, where possible, such as the county or metropolitan area being served. If such data is not available, applicants should note this and use state-level data.

(2) Hands-On Work Experience Partnerships with Employers (Maximum 2 bonus points)

For all Construction Plus industries proposed, to receive full points, the below must be fully met:

The applicant must clearly identify anticipated work experience employer partners. Such partners must be in the industry of training and must provide Memoranda of Understanding that document the commitment to provide work experiences and a description of the work experience activities to be provided.

(3) Partnerships with One or More Registered Apprenticeship Programs and/or Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (Maximum 2 points)

To receive full points, each of the below must be fully addressed:

The applicant must describe partnerships with any registered apprenticeship programs (RAPs) and/or industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs) and how such partnerships assist in placing individuals who complete the YouthBuild program into a RAP/IRAP.

The applicant must provide letters of commitment or memoranda of understanding from registered and industry-recognized apprenticeship sponsors describing such partnerships, the benefits to each party, and the conditions for acceptance into the apprenticeship pathway.

Priority Consideration – Designated Qualified Opportunity Zone (1 bonus point)

Applicants may demonstrate, in item number 9 of their abstract, that at least one census tract in their target area designated by the Secretary of Treasury is a qualified opportunity zone. Designated opportunity zone census tracts can be found at https://www.cdfifund.gov/Pages/Opportunity-Zones.aspx, using the “List of designated Qualified Opportunity Zones” link. Applicants will receive one bonus point priority consideration if at least one census tract in their target area is listed in this document. Please be aware the IRS list provides the full 11-digit census tract number. Use the example below to identify your census tract number:

Shape1

YouthBuild applicants must identify the target service area by zip codes. The opportunity zones are identified by census tracts. To determine if the target YouthBuild service area includes opportunity zones, applicants can enter an address or zip code in the search box here: https://www.cims.cdfifund.gov/preparation/?config=config_nmtc.xml and zoom in on the map to see that area. Qualified opportunity zones are shaded in blue with the census tract numbers for that zone displayed. Further instructions on how to identify the opportunity zones by zip code can be found here: https://www.cdfifund.gov/Documents/Visualizing%20Designated%20QOZs+figure%20captions%20for%20508%20compliance.pdf.

Applicants can use the map to verify if a designated opportunity zone is part of the target service area and then list that census tract number in their abstract.

Applicants will not receive additional bonus points for more than one opportunity zone in their service area. For more information on opportunity zones, go to https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/opportunity-zones-frequently-asked-questions.

Attachments to the Project Narrative

In addition to the Project Narrative, you must submit attachments. All attachments must be clearly labeled. We will exclude only those attachments listed below from the page limit. The Budget and Budget Justification do not count against the page limit requirements for the Project Narrative.

You must not include additional materials such as resumés or general letters of support. You must submit your application in one package because documents received separately will be tracked separately and will not be attached to the application for review.

Save all files with descriptive file names of 50 characters or fewer and use only standard characters in file names: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and underscore (_). File names may not include special characters (e.g. &,–,*,%,/,#), periods (.), blank spaces, or accent marks, and must be unique (e.g., no other attachment may have the same file name). You may use an underscore (example: My_Attached_File.pdf) to separate a file name.

Required Attachments

Abstract

You must submit an up to a two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes. Omission of the abstract will not result in your application being disqualified; the lack of the required information in the abstract, however, may impact scoring. See III.C.1 for a list of items that will result in the disqualification of your application. The abstract must include the following:

The applicant’s name;
The project title;
A description of the area to be served;
The number of participants to be enrolled;
The funding level requested;
For a Category A (previously-funded) applicant (i.e., the applicant’s most recent grant number from any of the FY 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 grant cycles) the previous YouthBuild grant number that demonstrates qualification of the applicant;
Whether the applicant is applying as a Category A (previously-funded) or Category B (new) applicant;
The target community service area, as identified by zip codes;
Whether the applicant is applying for Construction Plus;
The census tract number(s) in the target community service area designated as a qualified opportunity zone, if applicable;
Whether the application is being submitted as an urban, rural, or Native American application;
If the applicant is a government entity in a territory that is eligible for the matching waiver and intends to waive match, as described in Section III.B. Matching;
Any experience with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u); and
A brief summarization of the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes.

The Abstract is limited to two double-spaced single-sided 8.5x11-inch pages with 12-point text font and 1-inch margins. When submitting in grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and labeled “Abstract.” See Appendix H for a suggested abstract template.

Work Site Description:

The applicant must submit a minimum of one and a maximum of three signed Work Site Description Form(s) (ETA-9143) including all required attachments, which describes the planned work site(s) that the applicant will use for on-site housing rehabilitation and construction training for youth participants. This form can be found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild/ by selecting “Form ETA-9143 – Work Site and Annual Housing Census” under the Forms section. All applicants must use the ETA-9143 form available at the above web site, which has an expiration date of 11/30/2021. Previous versions of the work site form are not acceptable. Applicants should submit up to three separate work site forms for consideration as only three work site forms will be reviewed. Note that Attachment E provides instructions for completing ETA-9143 and all required attachments.

Note that before finalization of the grant award document, and before grant funds are released, grantees must be able to reconfirm information about the work site(s) and the applicant’s access to the property(ies). DOL may also require this same re-verification process of grantees after their first year of performance in order to ensure that necessary work sites are still available during the grant cycle.

Applicants should note that there is a second section of the Work Site Description Form, called the “Housing Census Form.” Applicants do not need to fill this out at the time of application or award. DOL will require this census from awarded applicants in August of each year for the past 12-month period as a means of tracking the total units of housing completed by YouthBuild programs.

(3) Proposed WIOA Performance Outcomes:

The applicant must submit a chart that describes the WIOA performance outcomes that the applicant anticipates achieving by the end of the grant period of performance. These outcomes must include the following:

Enrollment Goal = total number of participants anticipated to be enrolled prior to eighteen months before the program period of performance end date.
Goal for Placement into Employment or Education in the Second Quarter after Exit = total number of participants anticipated to be placed in the second quarter after the exit quarter, displayed as both a count and a ratio of total enrollment.
Goal for Placement into Employment or Education in the Fourth Quarter after Exit = total number of participants anticipated to be placed in the fourth quarter after the exit quarter, displayed as both a count and a ratio of total enrollment.
Goal for Median Earnings = anticipated median earnings (i.e., the middle value in a set of numbers) of all participants placed into employment in the second quarter after the exit quarter, displayed as a monetary figure.
Goal for Credential Attainment within One Year of Exit = total number of participants anticipated to attain an industry-recognized credential within one year of exit OR to attain a secondary education diploma or equivalent and be placed within one year of exit, displayed as both a count and a ratio of total enrollment.
Goal for Measurable Skill Gains = average annual number of participants anticipated to achieve a qualifying measurable skill gain in each program years, displayed as both a count and a ratio of total enrollment.
Goal for Effectiveness in Serving Employers = total number of participants anticipated to be retained with the same employer in the fourth quarter after exit that were placed in the second quarter after exit, displayed as a ratio of participants anticipated to be placed in the second quarter after exit.

A suggested chart template is provided (see Attachment G). Applicants do not have to use the template but must provide the required information. When submitting in grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and labeled “Proposed WIOA Outcomes.”

Requested Attachments

We request the following attachments, but their omission will not cause us to disqualify the application. The omission of the attachment will, however, impact scoring unless otherwise noted.

Past Performance Documentation

This attachment must include both the Chart of Past Performance and the Grantor Verification Letter (if the chart is not signed by the Grantor). See Section IV.B.3.j for which applicants are to submit this documentation and additional instructions. In the chart, applicants must also provide the grantor name, project title, description, grant number, and project period of performance, along with the name, title, organization, e-mail address, and telephone number of an individual from the previous grantor entity or agency who had oversight for the program. This attachment impacts scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria.

When submitting in grants.gov, these documents must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and labeled “Past Performance.” See Appendix F for a suggested past performance template.

Letters of Commitment or MOUs

Submit signed and dated Letters of Commitment or Memoranda of Understanding between the applicant and partner organizations and/or sub-grantees that propose to provide services to support the program model and lead to the identified outcomes (see Section IV.B.3.f.1). This attachment will impact scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria.

When submitting in grants.gov, these letters must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and labeled “Letters of Commitment.”

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

If you are requesting indirect costs based on a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by your Federal Cognizant Agency, then attach the most recently approved Agreement. (For more information, see Section IV.C.2.a) This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

When submitting in grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and labeled “NICRA.”

Four-Month Planning Period Description

As described in Section II.B. Period of Performance, applicants should provide a timeline for completing critical activities within the four-month planning period. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

Staffing Plan

Applicants can provide a plan that reflects how it will staff the YouthBuild program during the full period of performance. This includes staffing strategy during start-up phase, active program services, and the follow-up phase and how they will retain staff. The staffing plan can highlight key positions during the start-up phase that are currently staffed and highlight its strategy for hiring open positions. The plan should also highlight the staffing structure during the follow-up stage and how this strategy may differ. The staffing plan must include, at a minimum, a Project Manager/Director, a Case Manager, and a Job Developer/Placement Specialist, either through direct employment or subcontracting. Applicants must also explain how the program will quickly address staff turnover if the need arises, to ensure the continuity of services and compliance with grant requirements. This attachment impacts scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria Section IV.B.3.g.

Source Documentation for Statement of Need Data

Applicants should provide print-outs of the sources of all data (including American Community Survey data and the Attachment D Excel spreadsheet) used for the youth unemployment rate and poverty rate so that DOL may validate data and calculations. If an applicant must use alternate sources, the applicant must explain this in the project narrative, along with the citation used and the print-out for that data source. This attachment impacts scoring of the application as discussed in the evaluation criteria at Section IV.B.3.a.

Proof of 501(c)(3) or other Non-Profit Status

Entities applying as a non-profit organization should provide verification of 501(c)(3) or other non-profit status. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

Construction Training Plan

Applicants should provide a Construction Training Plan that lays out the capacity of the grantee to deliver the required construction skills training through detailed descriptions of the timing of training and roles and responsibilities of staff and partners. DOL limits this training plan to no more than three double-spaced pages. A Construction Training Plan template can be found in Attachment B. This attachment impacts scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria at Section IV.B.3.b.

Construction Plus Description

Applicants pursuing Construction Plus training must attach the template in Attachment C or an alternative document that contains all requested information from the Construction Plus Field Proposal template for each Construction Plus industry proposed. Each attached template or alternative document must be no longer than two pages. The Construction Plus Field Proposal must be included as an attachment for any applicant wishing to be considered a Construction Plus program and must describe all additional skills training beyond construction skills training. The Construction Plus Field Proposal Template located at Attachment C is available for prospective applicants online under the Forms section:https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild/. This attachment impacts scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria at Section IV.B.3.k.

Zip Code Map

Provide a map of the zip codes being served, as produced by https://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/ or a similar web site that can map zip code areas. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

Proof of Local Presence for Non-Contiguous Service Areas (if applicable)

If applicants propose to serve multiple service areas that are not contiguous or closely located, they must provide as documentation of local organizational presence a rental agreement or proof of ownership of office space in each separate service area. This documentation must include the address of each property and the property must not be co-located with other existing YouthBuild programs. Address(es) should correspond to service area(s) identified throughout the application. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

Financial System Assessment Information

All applicants are requested to submit Funding Opportunity Announcement Financial System Assessment Information. See Section V.B.2 for a sample template and additional instructions. This attachment does not impact the scoring of the application.

SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS AND ADDRESS

We must receive your application by [insert date XX days after the date of publication on Grants.gov]. You must submit your application either electronically on https://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or in hard copy by hand delivery (including overnight delivery) no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application before the closing date to minimize the risk of late receipt. We will not review applications received after 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. We will not accept applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX).

Hardcopy Submission

All applications submitted in hardcopy by mail or hand delivery (including overnight delivery), must be received at the designated place by the specified closing date and time. Applicants submitting applications in hard copy by mail or hand delivery must submit a copy-ready version free of bindings, staples, or protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the application by DOL. Applicants submitting applications in hard copy must also include in the hard copy submission an identical electronic copy of the application on compact disc (CD) or flash drive. If we identify discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD/flash drive copy, we will consider the application on the CD/flash drive as the official submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD/flash drive format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.

If an application is submitted both by hard copy and through https://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 https://www.grants.gov.

We will grant no exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice. Further, we will not accept documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, as part of the application.

Address mailed applications as follows:

U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration

Office of Grants Management

Attention: Brinda Ruggles, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-ETA-20-10

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716

Washington, D.C. 20210

Please note that mail decontamination procedures may delay mail delivery in the Washington DC area. We will receive hand-delivered applications at the above address at the 3rd Street Visitor Entrance. All overnight delivery submissions will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be received at the designated place by the specified closing date and time.

Electronic Submission through Grants.gov

Applicants submitting applications through Grants.gov must ensure successful submission no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Grants.gov will subsequently validate the application.

The process can be complicated and time-consuming. You are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems. Note that validation does not mean that your application has been accepted as complete or has been accepted for review by the agency. Rather, grants.gov verifies only the submission of certain parts of an application.

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as long as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for timely electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application.

Applicants must follow the online instructions for registration at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html. We recommend that you 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.

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 Point of Contact (POC) approval, establishes an Agency Organizational Representative (AOR). When an application is submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the AOR who submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The E-Biz POC must authorize the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of your organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.

How to Submit an Application to DOL via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For a complete workspace overview, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

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. Grants.gov will send the applicant AOR an email acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) with the successful transmission of the application, serving as proof of timely submission. The applicant will receive two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system.

The first email 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.

Grants.gov will reject applications if the applicant’s registration in SAM is expired. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and later successfully validated will be considered. It is your responsibility 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, enough time should be allotted for submission (24-48 hours) 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 enough time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, DOL will not consider the application.

To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .rtf, or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent DOL from considering the application. We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.

We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html.

We encourage new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through WorkforceGPS at https://strategies.workforcegps.org/resources/2014/08/11/16/32/applying-for-eta-competitive-grants-a-web-based-toolkit-for-prospective-applicants-438?p=1.

To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users, and other time-sensitive updates as information is available, you may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html.

If you encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, contact one of the following:

call 1-800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or
email [email protected].

The Grants.gov Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but closed on federal holidays. If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number.

Late Applications

For applications submitted on Grants.gov, we will consider only applications successfully submitted no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated. You take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit through Grants.gov.

We will not consider any hard copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice, unless we receive it 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, you 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.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

All proposed project costs must be necessary and reasonable and in accordance with federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the Cost Principles, now found in the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), codified at 2 CFR Part 200 and at 2 CFR Part 2900 (Uniform Guidance-DOL specific). Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the Cost Principles or other conditions contained in the grant. Applicants, whether successful or not, will not be entitled to reimbursement of pre-award costs.

Indirect Costs

As specified in the Uniform Guidance Cost Principles, indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. An indirect cost rate is required when an organization operates under more than one grant or other activity, whether federally-assisted or not. You have two options to claim reimbursement of indirect costs.

Option 1: You may use a NICRA or Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) supplied by the Federal Cognizant Agency. If you do not have a NICRA/CAP or have a pending NICRA/CAP, and in either case choose to include estimated indirect costs in your budget, at the time of award the Grant Officer will release funds in the amount of 10 percent of salaries and wages to support indirect costs. Within 90 days of award, you are required to submit an acceptable indirect cost proposal or CAP to your Federal Cognizant Agency to obtain a provisional indirect cost rate. (See Section IV.B.4. for more information on NICRA submission requirements.)

Option 2: Any organization that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, with the exceptions noted at 2 CFR 200.414(f) in the Cost Principles, may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition), which may be used indefinitely. If you choose this option, this methodology must be used consistently for all federal awards until such time as you choose to negotiate for an indirect cost rate, for which you may apply at any time. (See 2 CFR 200.414(f) for more information on use of the de minimis rate.)

Administrative Cost Limitation

Under this FOA, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a project or program is limited to 10 percent of the amount of the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or project. Such costs include both personnel and non-personnel costs and both direct and indirect costs. Administrative costs as defined in 20 CFR 683.215 are for the performance of administrative functions in carrying out activities under Title I of WIOA that are not related to the direct provision of workforce investment services (including services to participants and employers). Administrative costs do not need to be identified separately from program costs on the SF-424A Budget Information Form. However, they must be tracked through the recipient’s accounting system. To claim any administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its Federal Cognizant Agency or be eligible to use the 10 percent de minimis rate, as specified above. For WIOA grants, all costs charged as a result of the de minimis rate will be counted towards the administrative cost limitation specified below.

Salary and Bonus Limitations

None of the funds appropriated under the heading “Employment and Training” in the appropriation statute(s) may be used by a recipient or subrecipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. This limitation does not apply to contractors providing goods and services as defined in the Audit Requirements of the OMB Uniform Guidance (see 2 CFR 200 Subpart F). Where states are recipients of such funds, states may establish a lower limit for salaries and bonuses of those receiving salaries and bonuses from subrecipients of such funds, taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-living in the state, the compensation levels for comparable state or local government employees, and the size of the organizations that administer federal programs involved including ETA programs. See Public Law 113-235, Division G, Title I, section 105, and Training and Employment Guidance Letter 05-06 for further clarification: https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2262.

Intellectual Property Rights

Pursuant to 2 CFR 2900.13, to ensure that the federal investment of DOL funds has as broad an impact as possible and to encourage innovation in the development of new learning materials, the grantee will be required to license to the public all work created with the support of the grant under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY) license. Work that must be licensed under the CC BY includes both new content created with the grant funds and modifications made to pre-existing, grantee-owned content using grant funds.

This license allows subsequent users to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt the copyrighted work and requires such users to attribute the work in the manner specified by the grantee. Notice of the license shall be affixed to the work. For general information on CC BY, please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0.

Instructions for marking your work with CC BY can be found at https://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking_your_work_with_a_CC_license.

Questions about CC BY as it applies to this specific funding opportunity should be submitted to the ETA Grants Management Specialist specified in Section VII.

Only work that is developed by the recipient in whole or in part with grant funds is required to be licensed under the CC BY license. Pre-existing copyrighted materials licensed to or purchased by the grantee from third parties, including modifications of such materials, remain subject to the intellectual property rights the grantee receives under the terms of the particular license or purchase. In addition, works created by the grantee without grant funds do not fall under the CC BY licensing requirement.

The purpose of the CC BY licensing requirement is to ensure that materials developed with funds provided by these grants result in work that can be freely reused and improved by others. When purchasing or licensing consumable or reusable materials, the grantee is expected to respect all applicable federal laws and regulations, including those pertaining to the copyright and accessibility provisions of the Federal Rehabilitation Act.

Separate from the CC BY license to the public, 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 subaward or contract under the grant or subaward; and (ii) any rights of copyright to which the recipient, subrecipient, 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, DOL treats such revenues as program income. Such program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.

If applicable, the following standard ETA disclaimer 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 U.S. 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.”

WIOA Infrastructure

All one-stop partner programs including all programs funded under title I of WIOA are required to contribute to the infrastructure costs and certain additional costs of the one-stop delivery system in proportion to their use and relative benefits received as required in 20 CFR 678.700 and 678.760. The sharing and allocation of infrastructure costs between one-stop partners is governed by WIOA sec. 121(h), WIOA’s implementing regulations, and the Federal Cost Principles contained in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance). The Federal Cost Principles state that a partner’s contribution is an allowable, reasonable, necessary, and allocable cost to the program and is consistent with other legal requirements. A list of the required one-stop partner programs is available at 20 CFR 678.400.

Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

Under Sec. 171(c)(2) of WIOA (Pub. L. 113-128), grantees may use funds to provide need-based payments, stipends, wages, or benefits to help enable program participants to participate in the program. Need-based payments, stipends, wages, and benefits provided under YouthBuild grants must accord with the policies and procedures of the grantee organization. Wages can compensate youth at the same rates (including periodic increases) as similar trainees or employees in the construction fields, and rates must accord with all applicable laws. Stipends can provide a weekly living allowance to those participating in the program, designed to help with transportation, living expenses, day care, etc. Per Section 181(a)(2) of WIOA, payments to participants in the YouthBuild program do not count as income for the purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of income transfer and in-kind aid provided to participants through any federal or federally-assisted program, except as provided under the Social Security Act. Need-based payments refer to additional payments (beyond regular stipends for program participation) that are based on defined needs that enable youth to participate in the program.

Under 20 CFR 688.320(a)(7)(ii), to provide need-based payments, the grantee must have a written policy in place, which defines (1) eligibility; (2) the amounts; and (3) the required documentation and criteria for payments. This policy must be applied consistently to all program participants.

Please note that there are legal and financial obligations activated by paying participants wages or stipends. DOL encourages applicants to seek legal and/or accounting advice before setting up or changing the funding system at your program for YouthBuild participants to ensure compliance with IRS and DOL requirements, and to help participants determine their income tax liability.

OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Withdrawal of Applications: You may withdraw an application by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

CRITERIA

We have 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 as described in Sections IV.B.2. (Project Budget) and IV.B.3. (Project Narrative). Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below.

Section IV.B.3 (Project Narrative) of this FOA has several “section headers” (e.g. IV.B.3.a), Statement of Need). Each of these “section headers” of the Project Narrative may include one or more “criteria,” and each “criterion” includes one or more “rating factors,” which provide detailed specifications for the content and quality of the response to that criterion. Each of the rating factors have specific point values assigned. These point values are the number of points possible for the application to earn for the rating factor.

Criterion

Points (maximum)

WIA-Funded Category A Applicants

WIOA-Funded Category A Applicants

Category B Applicants

a. Statement of Need

See Section IV.B.3.a

1. Unemployment Rate

2. Poverty Rate

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

b. Training and Curriculum

See Section IV.B.3.b

1. Construction Training

2. Education and Occupational Skills Training Alignment

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

c. Hands-On Meaningful Learning Activities Connected to Education and Training

See Section IV.B.3.c

6 Points

Total

6 Points

Total

6 Points

Total

d. Education, Career Counseling, Leadership Development, and Supportive Services

See Section IV.B.3.d

1. Supportive Services and Post-Program Follow-Up Services

2. Leadership Development and Community Service

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

e. Industry-Recognized Credentialing

See Section IV.B.3.e

6 Points

Total

6 Points

Total

6 Points

Total

f. Partnership with Placement into Education, Employment, and Apprenticeships

See Section IV.B.3.f

1. Partners

2. Partnership Engagement Strategy

3. Employer Engagement Strategy

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

12 Points

Total

g. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity

See Section IV.B.3.g

2 Points

Total

2 Points

Total

2 Points

Total

h. Budget and Budget Justification

See Section IV.B.3.h

4 Points

Total

4 Points

Total

4 Points

Total

i. Past Performance – WIA-Funded Category A Programmatic Capability

See Section IV.B.3.i

1. Performance Goals:

i) Placement in Education or Employment in 1^st Quarter

ii) Retention in Education or Employment in 3^rd Quarter

iii) Certificate/Degree Attainment

2. Spending Rate Analysis

30 Points

Total

i. Past Performance – WIOA-Funded Category A Programmatic Capability

See Section IV.B.3.i

1. Performance Goals:

i) Placement in Education or Employment in 2^nd Quarter

ii) Placement in Education or Employment in 4^th Quarter

iii) Certificate/Degree Attainment

2. Spending Rate Analysis

30 Points

Total

j. Past Performance – Category B Programmatic Capability

See Section IV.B.3.j

1. Size, Scope, and Relevance

2. Performance Goals:

i) Employment/Education Placement

ii) Metric 2

iii) Metric 3

30 Points

Total

TOTAL

Priority Consideration:

k. Construction Plus Field Proposal

See Section IV.B.3.k

1. Source of Training, Credentialing, and Labor Market Information

2. Hands-On Work Experience Partnerships with Employers

3. Partnerships with One or More Registered Apprenticeship Programs and/or Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs

6 Points Total

l. Designated Qualified Opportunity Zone

See Section IV.B.3.l

Standards for Evaluating the Applicant’s Response to each Requirement. Section IV.B.3, Project Narrative, provides a detailed explanation of the information an application must include (e.g., a comprehensive work plan for the whole period of performance with feasible and realistic dates). Reviewers will rate each “rating factor” based on how fully and convincingly the applicant responds. For each “rating factor” under each “criterion,” panelists will determine whether the applicant thoroughly meets, partially meets, or fails to meet the “rating factor,” unless otherwise noted in Section IV.B.3, based on the definitions below:

Standard Rating	Definition	Standard for Calculating Points
Thoroughly Meets	The application thoroughly responds to the rating factor and fully and convincingly satisfies all of the stated specifications.	Full Points
Partially Meets	The application responds incompletely to the rating factor or the application convincingly satisfies some, but not all, of the stated specifications.	Half Points
Fails to Meet	The application does not respond to the rating factor or the application does respond to the rating factor but does not convincingly satisfy any of the stated specifications.	Zero Points

In order to receive the maximum points for each rating factor, applicants must provide a response to the requirement that fully describes the proposed program design and demonstrates the quality of approach, rather than simply restating a commitment to perform prescribed activities. In other words, applicants must describe why their proposal is the best strategy and how they will implement it, rather than that the strategy contains elements that conform to the requirements of this FOA.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

Merit Review and Selection Process

A technical merit review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria to determine the merit of applications. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this FOA. Up to 103 points may be awarded to an applicant, depending on the quality of the responses provided. The final scores (which may include the mathematical normalization of review panels) will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer reserves the right to make selections based solely on the final scores or to take into consideration other relevant factors when applicable. Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds and other relevant factors. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to their attention.

The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussion, the award will be based on the applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature via E-Authentication on https://www.grants.gov, which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.

Risk Review Process

Prior to making an award, ETA will review information available through various sources, including its own records and any OMB-designated repository of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, such as Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), Dun and Bradstreet, and “Do Not Pay.” Additionally, ETA will comply with the requirements of 2 CFR Part 180 codified at 2 CFR Part 2998 (Non-procurement Debarment and Suspension). This risk evaluation may incorporate results of the evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility (application screening) or the quality of its application (merit review). If ETA determines that an award will be made, special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed may be applied to the award. Criteria to be evaluated include the following:

Financial stability;
Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in the Uniform Grant Guidance;
History of performance. The applicant’s record in managing awards, cooperative agreements, or procurement awards, if it is a prior recipient of such federal awards, including timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements and, if applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards;
Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F–Audit Requirements of the Uniform Grant Guidance or the reports and findings of any other available audits and monitoring reports containing findings, issues of non-compliance, or questioned costs;
The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, and other requirements imposed on recipients.

NOTE: As part of the ETA’s Risk Review process, the Grant Officer will determine the following:

If the applicant had any restriction on spending for any ETA grant due to adverse monitoring findings; or
If the applicant received a High Risk determination in accordance with TEGL 23-15.

Depending on the severity of the findings and whether the findings were resolved, the Grant Officer may, at their discretion, elect not to fund the applicant for a grant award regardless of the applicant’s score in the competition.

All applicants are requested to submit the following information as an attachment to their application (suggested template below) for ETA to assess the applicant’s Financial System. This information will be taken into account as one component of ETA’s Risk Review Process. Applicants may use the suggested template or answer the questions in a separate attachment. It is unlikely that an organization will be able to manage a federal grant without the following system/processes in place. Applicants are expected to have these in place before applying for a grant with ETA.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR -EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION (ETA)
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT: FINANCIAL SYSTEM ASSESSMENT

SECTION A: PURPOSE

The financial responsibility of grantees must be such that the grantee can properly discharge the public trust which accompanies the authority to expend public funds. Adequate administrative and financial systems including the accounting systems should meet the following criteria as contained in 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 2900.
(1) Accounting records should provide information needed to adequately identify the receipt of funds under each grant awarded and the expenditure of funds for each grant.
(2) Entries in accounting records should refer to subsidiary records and/or documentation which support the entry and which can be readily located.
(3) The accounting system should provide accurate and current financial reporting information.
(4) The accounting system should be integrated with an adequate system of internal controls to safeguard the funds and assets covered, check the accuracy and reliability of accounting data, promote operational efficiency, and encourage adherence to prescribed management policies.

SECTION B: GENERAL

1. Complete the following items:

a. When was the organization founded/incorporated (month, day, year)

b. Principal officers

Titles

c. Employer Identification Number:

d. Number of Employees
Full Time: Part Time:

2. Is the organization or institution affiliated with any other organization: Yes No
If yes, please provide details as to the nature of the company (for profit, non-profit, LLC, etc) and if it provides services or products to the organization in relation to this grant.

3. Total Sales/Revenues in most recent accounting period. (12 months)
$

SECTION C: ACCOUNTING SYSTEM

1. Has any Government Agency rendered an official written opinion concerning the adequacy of the accounting system for the collection, identification and allocation of costs under federal contracts/grants? Yes No

a. If yes, provide name, and address of Agency performing review:

b. Attach a copy of the latest review and any subsequent correspondence, clearance documents, etc.

Note: If review occurred within the past three years, omit questions 2-8 of this Section and Section D.

2. Which of the following best describes the accounting system:

State administered

Internally Developed

Web-based

3. Does the accounting system identify the receipt and expenditure of program funds separately for each contract/grant?

Yes

Not Sure

4. Does the accounting system provide for the recording of expenditures for each grant/contract by the component project and budget cost categories shown in the approved budget?

Yes

Not Sure

5. Are time distribution records maintained for an employee when his/her effort can be specifically identified to a particular cost objective?

Yes

Not Sure

6. If the organization proposes an overhead rate, does the accounting system provide for the segregation of direct and indirect expenses?

Yes

Not Sure

7. Does the organization have an approved indirect cost rate or cost allocation plan?

If so, who approved it (Federal Cognizant Agency or a Pass-through Entity)? What are the effective dates?

Yes

Not Sure

8. Does the accounting/financial system include budgetary controls to preclude incurring obligations in excess of:
a. Total funds available for a grant?
b. Total funds available for a budget cost category (e.g. Personnel, Travel, etc.)?

Yes
Yes

No
No

Not Sure
Not Sure

9. Does the organization or institution have an internal control structure that would provide reasonable assurance that the grant funds, assets, and systems are safeguarded?

Yes

Not Sure

SECTION D: FINANCIAL STABILITY

1. Is there any legal matter or an ongoing financial concern that may impact the organization's ability to manage and administer the grant? Yes No
If yes, please explain briefly.

SECTION E: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Did an independent certified public accountant (CPA) ever examine the financial statements? Yes No

2. If an independent CPA review was performed please attach a copy of their latest report and any management letters issued. Enclosed N / A

3. If an independent CPA was engaged to perform a review and no report was issued, please provide details and an explanation below:

SECTION F: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Use this space for any additional information (indicate section and item numbers if a continuation)

AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

AWARD NOTICES

All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/). 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 application.

Selection of an organization as a recipient does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, we 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. We reserve the right not to fund any application related to this FOA.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Administrative Program Requirements

All grantees will be subject to all applicable federal laws, and regulations—including the OMB Uniform Guidance, and the terms and conditions of the award. The grant(s) awarded under this FOA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions.

Non-Profit Organizations, Educational Institutions, For-profit entities and State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments – 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards) and 2 CFR Part 2900 (DOL’s Supplement to 2 CFR Part 200).

All recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Public Law No. 113-328, 128 Stat. 1425 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 3101 et. seq.) and the applicable provisions of the regulations at 20 CFR Part 675 et. seq. Note that 20 CFR Part 683 (Administrative Provisions) allows unsuccessful applicants to file administrative appeals.
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)), 2 CFR Part 180 (OMB Guidance to Agencies on Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)), and, where applicable, 2 CFR Part 200 (Audit Requirements).
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.
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.
29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
29 CFR Part 35—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
29 CFR Part 38 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
29 CFR Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.
The Department of Labor will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR Part 70). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. See generally 5 U.S.C. § 552; 29 CFR Part 70.
Standard Grant Terms and Conditions of Award—see the following link: https://www.doleta.gov/grants/resources.cfm.

Other Legal Requirements
1. Religious Activities

The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, applies to all federal law and its implementation. If an applicant 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 this grant solicitation and maintain that hiring practice. As stated in 2 CFR 2.23(a), religious organizations are eligible on the same basis as any other organization, to seek DOL support of participate in DOL programs for which they are otherwise eligible. Guidance from DOL is found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/grants/religious-freedom-restoration-act. If a faith-based organization is awarded a grant, the organization will be provided with more information.

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 2 CFR 200.450 for more information).

Transparency Act Requirements

You must ensure that you have 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 the Government Funding Transparency Act of 2008, Pub. Law 110-252, Title VI, Chap. 2, Sec. 6202), as follows.

Except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 below, you must ensure that you have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, should you receive funding.
Upon award, you 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 https://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 (e.g., 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 previous tax year; and
Federal awards, if the required reporting would disclose classified information.

Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Applicants submitting applications in response to this FOA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the Department of Labor and must be observed except where disclosure is allowed by the prior written approval of the Grant Officer or by court order. By submitting an application, you are assuring that all data exchanges conducted through or during the course of performance of this grant will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable federal law and TEGL 39-11 (issued June 28, 2012). All such activity conducted by ETA and/or recipient(s) will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and federal laws.

By submitting a grant application, you agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality by complying with the following provisions that are applicable in governing the handling of confidential information:

You must ensure that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with DOL/ETA funded grants is securely transmitted.

To ensure that such PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, all PII and other sensitive data transmitted via e-mail or stored on CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted using a Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validated cryptographic module. You must not e-mail unencrypted sensitive PII to any entity, including ETA or contractors.
You must take the steps necessary to ensure the privacy of all PII obtained from participants and/or other individuals and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure. You must maintain such PII in accordance with the ETA standards for information security described in TEGL 39-11 and any updates to such standards we provide to you. Grantees who wish to obtain more information on data security should contact their Federal Project Officer.
You must ensure that any PII used during the performance of your grant has been obtained in conformity with applicable federal and state laws governing the confidentiality of information.
You further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through your ETA grant must be stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons at all times and the data will be processed using recipient-issued equipment, managed information technology (IT) services, and designated locations approved by ETA. Accessing, processing, and storing of ETA grant PII data on personally owned equipment, at off-site locations, (e.g., employee’s home), and non-recipient managed IT services (e.g., Yahoo mail), is strictly prohibited unless approved by ETA.
Your employees and other personnel who will have access to sensitive/confidential/proprietary/private data must be advised of the confidential nature of the information, the safeguards required to protect the information, and that there are civil and criminal sanctions for noncompliance with such safeguards that are contained in federal and state laws.
You must have policies and procedures in place under which your employees and other personnel, before being granted access to PII, acknowledge their understanding of the confidential nature of the data and the safeguards with which they must comply in their handling of such data, as well as the fact that they may be liable to civil and criminal sanctions for improper disclosure.
You must not extract information from data supplied by ETA for any purpose not stated in the grant agreement.
Access to any PII created by the ETA grant must be restricted to only those employees of the grant recipient who need it in their official capacity to perform duties in connection with the scope of work in the grant agreement.
All PII data must be processed in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of the records/documents and is designed to prevent unauthorized persons from retrieving such records by computer, remote terminal, or any other means. Data may be downloaded to, or maintained on, mobile or portable devices only if the data are encrypted using NIST validated software products based on FIPS 140-2 encryption. In addition, wage data may be accessed only from secure locations.
PII data obtained by the recipient through a request from ETA must not be disclosed to anyone but the individual requestor, except as permitted by the Grant Officer or by court order.
You must permit ETA to make onsite inspections during regular business hours for the purpose of conducting audits and/or conducting other investigations to assure that you are complying with the confidentiality requirements described above. In accordance with this responsibility, you must make records applicable to this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection, review, and/or audit.
You must retain data received from ETA only for the period of time required to use it for assessment and other purposes, or to satisfy applicable federal records retention requirements, if any. Thereafter, you agree that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic data.

Record Retention

You must follow federal guidelines on record retention, which require that you maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of at least three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. See 2 CFR 200.333-.337 for more specific information, including information about the start of the record retention period for awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, and when the records must be retained for more than three years.

Use of Contracts and Subawards

You must abide by the following definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient:

Contract: Contract means a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity (defined as a state or local government, Indian tribe, institution of higher education (IHE), non-profit organization, for-profit entity, foreign public entity, or a foreign organization that carries out a federal award as a recipient or subrecipient) purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. The term as used in this FOA does not include a legal instrument, even if the non-federal entity considers it a contract, when the substance of the transaction meets the definition of a federal award or subaward (see definition of Subaward below).

Contractor: Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above in Contract.

Subaward: Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity (defined as a non-federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out part of a federal program) 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. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient: Subrecipient means a non-federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a federal program, but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other federal awards directly from a federal awarding agency.

You must follow the provisions at 2 CFR 200.330-.332 regarding subrecipient monitoring and management. Also see 2 CFR 200.308(c)(6) regarding prior approval requirements for subawards. When awarding subawards, you are required to comply with provisions on governmentwide suspension and debarment found at 2 CFR Part 180 and codified at 2 CFR Part 2998.

Closeout of Grant Award

Any entity that receives an award under this Announcement must close its grant with ETA at the end of the final year of the grant. Information about this process may be found in ETA’s Grant Closeout FAQ located at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/docs/GCFAQ.pdf.

Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

Except as specifically provided in this FOA, our acceptance of an application 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 Uniform Guidance requires that an entity’s procurement procedures ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to provide full and open competition. If an application identifies a specific entity to provide goods or services, the award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the procurement, i.e., avoid competition.

Special Program Requirements
1. DOL Evaluation

As a condition of grant award, grantees are required to participate in an evaluation, if undertaken by DOL. The evaluation may include an implementation assessment across grantees, an impact and/or outcomes analysis of all or selected sites within or across grantees, and a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of return on investment. Conducting an impact analysis could involve random assignment (which involves random assignment of eligible participants into a treatment group that would receive program services or enhanced program services, or into control group(s) that would receive no program services or program services that are not enhanced). We may require applicants to collect data elements to aid the evaluation. As a part of the evaluation, as a condition of award, grantees must agree to (1) make records available to the evaluation contractor on participants, employers, and funding; (2) provide access to program operating personnel, participants, and operational and financial records, and any other pertaining documents to calculate program costs and benefits; and (3) in the case of an impact analysis, facilitate the assignment by lottery of participants to program services, including the possible increased recruitment of potential participants; and (4) follow evaluation procedures as specified by the evaluation contractor under the direction of DOL.

Performance Goals

Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided, and failure to meet those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by ETA, and may also have a significant impact on decisions about future grants with ETA.

REPORTING

You must meet DOL reporting requirements. Specifically, you must submit the reports and documents listed below to DOL electronically:

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. On the final Financial Status Report, you must include any subaward amounts so we can calculate final indirect costs, if applicable. You must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees. For other guidance on ETA’s financial reporting, reference Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 02-16 and our webpage at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/financial_reporting.cfm.

2. Quarterly Narrative Performance Reports

In addition to the Quarterly Performance Report, the grantee must submit the Joint Quarterly Narrative Performance Report Template (ETA 9179) progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter within the period of performance for the grant award. The report includes quarterly information regarding accomplishments, including project success stories, upcoming grant activities, and promising approaches and processes, as well as progress toward performance outcomes, including updates on product, curricula, and training development.

Quarterly Performance Reports

The grantee must submit a quarterly performance report within 45 days after the end of each calendar-year quarter. The report must include quarterly information on grant activities, performance goals, and milestones. The last quarterly progress report will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report must 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 must thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches that you used. Submission requirements will be provided to grantees upon award. We will also provide you with guidance about the data and other information that is required to be collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request basis.

AGENCY CONTACTS

For further information about this FOA, please contact Stephanie Pena, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at (202) 693-3153. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference FOA-ETA-20-10, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This Announcement is available on the ETA website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/ and at https://www.grants.gov.

OTHER INFORMATION

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINDING UNEMPLOYMENT DATA USING THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU DATA

Go to https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=2018%20Unemployment%20Data&g=&hidePreview=true&table=S2301&tid=ACSST1Y2018.S2301&y=2018&lastDisplayedRow=23&vintage=2018&mode=.
For best results, use Edge. Microsoft Edge can be downloaded for free at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge.
Under “Employment Status,” click the drop down menu for “Product.” Select “2018: ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables.”
Click on the “Geographies” icon. Scroll down to and select “Zip Code Tabulation Area (Five-Digit).
Click on the magnifying glass icon then proceed to type in the five-digit zip code. Select the box then click “CLOSE” at the bottom right of the screen.
If using multiple zip codes you can then proceed to type in the additional zip codes before closing the selection window.
Use the unemployment rate estimate for the population ages 16 to 19 years and ages 20 to 24 years to determine the total number of youths who are unemployed in each age group by multiplying the total estimate population of that age group by the unemployment rate for the same population. Add the two numbers together to determine the total number of youths aged 16 to 24 that are unemployed within the zip code.
Divide the total population aged 16 to 24 that are unemployed by the total population aged 16 to 24 (as determined by adding the total estimate population for 16 to 19 and 20 to 24) to provide a weighted average rate of youth unemployment in the targeted area(s).
If serving an area that encompasses multiple zip codes, add up the total estimated number of youths who are unemployed in each age group together for each zip code and divide this total number by the total estimated population aged 16 to 24 for all zip codes. Divide the total estimated number of youth unemployed by the total estimated population across the zip codes to determine the weighted average unemployment rate for the proposed service area.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINDING POVERTY DATA USING THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU DATA

Go to the American Community Survey home page by clicking on https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs. (If for some reason this link does not work, go to https://www.census.gov and on the Blue Border on the very top of the Census Bureau’s home page click on SURVEYS/PROGRAMS, and then click on American Community Survey).
On the left side of the American Community Survey home page, click the fourth option, Data.
When the Data page comes up in the center column in the middle of the page under Data Tables and Tools, click on Subject Tables.
On the top right hand corner of the page in the Search Box, type in S1701.
The Table Title will come up as Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months, and click on the table title Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months.
At the top of the page, it will say 2018: ACS 1-Year Estimates. Click on that and a list of tables will come up. Click on 2018: ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables. You need five-year data because one-year data will have too small of a sample size to show data on Census tracts.
Now look at the left side of the page and there will be four options (ALL, TABLES, MAPS, PAGES). Click on MAPS.
A map of the Continental United States will come up, but you can use Minus Toggle Switch at the bottom right hand corner of the map to reduce the magnification of the map and the directional arrows on your keyboard to move the map to show Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Find your state and click on it and you will get an option to either Select the state or get a profile of the state. Click on Select right below the name of the state. Your state will now be highlighted on the map. Note: Sometimes the map of the United States will not fully load, and you will need to go back to the TABLES page and select MAPS again and the map will then fully load.
In the exact middle of the very top of the page, next to the word “state,” click on the drop down arrow to Expand More. This will give you a list of different geographic area classifications. Click on the sixth item, County. The map will then show the counties in your state. You can just click on your county based on its shape, but if you need to see the names of the counties, you will need to use the Plus Toggle Switch to increase the magnification of the map. Once you have clicked on your county, you will be given the option to either select it or get its profile. Click on Select right below the name of the county. Your county will now be highlighted on the map.
Rural areas can skip this step, but urban areas should go back to the exact middle of the very top of the page and click on the drop down arrow to Expand More and this time click on the eighth item, Place. You should now be able to see the name of your city within your county. Click on the name of your city and then click on Select. Your city will now be highlighted on the map.
Once rural areas have their county highlighted and urban areas have their city highlighted, go back to the top of the page and click on the drop down arrow to Expand More. When the list of geographic classifications come up, scroll down about 25 items and click on Census tract.
The map will now show Census tract boundaries, but not the Census tract numbers, so you will need to use the Plus Toggle Switch to increase the magnification of the map until you can see all the Census tract numbers.
Now you are ready to identify Census tracts within your city or county to make up your target area. Use your curser as the pointer and click on each Census tract that you want to add and then click on Select for the Census tract. The first time that you click on a Census tract, it will increase the magnification of the map, so you will may need to use the Minus Toggle Switch to adjust the magnification of the map.
If you click on Census tracts and nothing happens and you are not given an option of selecting them, go back and make sure that you have selected the Five-Year data set, as the sample size in the One-Year data is not sufficient to provide Census data.
As you select each Census tract, they will appear as different colors on the map depending on their population. Some Census tracts will have a light gray color if they have low populations. Ignore these changes in map colors and continue to the next step.
After you have selected all the Census tracts that you want, go to the top of left side of the page and click on TABLES.
A table will come up showing the Total Population, the Number in Poverty, and the Poverty Rate. Currently, the data is not loading properly and at first only the overall U.S. data will load and you will not be able to scroll any further to the right to see anything else. Go to the very top of the page and Click on 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables and you will be given the option to select other data sets. Click on 2017 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, and the 2017 Census tract data should now load on to the table. Then you can go back to the top of the page and click on 2017 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables and you will be given the option of selecting other data sets and you can re-select 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables and the 2018 data will now properly load on the table.
We are interested only in the top row of the table, which shows the total population and the total number in poverty. Use the right directional arrow on your keyboard to scroll to the right to see all of the Census tracts that you selected.
Make a spreadsheet that you can later copy into Excel with three columns: the Census tract number, the Total Population in the Census tract, and the Number in Poverty in the Census tract. You do not need to, but you may want to add a fourth column showing the percentage in poverty in the Census tract. Individual Census tracts may have a poverty rate of below 13.1 percent but the data will be aggregated across all Census tract areas, and it is the aggregated number that will be evaluated against.
You can save your work either by saving the table you were working on or by saving the map, as either one will take you back to the other, or you can save both. To save the table or the map, click and save the URL at the top of the page and then copy it using the Clipboard Paste option onto a Word document. The URL will be much too long to past into an e-mail, which necessitates pasting it into a Word document and then you can save and e-mail the document to yourself. When you are saving the URL, make sure that by clicking on the URL you are copying the entire URL at one time. When you are ready to go back to work on the table or map just click on the URL that you have saved.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINDING POVERTY DATA USING THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU DATA FOR INDIAN RESERVATIONS, OKLAHOMA TRIBAL STATISTICAL AREAS, NATIVE ALASKAN VILLAGES, OR NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS

Go to the American Community Survey home page by clicking on https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs. (If for some reason this link does not work, go to https://www.census.gov and on the Blue Border on the very top of the Census Bureau’s home page click on SURVEYS/PROGRAMS, and then click on American Community Survey).
On the right side of the American Community Survey home page, click the fourth option, Data.
When the Data page comes up, in the middle column in the middle of the page under Data Tables and Tools, click on Subject Tables.
On the top right hand corner of the page in the Search Box, type in S1701.
The Table Title will come up as Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months, and click on the table title Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months.
At the top of the page, it will say 2018: ACS 1-Year Estimates. Click on that and a list of tables will come up. Click on 2018: ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables. You need five-year data because one-year data will have too small of a sample size to show data on Census tracts.
Now look at the left side of the page and there will be four options (ALL, TABLES, MAPS, PAGES). Click on MAPS.
A map of the Continental United States will come up, but you can use the Minus Toggle Switch on the bottom right hand corner of the map to reduce the magnitude of the map and the directional arrows on your keyboard to move the map to show Alaska and Hawaii. Find the state in which your Reservation or Native Land is located and click on the state and you will get an option to either select the state or get a profile of the state. Click on Select immediately below the name of the state and your state will now be highlighted on the map. Do not be concerned if your Reservation spans across two states because the map of either state will show your Reservation and the data provided will be for your entire Reservation. Note: Sometimes the map of the United States will not fully load and you will need to go back to the TABLES page and select MAPS again and the map will fully load.
In the exact middle of the very top of the page next to the word “state,” click on Expand More. This will give you a list of different geographic area classifications. Click on the 17th item in the list, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian Area.
Now you will see a map of your state showing the Native Lands within the state. You will not need to see the name of your Reservation on the map as you will be able to recognize it by its shape and location in the state, but for Native Alaskan Villages, Native Hawaiian Homelands, and Rancherias you will need to increase the magnification of the map in order to see their names. Click on your Reservation or Native Land once you have identified it, and then you will be given the option to either select it or get its profile. Click on Select right below the name and your Reservation or Native Land will be highlighted on the map.
To find Native Alaskan Villages, Native Hawaiian Homelands, and Rancherias on these state maps, you will need to use the directional arrows on your keyboard to keep the map focused on the area of the state in which your Native Alaskan Village, Native Hawaiian Homeland, or Rancheria is located while you use the plus toggle switch to increase the magnification of the map. You will need to increase the magnification of the map several times to be able to see the name of your village, homeland, or Rancheria. When you are able to see the name of your village, homeland, or rancheria, click on it and, when given the option, Select it. If you are not given the option to select it, then the data is not available for that Native Land and you can try to see as described below if the county in which your Native Land is located has a poverty rate of 13.1 percent or above.
Once you have selected your Reservation or Native Land, go to the top of left side of the page and click on TABLES.
A table will come up showing the Total Population, the Number in Poverty, and the Poverty Rate. Currently, the data is not loading properly and at first only the overall U.S. data will load and you will not be able to scroll any further to the right to see anything else. Go to the very top of the page and Click on 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables and you will be given the option to select other data sets. Click on 2017 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, and the 2017 data should now load on to the table. Then you can go back to the top of the page and click on 2017 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables and you can re-select 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables and the 2018 data will now properly load on to the table.
We are interested only in the top row, which shows the total population and the total number in poverty in your Reservation or Native Land. Scroll to the right using the directional arrow on your keyboard to see the data for your Reservation or Native Land.
Data may not be available for many small Native Alaskan Villages, Native Hawaiian Homelands, and Rancherias, so you can also check whether the county in which you are located has a poverty rate of 13.1 percent or above. Go to Census.gov or click on https://www.census.gov. In the middle of the page, go to Quick Facts: Access Local Data and click on the arrow. On the top of the page that comes up type in the name of your county and then click on county from the list provided of places with the same name. Scroll down near the bottom of the table to Income and Poverty and it will give you the poverty rate of your county.

WEB-BASED RESOURCES

DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. These include the CareerOneStop portal (https://www.careeronestop.org), which provides national and state career information on occupations; the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online (https://online.onetcenter.org), which provides occupational competency profiles; and America's Service Locator (https://www.servicelocator.org), which provides a directory of our nation's American Job Centers (formerly known as One-Stop Career Centers).

INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development programs. To learn about the industry-validated models, visit the Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at https://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career lattices for specific regional economies.

WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

We encourage you to view the information on workforce resources gathered through consultations with federal agency partners, industry stakeholders, educators, and local practitioners, and made available on WorkforceGPS: https://workforcegps.org.

We encourage you to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through WorkforceGPS:https://strategies.workforcegps.org/resources/2014/08/11/16/32/applying-for-eta-competitive-grants-a-web-based-toolkit-for-prospective-applicants-438?p=1.

We created Workforce System Strategies to make it easier for the public workforce system and its partners to identify effective strategies and support improved customer outcomes. The collection highlights strategies informed by a wide range of evidence, such as experimental studies and implementation evaluations, as well as supporting resources, such as toolkits. We encourage you to review these resources by visiting https://strategies.workforcegps.org.

We created a technical assistance portal at https://www.workforcegps.org/resources/browse?id=b8dd0aa1ecfb4b2282d6cd30c7248790 that contains online training and resources for fiscal and administrative issues. Online trainings available include, but are not limited to, Introduction to Grant Applications and Forms, Indirect Costs, Cost Principles, and Accrual Accounting.

SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

SkillsCommons (https://www.skillscommons.org) offers an online library of curriculum and related training resources to obtain industry-recognized credentials in manufacturing, IT, healthcare, energy, and other industries. The website contains thousands of Open Educational Resources (OER) for job-driven workforce development, which were produced by grantees funded through the US Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program. Community colleges and other training providers across the nation can reuse, revise, redistribute, and reorganize the OER on SkillsCommons for institutional, industry, and individual use.

CAREER PATHWAYS TOOL KIT

As part of WIOA’s broader initiative to better integrate resources across federal, state, and local resources, DOL released a revamped and revised “Career Pathways Toolkit: A Guide for System Development” in September 2015, available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_17-15_Attachment_Acc.pdf.

Career pathways are an effective strategy to help workers acquire marketable skills and industry-recognized credentials by encouraging greater collaboration across adult education, post-secondary education, and other workforce partners. The model can be adapted for youth and adults and individuals in multiple circumstances.

YOUTHBUILD-RELATED GUIDANCE RESOURCES

Applicants should refer to the following advisories for policy and guidance related to YouthBuild. All documents are available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/.

TEGL 23-19 – Guidance for Validating Required Performance Data Submitted by Grant Recipients of U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Workforce Programs

TEN 25-19 – Understanding Postsecondary Credentials in the Public Workforce System

TEGL 14-18 – Aligning Performance Accountability Reporting, Definitions, and Policies Across Workforce Employment and Training Programs Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

TEGL 26-16 – Guidance on the use of Supplemental Wage Information to implement the Performance Accountability Requirements under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

TEGL 17-16 – Infrastructure Funding of the One-Stop Delivery System

TEGL 16-16 – One-Stop Operations Guidance for the American Job Center Network

TEGL 11-16, Change 1 – YouthBuild Compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA)

TEGL 10-16, Change 1 – Performance Accountability Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs

TEN 08-16 – Implementation of an Integrated Performance Reporting System for Multiple Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) Administered Programs

TEGL 06-15 – Qualifying Work Sites and Construction Projects for YouthBuild Grantees

TEGL 07-14, Change 1 – Updated Guidance for Implementing the “Construction Plus” Component of the YouthBuild Program, as authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

TEGL 35-12 – Definition and Guidance on Allowable Construction Credentials for YouthBuild Programs

TEN 13-12 – Defining a Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Program and Related Tools and Resources

TEGL 15-10 – Increasing Credential, Degree, and Certificate Attainment by Participants of the Public Workforce System

TEGL 05-10, Change 1 – Updated Guidance on Match and Allowable Construction and Other Capital Asset Costs for the YouthBuild Program

TEGL 14-09 – Mental Toughness/Orientation Allowable Costs in a YouthBuild Program

TEN 44-07 – Providing Strategies to the One-Stop Career Center System on Collaborating with YouthBuild Programs.

OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

OMB Information Collection No 1225-0086, Expires July 31, 2022.

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, D.C. 20210. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected].

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR GRANT APPLICATION TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND COMMENTS ONLY ABOUT THE BURDEN CAUSED BY THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND YOUR GRANT APPLICATION TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY AS SPECIFIED EARLIER IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. DOL will use the information collected through this “Funding Opportunity Announcement” to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicants best suited to perform the functions of the grant. This information is required to be considered for this grant.

Signed ____________, 2020, in Washington, D.C. by:

Brinda Ruggles

Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration

Attachment A: Checklist for Submittal

Requirements/Required Attachments	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants	Screen-out Factor
The deadline submission requirements are met.			
If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in one of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (DOL will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)			
Application applies for a funding amount within the grant award range of $700,000 to $1.5 million.			
Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account.			
Signed SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance that includes DUNS Number and Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN).			
Signed SF-424 lists the amount requested on line 18a and the match amount of exactly 25 percent of the requested federal funding amount.			
SF-424A Budget Information Form			
Budget Narrative			
Project Narrative			
Two-Page Abstract		
Work Site Form(s) (ETA-9143) with all attachments			
Match Narrative			
Construction Training Plan		
Construction Plus Field Proposal Abstract addition	 (if applying as Construction Plus)	 (if applying as Construction Plus)
Past Performance Chart		
Requirements/Required Attachments	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants	Screen-out Factor
Proposed WIOA Performance Outcomes Chart			
Proof of 501(c)(3) or Other Non-Profit Status		
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement		
Source Documentation for Statement of Need Data (including American Community Survey data and the Attachment D Excel spreadsheet).		
4-Month Planning Period Description		
Commitment Letters from Partners		
Zip Code Map		
Proof of Local Presence for Non-Contiguous Service Areas.	 (if applicable)	 (if applicable)
Financial System Assessment		

Attachment B: Construction Training Plan Sample Template

Sections of Training Plan	What To Include
Introduction	A brief summary of the training project and how it will be used for project implementation.
Training Scope Including Objectives, Goals and Assumptions	Include the major objectives for the training project along with the goals and any assumptions made related to implementation.
Training Strategy	Describe the applicant’s training strategy including the use of project- and problem-based learning in the classroom, the curriculum(a) to be used, and the skill development activities in occupational skills training for at least 40 percent of the time during which participants participate in the program, which includes both time spent on the construction work sites or other hands-on work experience, as well as classroom training related to the occupational field.
Roles and Responsibilities of Staff	Include a discussion of those staff who are supporting the implementation of the construction training, including the specific tasks needed to successfully launch, deliver, and sustain the training. This is a subset of the training task from the project plan and should provide the very detailed tasks needed to complete the training including the start and end dates for each.
Contingency Plan	Outline how training will be implemented and sustained despite barriers and problems that emerge. The training for this grant must begin expeditiously, and this contingency plan allows for alternate training to be implemented, if necessary. Specifically, the applicant should describe how additional work sites will be quickly secured should the housing partner fall through or approved sites become no longer available or viable for the on-site construction component.
Training Materials, Design, and Standards	Describe the industry-recognized construction credentials that will be used for training. Describe the materials that will be used during the training courses, how and who will design the materials, and a quality control process for ensuring materials are up-to-date, accurate, and effective.
Restrictive Covenant Clause Acknowledgement	Acknowledge the requirement that all properties rehabilitated or built with DOL YouthBuild funds will use the restrictive covenant clause and enforce it.

ATTACHMENT C: Construction Plus Field Proposal

YouthBuild (YB) 2020 Funding Opportunity Announcement

CONSTRUCTION PLUS Field Proposal

Applicant must complete one form for each proposed additional occupational field beyond construction.

Applicant organization name & address:

Project type (select one): □ Rural □ Urban □ Tribal

Occupational field:

Previously approved by DOL to offer this Construction Plus field (select one): □ Yes □ No

Evidence of industry need (local labor market data with citations):

Anticipated number of youth to be trained in this industry:

Intended industry-recognized credential(s) resulting from the C+ training:

How will training be provided? (select one): □ Directly by grantee □ Through contract □ Through MOU

Source of funding (select one): □ Grant funds □ Match funds □ Leveraged funds

Planned training and curriculum approach:

Anticipated length of training:

Linked occupations (i.e., for healthcare, Home Health Aide, CNA, EMT, RN, Nurse Practitioner, etc.):

Have apprenticeship opportunities been developed? (select one): □ Yes □ No

If yes, identify apprenticeship partners:

Where will work-based learning occur and which partner(s)/employer(s) will provide it?

Additional partners and their roles in training:

Printed name of grant application signatory:

______________________________________________________________

Signature:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Title: _____________________________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

Attachment D: Weighted Average Unemployment Rate Worksheet

Attachment D: Weighted Average Poverty Rate Worksheet

Attachment E: Instructions for ETA – 9143 Pages 1 and 2 and Attachments A-D

EACH qualified work site (as identified by address or parcel number) must have its own ETA-9143 with all required attachments

Page 1 (Separate form required for each work site)

Applicant Name – Name of the applicant/grantee listed on the SF-424
Program/Project Name & Address – Program/Project name and the physical mailing address of the applicant/grantee as listed on the SF-424

The physical address of a single work site or parcel.
The number of housing units to be produced or renovated at that single property.
Select the type(s) of housing to be produced.
Indicate whether or not the housing is for homeless, low-income, or very-low income persons.
This field refers to Page 2, Individual Housing Project Site Estimate and Documentation of Resources. Please see instructions for completing this attachment below.
Indicate if the site is new construction and/or rehabilitation.
If any of the units are currently occupied, select yes and provide a relocation narrative and label as Attachment C. The requirements for Attachment C can be found below.
Write the name of the current owner of the property/work site.
This field refers to Attachment A, Documentation of Site Access. The instructions for Attachment A can be found below.
This field refers to Attachment B, Detailed Work Description. The instructions for Attachment B can be found below.
Name the entity who will own and manage the property after the work is complete.

Applicant Signature – Filled out, dated, and signed by a Grantor Signatory with their title and organization

Page 2 (Separate form required for each work site)

Applicant Name – Name of the applicant/organization that is listed on the SF-424
Address of the Property – The work site physical address or parcel number
Grant Activities/Resources – Provide the resource amounts and where they are coming from as it pertains to this site. If YouthBuild grant funds are included, a separate attachment must be included to document the uses of YouthBuild grant funds.
Documentation of Housing Resources – List all providers, whether they are providing cash or in-kind, the dollar value, and a letter of commitment for each funding source.

The commitment letter(s) should be on organizational letterhead with a signature and date. Within the letter it should state what it is they are committing, whether it is cash or in-kind, and the dollar value of the commitment. The letter should also include the physical address of the site(s) where those contributions are being applied.
Both charts on this form should add up to the same total.

Attachment A (Separate form required for each work site) – labeled as Attachment A

Submit Documentation of Access if the applicant/grantee is the owner:

Supply a deed or tax bill. The address in the documents must be consistent with all accompanying attachments for that particular work site. A letter is not considered proof of ownership for grantee organizations.

Submit Documentation of Access if a third party owns the property:

Submit a letter from the property owner stating that YouthBuild participants will be allowed access to site(s) for onsite construction training. If the third-party owner is an organization, the letter must be on the organization’s letterhead. As with proof of ownership, the address must match on all accompanying attachments for that particular work site. At a minimum, the letter of access must state (a) the name of the owner, explicitly stating that they own the property, (b) complete address of the property, (c) verification of access to the property, (d) signature of owner, and (e) date (using current date).

Submit Documentation of Access if the applicant has a contract or option to purchase the property:
- Submit a copy of the contract or option.

Attachment B (Separate form required for each work site) – labeled as Attachment B

Detailed Work Description

Submit a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities and the specific construction training activities that youth will perform as participants on the specified work site.

Attachment C (Only required if a work site is currently occupied – separate form required for each occupied work site) – labeled as Attachment C

Submit a narrative that includes the following:

The identity of the individual(s) or organization occupying the property on the date of submission of this application
Whether relocation of occupants is necessary and rationale for determination. If relocation is necessary, provide the following:

Estimated cost of relocation
Funding source for relocation
Organization providing the relocation assistance, along with the contact person’s name and phone number

Attachment D (Only required if YouthBuild grant funds are being used for construction materials – separate form required for each work site using YouthBuild grant funds) – labeled as Attachment D

Submit a narrative that describes applicable materials and costs. (Note: refer to TEGL 05-10, Change 1, “Match and Allowable Construction and Other Capital Asset Costs for the YouthBuild Program” for allowable and unallowable costs.)

*The ETA-9143 form can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/youth/youthbuild/

Attachment F: Chart of Past Performance template (Suggested) with example

Note: Category B applicants must provide data from a previous project that completed within the last five years as of the closing date of this Announcement that is similar in size, scope, and relevance to the YouthBuild program.

Name of Previous Grantor Organization:
Grantor Contact - Name, Title, Organization, E-mail Address, and Telephone Number:
Project Title and Grant Number:
Funding Amount:
Project Period of Performance (Start and End Date):
Number of Participants Enrolled:
Type of Population Served:
Brief Description of Grant Project and Population Served:
Performance Goals
Metric	Total Number of Participants (Denominator of the Metric)	Total Number of Participants Successfully Achieved this Metric (Numerator of this Metric)	Numerator of this Metric (number who achieved this metric) /Denominator for Metric	Percentage Rate of Actual Achievement
Example: Unsubsidized Employment Placement	60	40	40/60	67%
1. Employment/Education Placement
2. [Name of Metric (i.e. Degree/Certificate Attainment)]
4. [Name of Metric (i.e. Retention in Education or Employment)]

_________________________________________________ ________________

Grantor Signature (named above) Date Signed

Attachment G: Proposed WIOA Performance Outcomes Sample Chart

Proposed WIOA Performance Outcome	Goal	Example
Enrollment		100
Placement into Employment or Education in the 2^nd Quarter after Exit		75 participants, 75% (75/100)
Placement into Employment or Education in the 4^th Quarter after Exit		60 participants, 60% (60/100)
Median Earnings		$4,200.00
Credential Attainment		80 participants, 80% (80/100)
Measurable Skill Gains		65 participants, 65% (65/100)
Effectiveness in Serving Employers		50 participants, 67% (50/75)

Attachment H: Suggested Abstract Format

Applicant may tailor this template as needed to fit the proposed application

Applicant Name:

Project Title:

Funding Level Requested:

Total # of Participants to be Enrolled:

Applicant Category (check all that apply):

Category A (Previously Funded): ________________________

Category B (New): ____________________________________

Most Recent Grant Number from any FY 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 Grant Cycles for Category A (previously-funded) Applicant:

Application is being submitted as (check all that apply):

Urban: _______________ Rural : ______________ Native American: _______________

Description of the Area to be Served:

Target Community Service Area, identified by Zip Code(s):

Census Tract Number(s) in the Target Community Service Designated as a Qualified Opportunity Zone, if applicable:

Applicant is a government entity in a territory that is eligible for the matching waiver and intends to waive match, as described in Section III.B. Matching:

YES __________ NO _____________

Applying for Construction Plus: YES ________________ NO _______________

Brief Summary of the Proposed Project, including but not limited to, the Scope of the Project and Proposed Outcomes:

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Author	Stowers, Samantha A - ETA
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2021-01-13

Form FOA-ETA-20-10 YouthBuild Grant Program

DOL Generic Solution for Funding Opportunity Announcements

YouthBuild FOA for OIRA 12.2.20

YouthBuild Grant Program

OMB: 1225-0086

Table of Contents

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

PROGRAM PURPOSE

PROGRAM AUTHORITY

AWARD INFORMATION

AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

OUTCOMES

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

COST SHARING OR MATCHING

OTHER INFORMATION

Application Screening Criteria

Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

Eligible Participants

Participants Eligible to Receive Training

Veterans’ Priority for Participants

Participant Enrollments

Target Community Service Area

Work Site Requirements

Industry-Recognized Credentials

Construction Plus Expectations

Travel and Technical Assistance

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

Requirement for DUNS Number and an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Requirement for Registration with SAM

Project Budget

Budget Narrative

Project Narrative

Statement of Need (Up to 12 points)

Unemployment Rate (Maximum 6 points)

Poverty Rate (Maximum 6 points):

Training and Curriculum (up to 12 points)

Construction Training (Maximum 4 points):

Education and Occupational Skills Training Alignment (Maximum 8 points):

Hands-On Meaningful Learning Activities Connected to Education and Training (up to 6 points)

Career Counseling, Leadership Development, and Supportive Services (up to 12 points)

Supportive Services and Post-Program Follow-Up Services (Maximum 8 points)

Leadership Development and Community Service (Maximum 4 points)

Industry-Recognized Credentialing (up to 6 points)

Partnerships with Placement into Education, Employment, and Apprenticeship (up to 12 points)

Partners (Maximum 4 points)

Partnership Engagement Strategies (Maximum 4 points)

Employer Engagement Strategy (Maximum 4 points)

Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (up to 2 points)

Budget and Budget Narrative (up to 4 points)

Past Performance – Category A Programmatic Capability (up to 30 points)

Performance Goals (Maximum 26 points)

Spending Rate Analysis During the Original Period of Performance (Maximum 4 points):

Past Performance – Category B Programmatic Capability (up to 30 points)

Size, Scope, and Relevance (Maximum 4 points)

Performance Goals (Maximum 26 points)

Priority Consideration – Construction Plus (Maximum 6 bonus points)

Priority Consideration – Designated Qualified Opportunity Zone (1 bonus point)

Attachments to the Project Narrative

Required Attachments

Abstract

Work Site Description:

Requested Attachments

Past Performance Documentation

Letters of Commitment or MOUs

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

Four-Month Planning Period Description

Staffing Plan

Source Documentation for Statement of Need Data

Proof of 501(c)(3) or other Non-Profit Status

Construction Training Plan

Construction Plus Description

Zip Code Map

Proof of Local Presence for Non-Contiguous Service Areas (if applicable)

Financial System Assessment Information

SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS AND ADDRESS