ETA Announces Availability of $47 Million for YouthBuild Grants; Closing Date for Applications is January 15, 2009
The Employment and Training Administration has announced the availability of approximately $47 million in funding for YouthBuild grants, and invites proposals from eligible organizations.
These YouthBuild grants will be awarded through a competitive process. Grant funds will be used to provide disadvantaged youth with: The education and employment skills necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency in occupations in high demand and postsecondary education and training opportunities; opportunities for meaningful work and service to their communities; and opportunities to develop employment and leadership skills and a commitment to community development among youth in low-income communities. As part of their programming, YouthBuild grantees will tap the energies and talents of disadvantaged youth to increase the supply of permanent affordable housing for homeless individuals and low-income families and to help youth develop the leadership, learning, and high-demand occupational skills needed to succeed in today's global economy.
Applicants can apply for 3 year grants (2 years of program operations with a 12 month follow-up period) that will range from $700,000 to $1.1 million. These grants will be incrementally funded, with half of the grant funds awarded from fiscal year (FY) 2009 appropriations, for the first 12 months of operations. Pending satisfactory performance and availability of funds, the remaining funds would be awarded next year (FY 2010) for second year operations. These awards will support 2 years of core program operations (education, occupational skills training, and youth leadership development activities) plus an additional 12 months of follow-up support services and tracking of participant outcomes for each cohort of youth. A minimum of 5 percent of total funds should be reserved for the 12 month follow-up period.
ETA hopes to serve approximately 2,900 youth participants during the first year of the grant, with projects operating in approximately 90-100 communities across the country. Under this announcement, the agency
will be awarding grants to organizations to oversee the provision of education and employment services to disadvantaged youth in their communities. Each applicant should indicate the proposed number of participants to be served based on an average annual cost of between $15,000--$18,000.
An organization is an eligible applicant for these grants if it is a public or private non-profit agency or organization (including a consortium of such agencies or organizations with a designated lead applicant), including, but not limited to:
- Community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations;
- An entity carrying out activities under the WIA, such as a local workforce investment board or One-Stop Career Center;
- A community action agency;
- A State or local housing development agency;
- An Indian tribe or other agency primarily serving Indians;
- A community development corporation;
- A State or local youth service conservation corps; or
- Any other relevant public or private non-profit entity that provides education or employment training and can meet the required elements of the grant.
A Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference will be held for this grant competition. The date and access information for this Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference will be posted on ETA's Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuildgrantee.cfm. Applicants are advised that the appropriation funding this competition does not allow for funds to be obligated prior to April 1, 2009.
The closing date for applications is January 15, 2009.
Full background / eligible applicants / application requirements / evaluation criteria.
Also see:
Training and Employment Notice 44-07: Providing Strategies to the One-Stop Career Center System on Collaborating with YouthBuild Programs.