U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ENOmTpIClEo yOmF AeVnAtI LaAnBdIL TITrYa iOnFi nFUgN ADdS mANiDn iFsUtNraDtIiNoGn O PPORTUNITY A NNOUNCEMENT FOR YOUTHBUILD ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial FUNDING OPPORTUNIT:Y NUMB ER: FOA-ETA- CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC A SSISTANC1E6 (-1C0F DA) NUMBER: 17.274 KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Ann ouncem ent isJuly 6, 2016. must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time. ADDR E WSSeE S: Address mailed applications to: Th e U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Eric D. Luetkenhaus, Grant Officer Reference FOA-ETA-16-10 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716 Washington, DC 20210 For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY : The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or 0F the Department, or w e), announces the availability of approximately $80 million in grant 1 funds authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub. L. 113- 128) for YouthBuild. WIOA maintains the Workforce Investment Act’s (WIA) focus on out-of-school youth (OSY) i n J o b C o r p s a n d Y o u t h B u i l d , while greatly increasing the focus on OSY in the WIOA youth 2 Promise Zones are high poverty communities where the federal government partners with local leaders to increase economic activity, improve educational opportunities, leverage private investment, reduce violent crime, enhance public health and address other priorities identified by the community. Th rough the Promise Zone designation, communities will work directly with federal, state and local agencies to give local leaders proven tools to improve the quality of life in some of the country’s most vulnerable areas. 1 formula-funded program. This strengthens the position of YouthBuild programs, which already target this population, as experienced workforce partners for the broader workforce system and experts in serving out-of-school youth successfully. WIOA further engages the YouthBuild program by making it a required One-Stop partner, providing the opportunity for YouthBuild to share its expertise in serving out-of-school youth. Under WIOA, Federal, State, and local partnerships that put the youths’ interests first will help the nation’s disconnected youth to succeed. The common performance measures across WIOA core programs (adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs under WIOA title I, Wagner-Peyser programs under WIOA title III, and adult education and vocational rehabilitation programs under WIOA titles II and IV, respectively) provide a mechanism to support youth service alignment. WIOA envisions the Department’s youth programs, including Job Corps, YouthBuild, and the youth formula-funded program, coordinating to support systems alignment and service delivery for youth. This integrated vision also applies to the workforce system’s other shared customer -- employers. By framing youth as an asset to employers with a need for skilled workers, the value of employers engaging the youth workforce system and programs is enhanced. Employers are critical partners that provide meaningful growth opportunities for young people through work experiences that give them the opportunity to learn and apply skills in real-world settings and ultimately jobs that young people are ready to fill given the opportunity. Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations to oversee the provision of education, occupational skills training, and employment services to disadvantaged youth while performing meaningful work and service to their communities. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, DOL hopes to serve approximately 5,250 participants during the grant period of performance, with approximately 80 projects awarded across the country. Individual grants will range from $700,000 to $1.1 million and require an exact 25 percent match from applicants, using sources other than federal funding. Any resources contributed to the project in addition to the 25 percent matching funds will be considered leveraged resources. The grant period of performance for this FOA is 40 months, including a four-month planning period. I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION A. PROGRAM PURPOSE YouthBuild is a community-based alternative education program for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are high school dropouts, adjudicated youth, youth aging out of foster care, youth with disabilities, homeless youth, and other disconnected youth populations. The YouthBuild program simultaneously addresses several core issues important to low-income communities: affordable housing, education, employment, leadership development, and energy efficiency. The YouthBuild model balances project- 2 based academic learning and occupational skills training to prepare disadvantaged youth for career placement. The academic component assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skill development to obtain a high school diploma or state high school equivalency credential. The occupational skills training component prepares at-risk youth to gain placement into career pathways and/or further education or training, and 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. Additionally, grantees that have been previously funded by the Department may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries in addition to construction skills training. This expansion into additional in-demand industries is the “Construction Plus” component. Additionally, through WIOA, YouthBuild programs are now required partners of the One-Stop Career Centers. All YouthBuild programs must adhere to the requirements of being a One-Stop partner. Partnering with One-Stop Career Centers provides an opportunity for YouthBuild grantees to increase the number of eligible applicants, have greater acce s s to local employers, and develop the ability to directly access information regarding changes to local workforce needs and respond with program changes accordingly. In order to preserve one of the core aspects of the YouthBuild program as a construction skills training program, all YouthBuild grant programs must offer construction skills training. New applicants for DOL funding must demonstrate success with core construction skills training and are not eligible to offer other occupational training as first- time YouthBuild grantees. 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. Because one of the goals of the YouthBuild program is to provide affordable housing, all prospective applicants must demonstrate their commitment to increasing the supply of permanent housing for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families. The construction of affordable housing 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 youth 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. Each program must also have access to a work site to use for on-site construction training. The construction work sites built and renovated by YouthBuild participants must only be constructed for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families to reside in. Please note that the requirements of the YouthBuild regulations at 20 CFR 672.615 require a ten- year restrictive covenant. 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 3 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 are tied 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. For guidance on qualifying work sites, please refer to Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 06-15: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=6610. B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY This program is authorized by Section 171(i) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (PL 113-128). II. AWARD INFORMATION A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. We expect availability of approximately $80,000,000 to fund approximately 80 grants. You may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $1.1 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. The Department intends to use at least 70 percent of the total available funding for this competition for the award of grants to eligible applicants that the DOL YouthBuild program has previously funded and which have demonstrated success in the program. The remainder of funds will be awarded to qualifying organizations not fitting this description, further described in Section III.A.1 below. The Department’s intended mix of grant awards to new and previously-funded applicants will ensure that organizations with little experience with a DOL YouthBuild grant have an opportunity to implement a new DOL YouthBuild program, while allowing for continued support to the existing, previously-funded YouthBuild grants that have demonstrated success. Due to the complex nature of the YouthBuild program model and the interest in expanding YouthBuild beyond construction skills training, this FOA is focused on ensuring that an adequate number of established YouthBuild programs are funded while newly-funded 4 YouthBuild programs establish effective operation and delivery of services outlined in each of thBe. rPeqERuIiOreDd O pF rPoEgRrFaOmR McoAmNCpEo nents. The period of performance is forty (40) months with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2016. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activitie•s . This includes: • a planning period of up to four months (if required); • 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. This grant period of performance includes time for all necessary implementation and start- up activities. Applicants are required to describe 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 not needed; beginning active programs 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. If applicants are using the optional 4-month planning period, they must submit a timeline of critical activities to be completed during that period, as part of the required Program Calenda•r described in Section IV.B.4. Attachments to the Project Narrative. 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; • solidifying relationships with all necessary partners for the successful delivery of • services; initiating recruitment and outreach efforts for enrollment of participants; and reconfirming work site financing and access (see Section IV.B.4(b) for more information). Please note that while the core program staff described above do not need to be in place at the time of application, the Department expects applicants to describe the plan to recruit and train for each core position. 5 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. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS Eligible applicants for these grants are public or private non-profit agencies or organizations including rural, urban, or Native American agencies that have previously served •d isadvantaged youth in a YouthBuild or other similar program. These agencies or organiz•a tions include, but are not limited to: • a community-based organization; a faith-based organization; • an entity carrying out activities under the WIOA, such as a local workforce • development board; • a community action agency; a state or local housing development agency; • an Indian tribe or other agency primarily serving Native Americans (including • those living on reservations), Native Hawaiians, or Alaska Natives; • a community development corporation; a state or local youth service or conservation corps; • any other entity eligible to provide education or employment training under a federal program; or an entity in an area designated as a Promise Zone or member of a Promise Zone collaboration, if applicable. For more information on about Promise Zones go to http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/e conomicdevelopment/programs/pz Grantees who received funding from the FY 2015 YouthBuild competition are funded through January 2019, and these grantees (based on their unique Employer Identification N1.u m bAeprps)li acraen nt oTty epliegsible to participate in this competition. This FOA distinguishes between applicants for DOL YouthBuild funding that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award, have not received an award within the last 6 grant cycles, or have not yet completed their first DOL YouthBuild grant and established applicants (those applicants that have previously received at least one YouthBuild grant from DOL which is near completion and provides sufficient performance outcomes for review). Carefully consider the requirements below and apply under the appropriate category (Category A or Category B), being sure to respond to the application instructions (project narrative, evaluation criteria, and attachments) that corarersep noontd e tloig yiobuler ctoat egory. As noted in the previous section, grantees funded in FY 2015 (FOA-ETA-15-05), regardless of any previous grant awards from DOL for YouthBuild funding, 6 participate in this competition under Category A or Category B and should not respond to this FOA. Category A This FOA refers to previously-funded applicants as “ applicants.” As of the date of pub lication of this FOA, a Category A applicant must meet the following requirements: a) The applicant must have completed at least two years of a YouthBuild grant awarded within the previous six competitions; and b) At least one of the applicant’s previous grants must have been awarded in the FY 2010, FY 2011, FY 2012, or FY 2013 competition not Note that applicants that have been previously funded by the Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program, but within the past six grant competitions (i.e. the applicant has not received a YouthBuild award since FY 2009 or earlier), will now be considered as new applicants who must apply under Category B. Previously, these applicants would have still been considered as Category A applicants. This change 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 2010. Category B This FOA refers to new applicants as “ applicants.” All applicants that do not meet the requirements for Category A above must apply as Category B. Category B applic ants fall into either of these categories: a) Applicants that received a DOL YouthBuild award in only the following grant competitions: FY 2007, 2008, 2009, and/or 2014; or b) Applicants that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award. Note that grantees that were funded by DOL for the first time in FY 2014 (or for the first time since FY 2009) are included with new applicants because DOL will not have sufficient recent information to fairly evaluate their application against previously-funded applicants. During this competition, these grantees will not have completed the FY 2014 grant’s active service cycle (as defined by the two-year period during which they are enrolling and serving active participants). The performance outcomes for YouthBuild are long-term in nature, and DOL will not have sufficient information on the performance of FY 2014 grantees to evaluate them based on their past performance. Category A DOL intends tCoa atwegaordry a Bt least 70 percent of the available grant funds to applicants in , and intends to award up to 30 percent of grant funds for awards to applicants in . The following chart summarizes the requirements specified in this section: 7 Applicant Type: Category A Category B Not Eligible to Apply Grant Classes • Included: • FY 2014 First-Time Grantees Applicants Last Funded by DOL’s YouthBuild • program in FY 2009 Those funded at or earlier Any applicant least once in FYs Applicants Last who received a FY 2010, 2011, 2012, or Funded in FY 2009 2015 DOL-funded 2013 or Earlier Prior to YouthBuild grant • Receiving a FY 2014 Grant Award Those Never Funded by the DOL YouthBuild Percent of Grant program Funds Available: Construction Plus At least 70 percent Up to 30 percent N/A Eligible: YES NO N/A B. 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 Pbele caosnes nidoetree dth laevt enreaigtehde rr epsroiuorrc iensv. e stments nor federal resources may be counted towards the matching funds threshold, including funds that were originally provided through federal funding. To be allowable as part of match, an expenditure must be an allowable charge for federal grant funds. 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. DOL encourages applicantsto leverage additional resources beyond the required match to supplement grant activities. Applicants can use leveraged resources to cover costs or materials that might otherwise be an unallowable charge to grant funds so long as such 8 costs are reasonable and correctly allocated. Applicants must count and document as leveraged funds any cash or in-kind resources committed beyond 25 percent of the grant award amount required as matching funds. Both matching funds and leveraged resources can come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to: the public sector (e.g., state or local governments); the non-profit sector (e.g., community organizations, faith-based organizations, or education and training institutions); the private sector (e.g., businesses or industry associations); the investor community (e.g., angel networks or economic development entities); and the philanthropic cMoamtcmhuinngit yW (ae.igv.e, fro fuonrd Uat.Sio. nIns)s.u lar Areas, Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. §1469a(d) Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. section 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. C. OTHER INFORMATION 1. Application Screening Criteria You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process. Application Requirement Instructions Complete? The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C If submitted through Grants.gov, the coWmep woinlle antttse mofp tth teo a opppelnic tahtieo dno acruem seanvte, db uint wanilyl nootf ttahkee s apnecyi afideddi tfoiornmaal tms eaansdu raerse inno tth ceo ervreunptt o. f Section IV.C. ( problems with opening .) Application Federal funds request does not Section II.A exceed the ceiling amount of $1.1 million 9 SAM Registration Section IV.B.1 SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section IV.B.1 SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section IV.B.1 SF-424 lists the cost sharing or match amount Section IV.B.2 on line 18b. SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section IV.B.2 Budget Narrative Section IV.B.2 Project Narrative Section IV.B.3 Abstract Section IV.B.4 Work Site Description (ETA-9143) with Section IV.B.4 required attachments Applicant indicates one contiguous service area or closely located communities within a Section III.C.6 metropolitan service area, defined by the zip 2. Number of Applications App lic an ts May Submit We will consider only one application from each organization. If we receive multiple applications from the same organization, we will only consider 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. This requirement applies to both Category A and Category B applicants. 3. Eligible Participants a.) Participants Eligible to Receive Training Th e intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide educationa/ntrdaining se rvices to any individual that: a. is between the ages of 16 and 24 on the date of enrollment; b. is a member of a low-income family, a youth in foster care (including youth aging oaunt do f foster care), an offender, a youth who is an individual with a disability, a child of an incarcerated parent, a homeless youth, a migrant youth; c. is a school dropout, or an individual who was a school dropout and has subsequently reenrolled (as provided in WIOA 171(e)(1) Eligible Participants); As it relates to determining which youth are considered out-of-school youth, the Department does not consider providers of Adult Education under YouthBuild 10