TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM

Section 2660.10 Purpose

Section 2660.20 Definitions

Section 2660.30 Eligible Grant Applicants

Section 2660.40 Eligible Grant Program Activities

Section 2660.50 Administrative Requirements

Section 2660.60 Allowable Costs

Section 2660.70 Participant Eligibility

Section 2660.80 Barrier Reduction Funding

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.10 PURPOSE

 

Section 2660.10  Purpose

 

The purpose of the Job Training and Economic Development Grant Program is to meet the skill needs of the target industries by establishing and expanding partnerships between employers and Eligible Entities to develop training programs and provide access to Barrier Reduction Funding for individuals in the Target Population.

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.20 DEFINITIONS

 

Section 2660.20  Definitions

 

"American Rescue Plan Act" means American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Section 9901, P.L. 117-2, 42 U.S.C. 802.

 

"Barrier Reduction Funding" means flexible funding through a complementary grant agreement, contract, or budgetary line to increase family stability and job retention by covering accumulated emergency costs for basic needs, such as housing-related expenses (rent, utilities, etc.), transportation, child care, digital technology needs, education needs, mental health services, substance abuse services, income support, and work-related supplies that are not typically covered by programmatic supportive services [20 ILCS 605/605-415(b)].

 

"Community-based organization" means a private nonprofit organization (which may include a faith-based organization), that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in the field of workforce development as indicated by providing examples of current or completed successful projects similar in scope, identifying expertise of staff and demonstrating successful relationships with key stakeholders, including eligible training providers, employers and social service agencies.

 

"Complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract" means a grant or contract award that provides workforce or job training services and is awarded to an eligible barrier reduction funding recipient, other than through the Program.

 

"COVID-19" means the novel coronavirus disease deemed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization on February 11, 2020.

 

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

 

"Department's 5-year Economic Plan" means the current strategic economic development plan for the State developed by the Department, including any annual modifications thereto, pursuant to 20 ILCS 605/605-300.

 

"Disproportionately impacted area" means those ZIP Codes most severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to be determined based on positive COVID-19 case per capita rates, and that meet at least one of the following poverty-related criteria relative to other ZIP Codes within their region:

 

share of population consisting of children age 6 to 17 in households with income less than 125% of the federal poverty level (FPL);

 

share of population consisting of adults over age 64 in households with income less than 200% FPL;

 

share of population in households with income less than 150% FPL; or

 

share of population consisting of children ages 5 and under in households with income less than 185% FPL.

 

The State is divided into the following two regions for purposes of determining a disproportionately impacted area:

 

1)         The counties of Cook, Kane, Lake, Will, and DuPage; and

 

2)         All other counties within the State.

 

To determine a disproportionately impacted area, the poverty data points listed in this definition are compared only with the data of the ZIP Codes of the applicable region to determine whether at least one of the poverty-related criteria is met.

 

"Economic development organizations" means local planning or community development organizations and other local organizations and institutions responsible for promoting or assisting in local economic development.

 

"Eligible Entities" means employers, private nonprofit organizations (which may include a faith-based organization), federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) administrative entities, Community Action Agencies, industry associations, and public or private educational institutions, that have demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in administering workforce development programs [20 ILCS 605/605-415(b)].

 

"Eligible Barrier Reduction Funding Recipients" means organizations that meet the requirements set forth in Section 2660.80(c).

 

"Eligible Training Provider" means an organization, such as a public or private college or university, an industry association, registered apprenticeship program or a community-based organization that is approved to provide training services by the appropriate accrediting body [20 ILCS 605/605-415(b)].

 

"Employer":

 

in relation to the definition of Eligible Entities, means a person or company that is in good standing to do business in Illinois and that employs one or more individuals.

 

in relation to all other purposes set forth in this Part, means a person or company that is in good standing to conduct business in Illinois or any state that is adjacent to Illinois and that employs one or more individuals.

 

"GATA" means the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act [30 ILCS 708].

 

"Grantee" means any applicant for a grant award under this program whose proposal is funded by the Department.

 

"Local" means an economically integrated geographic area within which individuals can reside and find employment within a reasonable distance for that area or can readily change employment without changing their place of residence.

 

"Local level plans" means the portions of the current WIOA regional level plans developed with respect to the corresponding local area within the region, and any regionwide provision of that plan that impacts or relates to the local area.

 

"Local Workforce Innovation Areas" means the areas designated by the State in the State's WIOA Unified Plan under WIOA, 29 U.S.C. 3121.

 

"Local Workforce Innovation Boards" means the area boards established under WIOA, 29 U.S.C. 3122, which carry out the designated functions for the applicable Local Workforce Innovation Area.

 

"Low-income individual" means an individual who:

 

receives, or in the past 6 months has received, or is a member of a family that is receiving or in the past 6 months has received, assistance through:

 

the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011),

 

the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601),

 

the supplemental security income program established under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381), or

 

State or local income-based public assistance;

 

is in a family with total family income that does not exceed the higher of:

 

the poverty line; or

 

70 percent of the lower living standard income level;

 

is a homeless individual (as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12473(6)), or a homeless child or youth (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 11434a(2));

 

receives or is eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751);

 

is a foster child on behalf of whom State or local government payments are made; or

 

is an individual with a disability whose own income meets the requirements of this definition; however, the individual is permitted to be a member of a family whose income does not meet these requirements.

 

"Lower living standard income level" means that income level (adjusted for regional, metropolitan, urban, and rural differences and family size) determined annually by the U.S. Secretary of Labor based on the most recent lower living family budget issued by the Secretary.

 

"Moderate-income individuals" means individuals and their families whose incomes exceed 50 percent, but do not exceed 80 percent, of the area median income, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with adjustments for smaller and larger families. 

 

"Negative economic or public health impacts" means harm that households or populations have experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as permitted by the American Rescue Plan Act and the related guidance issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (see https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds). "Negative economic or public health impacts" includes, but is not limited to, households or populations that:

 

have experienced unemployment or increased food or housing insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

are low-income individuals or moderate-income individuals, which experienced negative impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

are living within either a qualified census tract or a disproportionately impacted area; or

 

are receiving services or other assistance pursuant to this Part within either a qualified census tract or a disproportionately impacted area.

 

"Nonprofit organization" means an organization that is registered as a nonprofit corporation and in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State.

 

"One-stop operators" means entities designated or certified by the Local Workforce Innovation Boards under WIOA, 29 U.S.C. 3151, to operate centers that provide access to career and job training services.

 

"On-the-job training" means training by an employer that is provided to a paid participant while engaged in productive work in a job that:

 

provides knowledge or skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job;

 

is made available through a program that provides reimbursement to the employer of up to the amount set by the Department in the Notice of Funding Opportunity ("NOFO"), based on the amount and source of funding, for the extraordinary costs of providing the training and additional supervision related to the training; and

 

is limited in duration as appropriate to the occupation for which the participant is being trained, taking into account the content of the training, the prior work experience of the participant, and the service strategy of the participant, as appropriate.

 

"Poverty line" means the poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) applicable to a family of the size involved.

 

"Public assistance" means federal, State, or local government cash payments for which eligibility is determined by a needs or income test.

 

"Qualified Census Tract" means a census tract, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, having 50 percent of households with incomes below 60 percent of the Area Median Gross Income (AMGI) or having a poverty rate of 25 percent or more.

 

"Regional level plans" means the current plans, pursuant to WIOA, 29 U.S.C. 3121(c), prepared by the Local Workforce Innovation Boards and chief elected officials within regions designated by the State in the State's WIOA Unified Plan.

 

"Secretary" means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.

 

"State" means the State of Illinois.

 

"State's WIOA Unified Plan" means the current 4-year strategy for the core workforce programs of the State that must be submitted and approved by the Secretary pursuant to WIOA, 29 U.S.C. 3112.

 

"Supportive services" means services such as transportation, child care, dependent care, housing, and needs-related payments, that are reasonable, necessary and approved by the Department as part of the grant application and approval process, to enable an individual to participate in activities authorized under the Job Training and Economic Development Grant Program.

 

"Target Population" means persons who are unemployed, under-employed, or under-represented that have one or more barriers to employment as defined for "individual with a barrier to employment" in the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ("WIOA"), 29 U.S.C. 3102(24) [20 ILCS 605/605-415(b)]. If permitted by the applicable funding source, a "barrier to employment," pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 3102(24)(N), shall include individuals who reside in or receive services in a qualified census tract or a disproportionately impacted area, or who have experienced negative economic or public health impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

"Target industries" means in-demand industries identified in the Department's 5-year Economic Plan, the State's WIOA Unified Plan and any relevant local or regional level plans, and the funding source for any NOFO under the Job Training and Economic Development Program.

 

"Transitional job training" means time-limited, wage-paid work experiences that are subsidized by grant funds up to 100 percent of the wages.  Types of work-based learning opportunities in a transitional jobs program includes, but is not limited to, on-the-job training, work experience and pre-apprenticeships.

 

"Under-employed individual" means an individual who is:

 

working part-time but desires full-time employment;

 

working in employment not commensurate with the individual's demonstrated level of educational and/or skill achievement; or 

 

employed and meets the definition of a low-income individual.

 

If permitted by the applicable funding source, "under-employed individual" shall include:

 

an individual who meets one of the requirements of "under-employed individual" set forth in the first three paragraphs of this definition and resides in or receives services in a qualified census tract; or

 

an individual who is employed and is in need of job training and other assistance to address the negative economic or public health impacts experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the individual's occupation or level of training.

 

"Under-represented individuals" means individuals, groups and communities that have experienced disparities or disadvantages in employment. If permitted by the applicable funding source, "under-represented individuals" shall include individuals who reside in or receive services in a qualified census tract or a disproportionately impacted area, or who have experienced negative economic or public health impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

"Unemployed individual" means an individual who is without a job and who wants and is available for work.  The determination of whether an individual is without a job, for purposes of this definition, shall be made in accordance with the criteria used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor (http://www.bls.gov) or as required by the relevant funding source. If permitted by the applicable funding source, "unemployed individual" shall include:

 

an individual who meets the definition of "unemployed individual" set forth above and resides in or receives services in a qualified census tract; or

 

an individual who:

 

is without a job;

 

wants and is available to work, including someone who has looked for work sometime in the past 12 months; and

 

is in need of job training and other assistance to address the negative economic or public health impacts experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic; or

 

an individual who is currently employed but received a notice of termination or lay-off from the current employment and will no longer be employed within ninety days. 

 

"Uniform Guidance" means the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, 2 CFR Part 200.

 

"WIOA" means the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101).

 

"Youth" means an individual aged 16-24 who faces one or more barriers to education, training, and employment [20 ILCS 605/605-415(b)].

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.30 ELIGIBLE GRANT APPLICANTS

 

Section 2660.30  Eligible Grant Applicants

 

An eligible applicant for a grant award under the Job Training and Economic Development Grant Program shall be an Eligible Entity. To be eligible for a grant award, an applicant shall have an active GATA registration and be qualified on the GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) at the time the application is submitted.

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.40 ELIGIBLE GRANT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

 

Section 2660.40  Eligible Grant Program Activities

 

The Department shall make grant awards to Eligible Entities as described in this Part, contingent on available funds. The grants shall be made to support one or more of the following activities as permitted by the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity:

 

a)         Creating and funding customized training with employers to support, train, and employ individuals in the Target Population.

 

b)         Coordinating partnerships between Eligible Entities, employers or industry associations, and educational entities, to develop and operate regional or local strategies for target industries. These strategies must be part of a career pathway for in-demand occupations that result in certifications or credentials for individuals in the Target Population.

 

c)         Leveraging Barrier Reduction Funding to provide assistance (e.g. transportation, child care, mental health services, substance abuse services, and income support) for individuals in the Target Population, including Youth participants in workforce development programs to assist with a transition to post-secondary education or full-time employment and a career.

 

d)         Establishing policies for resource and service coordination and to provide funding for services that attempt to reduce employment barriers such as housing-related expenses (rent, utilities, etc.), child care, digital technology needs, counseling, relief from fines and fees, education needs, and work-related supplies that are not typically covered by programmatic supportive services.

 

e)         Developing work-based learning and transitional job training programs with employers to support low-income individuals in the Target Population including youth that require on-the-job experience to gain employability skills, work history, and a network to enter the workforce.

 

f)         Using funding for participant outreach, case management support, training, subsidies for employee wages, and grants to Eligible Entities in each region designated in the State's WIOA Unified Plan, as feasible, to administer transitional job training programs. [20 ILCS 605-415(c)]

 

g)         Assisting in building the capacity of private nonprofit organizations to provide job training services by providing technical assistance or forming partnerships with more established Eligible Entities through subawards or subcontracts of Job Training and Economic Development Grants.

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.50 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

 

Section 2660.50  Administrative Requirements

 

Grant opportunities and awards will be administered in a manner that complies with all state and federal requirements applicable to each funding opportunity, including, but not limited to GATA, the Uniform Guidance and all applicable State or federal laws or guidance (e.g., Job Training and Economic Development Grant Program, 20 ILCS 605/605-415; U.S. Department of the Treasury guidance at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds).  Grant applicants and Grantees shall review all application materials and grant award documents which will include the specific applicable requirements for the grant opportunity.  The Department reserves the right to suspend or terminate a grant agreement, recoup grant funds received under this Part or withhold any future year funding for non-compliance with the grant agreement provisions.

 

a)         Application Process

 

1)         The Department will post one or more Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on the GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) seeking applications from Eligible Entities contingent upon available funds.  The NOFO will describe in detail the types of projects for which funding is available (see Section 2660.40).  A single NOFO may seek applications from more than one type of project. Applicants shall submit their application materials by the deadlines set by the Department in the NOFO, which will be at least 30 days after the NOFO posting.

 

2)         As part of the application, applicants shall provide the following information about the proposed program:

 

A)        a description of the purpose of the grant program;

 

B)        a discussion of activities and eligible costs;

 

C)        a description of the Eligible Training Providers, including the instructional materials that directly tie to the specific industry sector of the partnership employers;

 

D)        a description of the roles in the program of local businesses, economic development organizations, industry associations, Local Workforce Innovation Boards, private nonprofits or other organizations, including, but not limited to, partnership agreements, assessing skill needs, curriculum development, the provision of training, placement of program completers into jobs, coordinating job retention and follow-up support;

 

E)        a description of who within the Target Population the program is expected to assist (e.g., unemployed, under-employed, or under-represented that have one or more barriers to employment) and how the applicant will determine program participant eligibility;

 

F)         a narrative description of the proposed training program, including, but not limited to, the target industries and occupations, the curriculum and the role of employers in the delivery of training;

 

G)        a description of any technical assistance to be provided by the applicant, if applicable;

 

H)        the specific activities and costs proposed for the grant;

 

I)         projected outcomes from grant activities including, but not limited to, a description of deliverable products, credentials earned, estimated jobs created or placed, wages earned, the number of low-income individuals and numbers by group identified in the Target Population to be trained and the likely effect training will have on their future earnings;

 

J)         a description of the qualifications of key personnel to be assigned to the project;

 

K)        a requested budget and supporting justification of the costs requested;

 

L)        whether the partner employers will provide an in-kind or cash match;

 

M)       a description of the employment barriers and needs of the local residents and how the project will meet these needs;

 

N)        a description of the priority workforce needs of the local industries, how these align with the State's WIOA Unified Plan, the regional and local level plans, the Department's Economic Development Plan and any in-demand industries required by the funding source or as set forth in the NOFO, and how the project will meet these needs; and

 

O)        a timeline for community outreach and enrollment of program participants.

 

3)         Applicants for training grants will be required to submit a work plan that sets forth the proposed roles in the grant program of local employers or industry associations in target industries. The work plan must include a description of the:

 

A)        involvement of local employers in identifying the specific skill needs;

 

B)        involvement of local employers in planning the curricula;

 

C)        use of instructional materials directly used by the local employers in the target industries;

 

D)        local employers' assistance in the training activities (e.g., participate as instructors or use employer equipment and technology); and

 

E)        the local employers' plans for hiring, retention or promotion of program participants, including unemployed and under-employed individuals, after receipt of training through the program.

 

b)         Grant Award Selection

 

1)         Grants will be awarded to Eligible Entities following a merit review of the applications as required by GATA (44 Ill. Adm. 7000.350) and the applicable funding source.  In evaluating applications, the Department will consider the following criteria:

 

A)        The application indicates the project will serve individuals who are within the Target Population;

 

B)        The applicant's grant performance history, including meeting the goals of any previous grants and the level of success in achieving employment, wage, and retention goals;

 

C)        The experience of the Eligible Entities in serving individuals who are in the Target Population;

 

D)        The level of participation of local employers or industry associations in the training partnership and the proposed work plan;

 

E)        The amount of matching funds (either cash or in-kind) provided by the local employers or industry associations;

 

F)         The likelihood that training will result in increased earnings for under-employed or under-represented individuals who are program participants;

 

G)        The likelihood that training will result in the placement of individuals who are in the Target Population into the specific occupations within the target industries and the average wage at placement;

 

H)        The credentials, licenses or certifications training participants will earn and the career pathways facilitating long-term advancement with the employer or within the industry sector a participant will gain;

 

I)         The qualifications of personnel assigned to the proposed project;

 

J)         The quality of the proposed curricula and related materials;

 

K)        The reasonableness of the proposed costs in relation to the number of individuals in the Target Population to be trained; and

 

L)        Any additional information to demonstrate or support the information submitted by the applicant for the proposed project.

 

2)         The Department shall give a priority to projects that include an in-kind match by an employer in partnership with an Eligible Entity and projects that use instructional materials and training instructors directly used in the specific industry sector of the partnership employer. 

 

3)         Participating employers should be active participants in identifying the skills needed for their jobs to ensure the training is appropriate for the Target Population.

 

4)         Eligible Entities shall assess the employment barriers and needs of local residents and work in partnership with designated one-stop operators within the Local Workforce Innovation Areas and local economic development organizations to identify the priority workforce needs of the local industries. These must align with the State's WIOA Unified Plan, the regional and local level plans, the Department's 5-year Economic Plan [20 ILCS 605-415(d)] and any in-demand industries required by the funding source.

 

5)         Eligible Entities shall work with local partners, including, but not limited to, local employers or industry associations in the target industries, Eligible Training Providers and social service and community-based organizations to design programs with maximum benefits to individuals in the local Target Population; and

 

6)         Employers must be involved in identifying specific skill-training needs, planning curriculum, assisting in training activities, providing job opportunities, and coordinating job retention for people hired after training through this program and follow-up support. [20 ILCS 605-415(d)]

 

c)         Grant Disbursements

Disbursement of grant funds from the Department will be made in accordance with a schedule included in the grant agreement. The Department will disburse funds based on the grantee making satisfactory progress to implement grant activities.

 

d)         Grant Performance, Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

Grantees shall comply with all State laws, as well as all GATA and Department requirements, that are set forth in the grant agreement for grant performance, administration, monitoring and reporting, including monitoring any subrecipients.

 

1)         Grant performance goals and performance and expenditure reporting will be based on the specific grant project activities of each grant award and will follow GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.410), which include periodic financial and performance reports at least quarterly, or as required by the applicable funding source, and financial and performance close-out reports after the end of the grant term (see 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.440).  The deadlines for all required reports will be set forth in the grant agreement.

 

2)         Grant audits shall be based on the standards set forth in the GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.90).

 

3)         Grantees must monitor their grant activities, and those of any subrecipients, to assure compliance with applicable State and federal requirements and to assure their performance expectations are being achieved.  The Department will monitor the activities of grantees to assure compliance with all requirements and performance expectations of the award.  Grantees shall timely submit all financial and performance reports, and shall supply, upon the Department's request, documents and information relevant to the award.  The Department may monitor activities through site visits.

 

e)         Grant Extensions

Contingent upon the availability of funds and consistent with GATA as applicable, the Department may negotiate grant extensions and add funds for grant projects that were originally competitively procured and performed successfully. 

 

f)         Records Retention

Grantees shall maintain, for the period of years set forth in the GATA rules (44 Ill. Adm. Code 430(a), (b)) and grant agreement, adequate books, all financial records and supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the Job Training and Economic Development Grant Program. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. The applicable retention period will be dependent on the source of funding for the grant award. Grantees shall be responsible for ensuring that contractors and subrecipients comply with the retention requirements.

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.60 ALLOWABLE COSTS

 

Section 2660.60  Allowable Costs

 

Grant expenditures must comply with GATA, the Uniform Guidance or any applicable funding source, be reasonable and necessary and support one of the allowable grant activities set forth in Section 2660.40. Specific allowable grant costs will be set forth in the applicable NOFO, based on the types of projects which are available for funding per the funding source, and will include one or more of the following:

 

a)         expenses to design training curricula and related materials;

 

b)         expenses to provide industry linked skill training and work-based learning to individuals in the Target Population (e.g., instructor costs and curriculum materials);

 

c)         expenses for the ongoing evaluation and refinement of the curricula and related materials;

 

d)         expenses for the design and implementation of a needs assessment to determine specific skill shortages being experienced by one or more local industries;

 

e)         expenses for the design and implementation of a needs assessment to determine the education and training needs of the Target Population relative to the skill needs of local industries;

 

f)         expenses for the design of curricula and related materials for training programs designed for individuals in the Target Population to prepare them to meet identified skill labor shortages;

 

g)         expenses for the delivery of the industry linked training and work-based learning to unemployed persons and placement of program completers into jobs in the targeted industries;

 

h)         expenses for ongoing coordination of the Eligible Training Partners;

 

i)                   program participant wages;

 

j)          case management activities for program participants, including, one-on-one career planning, staff assistance and career counseling;

 

k)         expenses for technical assistance as set forth in the applicable NOFO;

 

l)          Barrier Reduction Funding and supportive services; 

 

m)        expenses incurred to meet grant administration requirements; and

 

n)         any other costs determined to be reasonable and necessary to carry out the grant program activities as permitted by the applicable NOFO and funding source, and approved by the Department.

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.70 PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY

 

Section 2660.70  Participant Eligibility

 

Eligible participants for training under the Job Training and Economic Development program include individuals in the Target Population as set forth in the applicable NOFO.

TITLE 56: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 2660 JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
SECTION 2660.80 BARRIER REDUCTION FUNDING

 

Section 2660.80  Barrier Reduction Funding

 

The Department may allow costs for Barrier Reduction Funding either through budget line items in the Job Training and Economic Development Grants as set forth in this Part, or through a separate grant award that supports a complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract, as permitted by the applicable funding source.

 

a)         Uses of Funding

Barrier Reduction Funding must be used for services that attempt to reduce employment barriers including, but not limited to, housing-related expenses (rent, utilities, etc.), childcare, digital technology needs, counseling, relief from fines and fees, education needs, and work-related supplies that are not typically covered by programmatic supportive services.  Depending on the applicable funding source, Barrier Reduction Funding may be used in addition to supportive services. If permitted by the funding source, Barrier Reduction Funding may be used to assist individuals who reside in or receive services in a qualified census tract or in a disproportionately impacted area, or who have experienced negative economic or public health impacts (see Section 2660.20) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

b)         Application Process

 

1)         The Department will post one or more NOFOs on the GATA Grantee Portal seeking applications from Eligible Barrier Reduction Funding Recipients contingent upon available funds.  The NOFO will describe in detail the types of projects for which funding is available based on the funding source.  Barrier Reduction Funding may be made available through a NOFO seeking applications for Job Training and Economic Development Grants or through a NOFO seeking requests for a separate grant to support a complementary workforce or job training grant or contract.  A single NOFO may seek applications from more than one type of project. Applicants shall submit their application materials by the deadlines set by the Department, which will be at least 30 days after posting the NOFO.  The Department will set forth in the relevant NOFO, based on the applicable funding source, the specific requirements and allowable costs, including the maximum amount permitted per participant, for Barrier Reduction Funding.

 

2)         All Barrier Reduction Funding requests, whether submitted as part of a budget line item in an application for a Job Training and Economic Development Grant or as a separate grant to supplement a complementary workforce job training grant award or contract, shall follow the application procedures set forth in Section 2660.50, as applicable.

 

3)         In addition to the requirements in Section 2660.50, all applicants for Barrier Reduction Funding will be required to:

 

A)        demonstrate the applicant has established policies for resource and service coordination with appropriate provider organizations;

 

B)        demonstrate there is a need to use Barrier Reduction Funding to assist program participants in a manner related to either a Job Training and Economic Development Grant or a complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract;

 

C)        describe the population of individuals to be served, the region of the State to be served, the types of assistance to be provided to program participants and the estimated total amounts and the amounts to be provided per participant; and

 

D)        describe the anticipated outcomes by using the Barrier Reduction Funding to assist program participants.

 

4)         Applicants requesting Barrier Reduction Funding as a separate grant to support a complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract will be required to submit a copy of such complementary grant agreement or contract either at the time of application or as soon as it is available.

 

c)         Eligible Barrier Reduction Funding Recipients and Program Participants

 

1)         For Barrier Reduction Funding requests submitted as part of a budget line item in an application for a Job Training and Economic Development Grant, eligible applicants shall meet the requirements set forth in Section 2660.30 and eligible program participants shall meet the requirements set forth in Section 2660.70.

 

2)         For Barrier Reduction Funding requested to supplement a complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract, eligible Barrier Reduction Funding recipients must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 2660.30 and the eligible program participants must meet the requirements set forth in Section 2660.70.  In addition, eligible Barrier Reduction Funding recipients and program participants must meet the requirements of the applicable complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract, demonstrated by receipt of the complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract.

 

d)         Barrier Reduction Funding Issuance and Administrative Procedures

 

1)         Barrier Reduction Funding requests submitted as part of a budget line item in an application for a Job Training and Economic Development Grant, will follow the grant selection and administrative procedures set forth in Section 2660.50.

 

2)         Barrier Reduction Funding requested as a separate grant to support a complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract shall follow the award issuance and other administrative procedures set forth in Section 2660.50 and in the relevant NOFO or request for proposal for the complementary workforce or job training grant award or contract.