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ETA News Release: [04/07/2004]
Contact Name: Ed Frank
Phone Number: (202) 693-4658

Labor Department Announces $6.5 Million in Available Grants

Faith- and Community-Based Organizations and Local Workforce Investment Boards Are Eligible

WASHINGTON—The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives announced two new grant opportunities to support and strengthen the unique work of grassroots organizations that assist hard-to-serve populations.

Small, faith-based and community organizations will be eligible for $1 million, while an additional $5.5 million will be available for local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) that partner with these grassroots organizations.

“We hope that small faith-based and community organizations and workforce investment boards will take advantage of this new opportunity to help their neighbors enter, succeed and thrive in the workforce,” said Brent Orrell, director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. “The grant opportunities announced today represent the culmination of two years of grant and pilot programs. We’ve taken what we’ve learned and applied that knowledge to this third round of grants for grassroots organizations and new grants for WIBs.”

“These grants of $6.5 million will foster partnerships that connect hard-to-serve populations, including welfare recipients, high school dropouts and returning ex-offenders, with the many employment and training resources available through local One-Stop Career Centers,” said Emily Stover DeRocco, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. “Working together, workforce investment boards and neighborhood organizations can reach into local communities to unemployed and underemployed workers who might otherwise fall through the cracks.”

Complete details, application instructions, funding ranges, and evaluation criteria for each competition, may be found in the April 6 Federal Register. The application deadline for Workforce Investment Boards is May 6; the application deadline for grassroots organizations is May 7. “Questions and Answers” regarding these competitions will be posted at www.doleta.gov/usworkforce between April 7 and May 5.

The Employment and Training Administration and the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives are part of the U.S. Department of Labor.

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