Practices for Meeting Workforce Challenges through Faith-Based and Community Partnerships

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The "promising practices" listed below are basic practices that are being utilized by local areas, states and the U.S. Department of Labor to facilitate new partnerships with faith-based and community service providers.  The state and local workforce systems that are implementing these practices are doing so because these relationships, even when not funded, improve the effectiveness of the workforce system and its ability to serve people facing barriers to employment.

Promising Practices

1. "Access Points"

   Train FBCOs in targeted communities or neighborhoods to help customers look for jobs and prepare for employment using your Web-based tools, including job matching, and training the FBCOs that house Access Points to make appropriate referrals to the One-Stop and other providers.  Find out more…

2. Using FBCOs’ Strengths to Better Serve Target Population (Out-of-School Youth, Homeless, Ex-Offenders, Limited-English Proficiency, etc.)

   Research on the 2004 Workforce Board Grant Pilot program shows that workforce system leaders can draw on FBCOs’ strengths and capacities to reach and engage underserved populations and to prepare them to be successful at work and at educational/training opportunities.  Many small- and medium-sized FBCOs can accomplish impressive results with relatively small amounts of money and technical assistance. The Department created two pilot grants that can be replicated and adapted by local areas in order utilize the ability of FBCOs to make the One-Stop system more effective with “hard-to-serve” populations.  Find out more…

3. Building Networks of FBCOs for Improving Services and Mutual Referrals

   Through Project Reach-Out, Seedco has been working with five local Workforce Areas to build networks of FBCOs to increase effectiveness and performance in key areas. Find out more…

4. Outreach Strategies

   Whatever the nature and demographics of your workforce area, there are grassroots faith-based and community organizations who are making a difference. Find out more about outreach strategies to non-traditional partners…

5. Practices for Creating an Inclusive Competitive Process

   Building an inclusive, truly competitive grants process can result in accessing a broader pool of potential partners, each offering its own unique capabilities.  Find out more…

6. Sample Contracts/Templates

   In developing their programs, FBCOs and WIBs have created materials to smooth the interactions between their organizations, businesses, and government. These samples and templates are available for your use. Find out more...

7. Web-based Resource Directory

   Web-based Resource Directory — Help One-Stop job counselors meet all their customers' needs by developing and integrating a reliable, Web-based, resource directory into service delivery that includes grassroots faith-based and community providers, as well as government and larger social service agencies. Find out more...