Recovery Act: Grants Policy Committee Announces April 21 Webcast
The Grants Policy Committee (GPC) of the U.S. Chief Financial Officers Council will hold an April 21, 2009 webcast (2:00 to 3:30 EDT)

Relevant meeting materials will be posted on http://www.GPC.go in advance of the meeting.

This Webcast will serve several purposes:

• to update the public on the latest news of the GPC

• to discuss topics related to electronic data in the grants community and OMB's latest implementation guidelines regarding the Recovery Act

• to provide an overview of how Research.gov is implementing new government-wide post-award reporting standards including the Federal Financial Report (FFR) and the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR).

Webcast materials including the agenda, webcast meeting slides, and feedback form are posted at http://www.GPC.gov on the Webcasts and Outreach page.

Click here for full background, contact information, and instructions for "in-person" attendance (event will be held at HUD).

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Partners Announce April 22-24 Conference on Innovation and Community Development
The Community Development Office of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has announced Exploring Innovation: A Conference on Community Development - Innovation in Changing Times in St. Louis, April 22-24. The conference is sponsored in partnership with CFED, Enterprise Community Partners, NeighborWorks America, Opportunity Finance Network and Social Compact. Sessions will focus on creating sustainable economic opportunities during these challenging economic times.

Conference website

New National Survey Details Plus 50 Programs at Community Colleges; Study Finds Colleges Re-tooling Programs and Services for Adult Learners
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) reports:

"Move over 18-year-old high school students. There's a new student on campus, and she might be your mom. A new survey by the Plus 50 Initiative at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) finds that community colleges are reaching out to students over the age of 50 and planning to expand programs for them. Eighty-four percent of the 204 community colleges participating in the survey reported that their institutions offer programs for students over the age of 50. Ninety-three percent of these colleges perceive a demand for this type of programming - predominantly from people age 50 and up in their community, but from business and community organizations as well. Many community colleges reported that they plan to expand their offerings for plus 50 students. Seventy percent of colleges offering enrichment courses for plus 50 students said that they plan to expand their offerings. Half of the 14 percent that do not currently have enrichment offerings for baby boomers plan to add them in the future."

News Release

Plus 50 Initiative Report

Executive Summary

Cooperative Statistical Programs: BLS Seeks Comment on Proposed Extension of "General Inquiries to State Agency Contacts"
BLS/State Labor Market Information and Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Cooperative Statistical Programs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)is seeking public comment on the proposed extension of a current information collection -- General Inquiries to State Agency Contacts.

BLS notes:

To ensure the timely flow of data and to be able to evaluate and improve the programs, it is necessary to conduct ongoing communications between the BLS and its State partners. Whether information requests deal with program deliverables, program enhancements, or administrative issues, questions and dialogue are crucial to the successful implementation of these programs.

Comments are due by May 26, 2009.

The March 24, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background and instructions for the submission of comments. The notice also contains the burden hour estimates.

Unemployment Insurance: ETA Proposes Extension of Claims and Payment Activities Report; Seeks Comments by May 18
The Employment and Training Administration is proposing the extension of the Claims and Payment Activities report (ETA 5159).

The ETA 5159 report contains information on Unemployment Insurance claims activities including the number of initial claims, first payments, weeks claimed, weeks compensated, benefit payments and final payments.

These data are used in budgetary and administrative planning, program evaluation, actuarial and program research, and reports to Congress and the public.

The March 17, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background and instructions for obtaining the information collection as well as for submitting comments.

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Department Seeks Public Comment on Enrollment Forms and Survey Forms under the Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN)
The Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN) is a nationwide service designed to provide employers with a technical, educational, and informational resource to simplify and encourage the hiring of qualified workers. Historically, disability programs required employers to do much of the work in the finding and hiring of people with disabilities. The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the Department of Labor has designed EARN to alleviate these barriers and do much of the work for the employer.

EARN is a service from the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the Department of Labor. This referral service links employers with providers who refer appropriate candidates with disabilities. The service is provided by means of a nationwide toll-free Call Center.

ODEP is currently seeking comments on a proposed information collection consisting of an EARN Provider Enrollment Form, EARN Employer Enrollment Form, EARN Employer Survey and EARN Provider Survey.

The enrollment forms (Employer Enrollment and Provider Enrollment) will be used to enroll provider and employers who wish to participate and use this service. The surveys (Employer Survey and Provider Survey) will collect quantitative data on participants' levels of satisfaction with individual service elements and their satisfaction with the service as a whole. The surveys will also solicit free-text comments from participants regarding the service.

The March 17, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background, furnishes contact information for obtaining the collection and submitting comments, summarizes the burden hour estimates, and describes the desired focus for public comments. Comments are due by May 18, 2009.

Business Roundtable Announces Launch of "The Springboard Project"; Holds First Meeting on March 13
The Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. corporations, announced the launch of The Springboard Project - an independent commission "that will develop innovative approaches to help American workers acquire the new skills and the education needed to thrive in the 21st century's evolving labor market." The commission, which will bring together a diverse group of education and business leaders, labor experts, union chiefs, academics, foundation heads and government representatives, is holding its first meeting today (March 13) in Washington, D.C.

Springboard Project Website

HHS/ACF Seeks Comment on the Annual Survey of Refugees
The Administration for Children and Families is currently seeking comments on the "Annual Survey of Refugees." This survey collects information on the social and economic circumstances of a random sample of refugees, Amerasians, and entrants who arrived in the United States in the five years prior to the date of the survey. The survey focuses on the refugees training, labor force participation, and welfare utilization rates. Dates are segmented by region of origin, State of resettlement,and number of months since arrival.

From the responses, the Office of Refugee Resettlement reports on the economic adjustment of refugees to the American economy. These data are used by Congress in its annual deliberations or refugee admissions and funding and by program managers in formulating policies for the future direction of the Refugee Resettlement Program.

The March 12, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background and instructions for obtaining and submitting comments. Comments are due by May 11, 2009

Refugee Resettlement Mapping Tool

NAWB Forum: Access Available to Session Presentations
The National Association of State Workforce Boards (NAWB) held its annual Forum in Washington, D.C. on March 7 - 10. Many of the presentations from the workshops and clinics held at the Forum are now available on NAWB's website

Family Literacy: Department of Education Announces Funding Opportunity
The William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Programs (Even Start), including the grants for Indian tribes and Tribal organizations, are intended to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving the educational opportunities of low-income families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program.

These programs are implemented through cooperative activities that: Build on high-quality existing community resources to create a new range of educational services; promote the academic achievement of children and adults; assist children and adults from low-income families in achieving challenging State content and student achievement standards; and use instructional programs based on scientifically based reading research and addressing the prevention of reading difficulties for children and adults, to the extent such research is available.

The Department of Education has announced that $831,470 of FY 2008 funds are available for new awards in FY 2009.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, the Department may make additional awards later in FY 2009 or in FY 2010 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000 - $250,000 per year
Estimated Number of Awards: 3-5

Applications are due by May 4, 2009

Please click here for application requirements and priorities.

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Community Economic Development Projects: HHS/ACF/OCS Announces Potential Funding Opportunity for CDCs to Assist Low-Income Individuals
The purpose of the Community Economic Development Projects (CED) program is to provide technical and financial assistance for community economic development activities designed to address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families through the creation of employment and business opportunities in low-income communities. The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Community Services seeks to fund projects that implement strategies for fostering self-sufficiency for low-income families and achieving sustained employment opportunities in low-income communities. The program further aims to contribute to community revitalization.

The CED program provides funding for projects located in geographic areas with a demonstrated need for the proposed project. To accomplish this, the program requires that all businesses and jobs created must be located within a service area with unemployment and poverty rates that are at or above the state or national levels. The program also seeks to fund projects that address the personal and community barriers that must be overcome to help low-income individuals become self-sufficient.

The CED program provides grants to support business start-ups or business expansions. In either case, the program's objective is to support businesses that develop new products, services, and other commercial activities that result in the creation of new jobs for low-income individuals within a low-income service area.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, OCS will award CED discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations (CDCs) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development in low-income communities. The grants will be made as part of a broader strategy to address objectives such as arresting tendencies toward financial dependency, chronic unemployment, and community deterioration in urban and rural areas.

These grants are intended to help CDCs, alone or in partnership with third-party partners, create business development and expansion opportunities that will address the economic needs of low-income individuals through the creation of employment and business opportunities in low-income communities. Grantees must recruit low-income individuals to fill the positions, offer support to help those individuals successfully hold those jobs, and ensure that the businesses and the jobs created remain viable for at least two years after the end of the grant period. For CED grants, low-income individuals are defined as those living in households with incomes at or below 125 percent of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Guidelines on Poverty, found at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtm.

In FY 2009, OCS has a specific interest in funding strong projects that will create jobs in high growth sectors, or that operate in states that currently receive no CED or Job Opportunities for Low-income Individuals (JOLI) funding.

Click here for the funding announcement and application requirements.

NAM and the Manufacturing Institute Announce Launch of Manufacturing Skills Certification System
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and The Manufacturing Institute have launched a new NAM-endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System that "will revolutionize education and training for the 21st century manufacturing workforce," according to NAM President and CEO John Engler.

The NAM system will initially focus on the core, basic skills required for entry-level workers in all sectors of manufacturing, from alternative energy and computers to aerospace and life-saving pharmaceuticals. The core skills include personal effectiveness competencies such as willingness to learn and dependability; academic competencies such as applied science and presentation skills; workplace competencies such as teamwork and applied technology; and industry-wide technical competencies such as supply chain logistics and health & safety.

News Release / Listing of Partners

Additional information the Skills Certification

Also see:

Competency Model Clearinghouse: Advanced Manufacturing

Capital Magnet Fund Supports Housing, Community Service Facilities, and Workforce Development Centers for Low Income and Underserved Rural Areas; Treasury Seeks Comments on Implementation
The Capital Magnet Fund was established through the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which added Section 1339 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992.

Through the Capital Magnet Fund, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI) Fund will carry out a competitive grant program for CDFIs and nonprofit organizations (if one of their principal purposes is the development or management of affordable housing) to attract private capital for and increase investment in the development, preservation, rehabilitation, and purchase of affordable housing for primarily extremely low-, very low-, and low-income families; and economic development activities or community service facilities (such as day care centers, workforce development centers, and health care clinics) which in conjunction with affordable housing activities will implement a concerted strategy to stabilize or revitalize a low-income area or underserved rural area.

The CDFI Fund announced on March 6, 2009 that it is inviting comments and suggestions germane to the mission, purpose, and implementation of the Capital Magnet Fund. The CDFI Fund is particularly interested in comments in the following areas:

• Eligible Use of Funds
• Eligible Grantees
• Applications
• Geographic Diversity
• Leverage of Funds
• Accountability of Recipients and Grantees

Click here for the full background and instructions for the submission of comments. Comments are due by May 9, 2009

BLS Seeks Comment on the Reinstatement of the Veterans Supplement to the CPS
The Bureau of Labor Statistics if seeking Office of Management and Budget clearance for the Veterans Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS). BLS notes:

A reinstatement of this previously approved collection for which approval has expired is needed to provide the Nation with timely information about the labor force status of veterans with a service-connected disability, combat veterans, past or present National Guard and Reserve members, and recently discharged veterans.

...The data collected through this supplement will be used by the Veterans Employment and Training Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine policies that better meet the needs of our Nation's veteran population.

The March 6, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background, furnishes the contact information for obtaining the information collection package and submitting comments, and summarizes the burden hour estimates.

ARRA: FTA Publishes Implementation of the Transit Formula Related Provisions
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA)has published the implementation of the transit formula program related provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and provides program and grant application requirements for these funds. ARRA reserves $8.4 billion for transit capital improvements.

FTA notes:

The March 5, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER announcement "does several things:

First, it provides a summary of ARRA as it relates to public transportation programs. Second, the notice discusses in detail the FTA programs funded by the ARRA, including specific dollar amounts made available under ARRA for each program and program requirements for eligible projects. Third, the notice includes policies and requirements that apply to the ARRA funds, including general reporting requirements and specific application requirements for the different formula programs. Fourth, the notice includes tables that apportion funds distributed by formula. It does not allocate funds to New/Small Starts projects under the Capital Investment Grants program or make discretionary allocations for the transit energy program or the tribal transit program. FTA will issue subsequent notices addressing these programs. Finally, we include three ppendices covering application instructions, Questions and Answers, and contact information for our regional and metropolitan offices."

Complete grant applications must be submitted by July 1, 2009. FTA must reallocate certain unobligated funds by September 1, 2009.

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FTA Adopts New Policy on Reporting of Coordinated Human Services Transportation Data
The Federal Transit Administration proposed a new policy on the reporting of coordinated human services transportation data to the National Transit Database (NTD) on August 12, 2008.

FTA reported today that it received two comments in response and is "now formally adopting the new policy."

The March 4, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER contains the policy.

GAO Issues "Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Developing and Managing Capital Program Costs"; Manual Designed to Assist Federal, State and Local Government Agencies
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued its first-ever manual to help federal, state, or local government agencies develop more reliable cost estimates for government projects of all sizes.

The Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Developing and Managing Capital Program Costs applies to civilian and defense projects managed by government entities or private contractors.

Developed with input from industry experts as well as federal officials, the 436-page Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide lays out a multi-step process for developing high-quality, trustworthy cost estimates; explains how to manage program costs once a contract has been awarded; and presents 48 case studies, drawn from GAO published audits, that illustrate typical pitfalls and successes in cost estimating. The guide stresses both sound cost estimating and earned value management (EVM), a project management tool that compares completed work to expected outcomes, in setting realistic program baselines and managing risk. In future audits, GAO plans to use the Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide to assess the accuracy of agencies' cost estimates and determine whether programs are on schedule.

GAO Testimony/Report on WIA Implementation

Workforce Investment Act:
Labor Has Made Progress in Addressing Areas of Concern, but More Focus Needed on Understanding What Works and What Doesn't

Summary

Since the Workforce Investment Act's (WIA) enactment in 1998, the General Accountability Office (GAO) has issued numerous reports that included recommendations regarding many aspects of WIA. These aspects include performance measures and accountability, funding formulas and spending, one-stop centers, and training, as well as services provided to specific populations, such as dislocated workers, youth, and employers. Collectively, GAO studies employed an array of data collection techniques, including surveys to state and local workforce officials and private sector employers; site visits; interviews with local, state, and Department of Labor (Labor) officials; and analyses of Labor data and documents. This testimony draws upon the results of these reports, issued between 2002 and 2008, and discusses issues raised and recommendations made. Specifically, this testimony addresses (1) progress made by Labor in addressing areas of concern, particularly related to GAO recommendations for action, and (2) what steps Labor has taken to ensure an understanding of what works and for whom in addressing the needs of workers and employers.

More from the February 26, 2009 Summary ...

Report Highlights

Full Report

ETA-Related GAO Reports

NASWA Mid-Winter Policy Forum Presentations
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies held its Winter Policy Forum (WPF) in Washington, D.C during the week of February 16, 2009. The WPF offers an opportunity for state administrators to gather, discuss the current legislative climate, meet with their lawmakers and share innovative ideas, policies, and proven practices that can be used to improve services in the states.

NASWA has now made many of the presentations at the Forum available on-line.

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