National Emergency Grants Frequently Answered Questions
Categories of Questions:
I. General Application Questions
Question: Who, from the state and local level, is authorized to apply for a NEG?
Answer: States may apply for all types of NEGs. State and local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) generally apply for NEGs on behalf of a (1) businesses, (2) group of businesses and/or (3) group of individuals.
Question: What is a Workforce Investment Board (WIB)?
Answer: A WIB is a state and local policy board appointed by the Lead Elected Official (LEO) of a state (the Governor) or community (the Mayor) to oversee Workforce Investment Act (WIA) activities and to manage WIA funds (formula and NEG/ARRA).
Question: Can individual businesses or groups of business apply for a NEG - or do they have to go through someone else?
Answer: Under WIA, they must go though a state or local WIB to apply. Once it is determined that they are eligible for a NEG they work with their Regional DOL office to receive funding and to perform follow up activities.
In addition, under ARRA, such non-traditional groups as Native Americans, farm workers etc may apply directly for a NEG; or WIBs may apply on behalf of others who might not otherwise be eligible (i.e. self-employed individuals and/or public employees). These groups are no longer eligible after June 30, 2010.
Question: Are Community impact projects (under Regular NEGs) ever urban (not rural)?
Answer: They are most often rural. However, they can be urban, depending on the secondary effects of significant economic events in their area.
Question: For multi-state areas (e.g. NH/ME, IA/IL) does the grant application have to include a breakdown of how much each state is requesting or just an overall amount?
Answer: The application has to include the overall amount and generally also a breakdown of funds for each state. It is necessary to identify a representative state as applicant and should address the role of the two states and how they will work together to implement regional economic development planning strategies and specifically how the Project Operator intends to offer the same services in different areas.
II. Application Review
Question: How are applications reviewed?
Answer: To be considered for funding, an application must demonstrate that the proposed project meets the purpose of and is consistent with the Act and Regulations and provides all of the information required by these guidelines. Applications that are not completely in accordance with the requirements or do not contain all required submission forms will not be considered as submitted and will not be evaluated for funding until all required information and documentation is provided. Complete applications will be evaluated for responsiveness to the criteria identified in this part. Just as with the submission requirements, the criteria are generally similar for each type of NEG project but there are variations.
III. Services that can be Provided
Question: Under Disaster grants: What type of workforce development services are available “to enable those participants who are enrolled in the projects to return to the workforce in high growth, high demand occupations as identified by the LWIB?
Answer: All “core” services (those available to all adults with NO eligibility requirements) and “intensive” services (those for unemployed individuals who are not able to find jobs through core services alone and/or employed workers who need more help to find or keep a job) under WIA.
Core services include:- Job search and placement assistance (including career counseling);
- Labor market information (identifies job vacancies, skills needed for in-demand jobs, and local, regional and national employment trends);
- Initial assessment of skills and needs;
- Information about available services; and
- Some follow-up service to help customer keep their jobs once placed.
Intensive services always include:
- More comprehensive assessments;
- Development of individual employment plans;
- Group and individual counseling;
- Case management; and
- Short-term pre-vocational services.
Intensive services MAY also include (in cases where qualified customer received intensive services and were still unable to find jobs):
- Training services directly linked to job opportunities in their local area, which may include:
- Occupational skills training;
- On-the-job training;
- Entrepreneurial training;
- Skill upgrading;
- Job readiness training; and
- Adult education and literacy activities in conjunction with other training.
IV. Funding
Question: How are NEGs Funded?
Answer: Applications for NEG funds can be funded in whole or in part. Applicants should assume that all NEGs will be funded incrementally. In addition, applicants may submit a request for NEG funding on an emergency basis. The conditions associated with each of these are described in the following sections.
