Partnership seeks 4 to 7 local Community Action Agencies
for “Pathways Out of Poverty” grant application
to U.S. Department of Labor

Check out the DOL funding announcement

Does your Community Action Agency provide employment, training, and job referral & placement services to low-income and other populations such as unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, and disadvantaged individuals living in areas of high poverty?

Does your CAA have interest and experience with green jobs, working with your local Workforce Investment Board, labor organizations, and education & training system?

If your answer to the questions above is “yes,” then the Partnership wants you to know that it will be applying for one of the “national entity” grants under the U. S. Department of Labor’s “Pathways Out of Poverty” initiative. The Partnership is looking for four to seven local CAA sub-grantees (in a minimum of four states). This is a competitive grant process; we already have an agreement to partner with the National Association of Workforce Boards. The grant period is 24 months from the time of the grant award. DOL anticipates multiple awards and again, this is a competitive grant process. DOL will award $3 million to $8 million for each of the national entity grants. Our application will be submitted by the September 29th due date.

If you read the first 5-6 pages of this funding announcement, you’ll get enough of a sense as to whether this is a good fit for you and your CAA. If you want to be considered as one of our potential local partners, please e-mail dmathis@communityactionpartnership.com your interest with brief descriptions of the following points:

• Your CAA’s experience/capacity with employment & training services, especially in relation to your local WIB/WIA and with local businesses, organized labor, and other job training/educational institutions, e.g. community colleges, school systems, remedial/life skills providers.
• Your CAA’s interest/ experience with green jobs, weatherization, other retrofitting, energy education and conservation.
• The extent & level of poverty, unemployment, economic hardship (some current, specific facts, indicators, please) of your service area.
• Your point of contact for us to follow up with ASAP.
• Any other information about your CAA that you think would make your CAA a great partner in this project.

If you want to be considered, I need to receive your e-mail by Friday, August 21, 2009. Thank you for considering this invitation. DOL’s “Pathways Out of Poverty” could be an incredible opportunity for our Community Action Movement.

---- Don Mathis, President & CEO, Community Action Partnership

The funding announcement can be found at: http://www.managingmymoney.com/eNews/fed-reg.pdf