2013 farmworker housing grant planning

Accessible letter PDF: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEGL/2013/TEGL_19_12_Acc.pdf

CLASSIFICATION
   EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION                  OWI
               ADVISORY SYSTEM                             CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
          U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR                         NFJP
             Washington, D.C. 20210                        DATE
                                                            March 25, 2013


ADVISORY:       TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 19-12

TO:             NATIONAL FARMWORKER JOBS PROGRAM GRANTEES

FROM:           JANE OATES /s/
                Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT:        Program Year 2013 Planning Guidance and Grants Competition Waiver for
                National Farmworker Jobs Program Housing Grantees

1. Purpose. To inform National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) housing grantees of the
   waiver of the biennial grants competition and to convey planning guidance for Program Year
   (PY) 2013.

2. References.
   • Section 167 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), as amended (Pub. L. 105-
      220); and
   • 20 CFR Part 669.

3. Background. WIA generally requires the Department of Labor (Department) to conduct a
   grants competition every 2 years to select entities to operate the NFJP. However, WIA
   section 167(c)(4)(B) provides authority for the Secretary of Labor to waive the grant
   competition once during a 4-year period if a recipient of a grant has performed satisfactorily
   under the terms of the grant agreement. Pursuant to this authority, based on quarterly grantee
   reports, the Department has determined that all NFJP housing grantees are performing
   satisfactorily, and we are exercising the option to waive the biennial grants competition for
   NFJP housing assistance for PY 2013. All NFJP housing grantees must submit a grant plan
   in accordance with this guidance in order to receive grant funds for PY 2013.

4. Grant Plan Requirements. To receive PY 2013 funds, grantees must submit a grant plan
   and have that plan approved by ETA. The grant plan must contain the following:

   A. Standard Form (SF) 424, “Application for Federal Assistance.” The SF-424 must
      clearly identify the grantee, be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant
      agreement, and include the grantee’s Data Universal Numbering System number.

   B. SF-424A Budget Information Form and Budget Narrative. Grantees must include a
      SF-424A and a concise narrative explanation to support the funding.


 RESCISSIONS                                               EXPIRATION DATE
 None                                                      June 30, 2014

C. Abstract. Grantees must include a one-to-two page summary description of the grant
   plan, including the grantee name, identification of the service delivery area, the program
   strategies, and grant outcomes.

D. Grant Plan Narrative. The grant plan narrative must include the following elements:

   i. Housing Analysis.
      • Describe the housing market in the service delivery area.
      • Explain the housing needs of the migrant and seasonal farmworker (MSFW)
         population in the service area, including the challenges faced by MSFWs in
         accessing the housing market.

   ii. Program Activities.
       • Provide a detailed description of the housing assistance activities to be undertaken
          and the strategies to be pursued in PY 2013. Grantees that provide both
          permanent and temporary housing assistance must provide separate descriptions
          for each type of assistance.
       • Describe the strategies for identifying and conducting outreach to eligible
          farmworkers with housing needs, including farmworkers eligible for the NFJP.
       • Describe how the program activities support MSFWs to obtain and retain
          employment or participate in training or other activities that lead to improved
          economic outcomes.

   iii. Partnership Strategies.
        • Outline the housing assistance resources available from state and local agencies,
           faith-based and community organizations, employers, and other entities in the
           service area.
        • Describe how the grantee will work with partner organizations to integrate its
           housing services with those already available in the service area, and to increase
           the quality and quantity of housing available to MSFWs and optimize the
           program’s resources.

   iv. Outcomes.
       • Describe the outcomes to be achieved through the grant in PY 2013.
       • Provide an estimate of the number of farmworkers to be assisted during the year.

E. Timeline. Grantees must include a timeline for the entirety of PY 2013 that clearly
   depicts, by month and/or quarter, the start and end dates for the milestones inherent in the
   activities described in the grant plan narrative.

F. Organizational Chart. Grantees must attach an organizational chart that identifies all the
   positions that would be funded, in full or in part, by the NFJP grant award, the salary
   levels of those positions, and the expected time commitment of each position to NFJP.


5. Formula Allocations. Once Congress passes the Fiscal Year 2013 Department of Labor
   Appropriations Act, the Department will notify the NFJP grantees of the PY 2013 formula
   allocation for their service delivery area, and provide additional instructions if needed. In the
   interim, grantees should use their PY 2012 formula allocation as a guide in developing their
   grant plans.

6. Submission Requirements. Grantees must prepare the PY 2013 grant plan in accordance
   with the guidance above and submit the plan to ETA no later than May 3, 2013. Grant plans
   must be submitted electronically to the NFJP program e-mail address – [email protected] –
   with an electronic “cc” to the appropriate regional Federal Project Officer.

7. Inquiries. Questions regarding this planning guidance should be addressed to the
   appropriate regional Federal Project Officer.