To increase the long-term employment of youth who livein
empowerment zones, enterprise communities, and high poverty areas. Youth
Opportunity Grants concentrate extensive resources in high- poverty areas in
order to bring about community-wide impact on: Employment rates, high school
completion rates, and college enrollment rates.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Title I, Sections 169 and 129 of WIA authorize the use
of Youth Opportunity Grant funds to provide eligible youth seeking assistance
in achieving academic and employment success, comprehensive activities, which
will include a variety of options for improving educational and skill
competencies and provide effective connections to employers; ongoing mentoring
opportunities; training opportunities; continued support services for eligible
youth; incentives for recognition and achievement to eligible youth; and youth
development opportunities in activities related to leadership, development,
decision making, citizenship, community service, and recreation. The Act also
authorizes the use of funds for intensive placement services and follow up
services for not less than 24 months after the completion of participation in
the other. The restrictions described in Section 181 of the Workforce
Investment Act and in 20 CFR 667.260 through 667.268 of the WIA regulations
apply to the use of these grant funds.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Under
Title I, Sections 169 of WIA, a local workforce investment board or entity is
eligible to receive a grant. An eligible local board shall serve a community
that: (1) Has been designated as an empowerment zone or enterprise community;
(2) is a State without a zone and has been designated as a high poverty area
by the Governor; or (3) is one of two areas in a State that (a) have been
designated by the Governor as areas for which a local board may apply for a
grant and (b) meet the poverty rate criteria set forth in subsections (a)(4),
(b), and (d) of Section 1392 of the Internal Revenue code of 1986. An eligible
entity shall (1) be a recipient of financial assistance under section 166 of
WIA; and (2) serve a community that (a) meets the poverty rate criteria set
forth in subsections (a)(4), (b), and (d) of Section 1392 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986; and (b) is located on an Indian reservation or serves
Oklahoma Indians or Alaska Native villages or Native groups.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
Youth eligible to be served by the grant must be 14 to 21 years of age; reside
in the target area; be legal U.S. residents; and males age 18 and above must
be registered as required under the Selective Service Act. Youth residing in
the target community are eligible to be served by these grants regardless of
family income.
Pre-application Coordination:
The U.S. Department of Labor hosted a series of five Technical Assistance
Conferences to assist potential Youth Opportunity Grant applicants in
developing quality grant proposals. These one-day sessions will provide
information clearly explaining the Youth Opportunity Grants' application
process and requirements. Conference dates and locations were as follows: June
15, 1999 -- Washington, D.C.; June 16, 1999 -- Chicago, IL; June 23, 1999 - -
Denver, CO; June 24, 1999 -- Los Angeles, CA; June 29, 1999 -- Atlanta,GA.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: A
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
for the Youth Opportunity Grant, Billing Code: 4510-30, was issued June 2,
1999. The closing date for receipt of applications is September 30, 1999, by
4:00 p.m. eastern standard time. Applications were to be mailed or
hand-delivered to: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Yvonne Harrell,
Reference: SGA/DFA 99-015, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4203,
Washington, DC 20210.
Award Procedure: The award
procedure for this competitive grant competition is outlined in Notice of
Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA), Billing
Code: 4510-30. The SGA may be viewed at - http://www.wdsc.org/sga/99grants.htm.
Deadlines: The closing date
for receipt of applications was September 30, 1999, by 4:00 p.m. eastern
standard time.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
The award procedure for this competitive grant competition is outlined in
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA),
Billing Code: 4510- 30. The SGA may be viewed at http://www.wdsc.org/sga/99grants.htm.
Appeals: Contact
Headquarters Office listed below to obtain information on appeal procedures.
Renewals: None.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
There are no matching requirements for the Youth Opportunity Grant program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
FY 03 represents the last year of funding for the grants. Initially, after the
first year of funding, Youth Opportunity Grant recipients were to receive up
to four additional option years of funding depending on availability of funds
and satisfactory progress. If the grants were extended for additional years,
DOL expected the second-year funds would equal the initial year grant award,
that the third and fourth year would be 75 percent of the initial grant award,
and that the fifth year would be 50 percent of the initial grant award. FY 03
funding represents 17 percent of the initial grant awards.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Reporting
requirements as specified by the Secretary in accordance with Federal Register
20 CFR 667.300, WIA; Final Rules dated August 11, 2000.
Audits: Audits of the
Workforce Investment Areas will be conducted in accordance with Federal
Register 20 CFR 667.200, WIA; Final Rules dated August 11, 2000.
Records: Grant recipients
are required to maintain records in accordance with Federal Register 29 CFR 95
and 97, WIA; Final Rules dated August 11, 2000.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
16-0174-0-1-504.
Obligations: Program
operates on a Program Year (PY) beginning July and ending June 30. (Youth
Opportunity Grants) PY 01 $250,000,000; PY 02 est $225,000,000; PY 03 est
$44,500,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
The Youth Opportunity Grants were awarded in the spring of 2000 with first
year funding levels ranging up to $11 million for the largest communities.
PY 01-58,000 youth served; PY 02-53,000 youth can be
served; PY 03-maintain current service levels and continue sustainability
efforts for the program once federal funding ceases after fiscal year 2003,
which represents the last year of funding for these grants.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
The restrictions described at Section 181 of the
Workforce Investment Act and at 20 CFR 667.260 through 667.268 of the WIA
regulations apply to the use of these grant funds.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office:
None.
Headquarters Office: David
Lah, Office of Youth Opportunities, Employment and Training Administration,
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., N-4459, Washington, DC
20210. Contact: 202-693-3604.
Web Site Address: http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/opportunities.asp
