Prisoner Reentry (17.270)

Program

17.270 Prisoner Reentry

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Labor
Office: Employment Training Administration

Authorization

Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Title I, Part Subtitle D, Section 171, Public Law 105-220, U.S.C 171.

Program Number

17.270

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

This program includes both Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI) grants to serve adult returning offenders and Youthful Offender grants aimed at youth involved or at risk of involvement in crime and violence. The objectives of the PRI grants include increasing the employment rate, employment retention rate, and earnings of released prisoners, and decreasing their recidivism. The objectives of the Youthful Offender grants include preventing in-school youth from dropping out of school, increasing the employment rate of out-of-school youth, increasing the reading and math skills of youth, reducing the involvement of youth in crime and violence, and reducing the recidivism rate of youth.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Services under the PRI grants include assistance in finding employment, mentoring, job training, remedial education, and other comprehensive transitional services. Services under the Youthful Offender grants include a wide array of educational, employment, mentoring, case management, and violence reduction efforts. Restrictions for specific projects are listed in grant announcements. One hundred percent of these funds are set aside for discretionary activities to be distributed almost exclusively through competitive procurements.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible applicants for PRI grants are faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) that are located in, or have a staff presence in, the urban community being served. Eligible applicants for Youthful Offenders vary depending on the solicitation, but have included community-based organizations, school districts, and juvenile justice agencies.

Beneficiary Eligibility

PRI grants serve individuals, 18 years old and older, who have been convicted as an adult and have been imprisoned for violating a state or federal law, and who have never been committed a sex-related offense. Depending on the solicitation, enrollment may be limited based on whether the presenting offense was violent or whether the individual has previously committed a violent crime. Individuals eligible for Youthful Offender grants vary depending on the solicitation.

Credentials/Documentation

Non-governmental entities ordinarily must furnish documentary evidence of adequate financial controls. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Grants for projects are awarded on a competitive basis, announced in Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGAs) in the Federal Register and also on ETA's Web site at http://www.doleta.gov. To compete for a grant, organizations develop a proposal and budget that demonstrate how the organization will provide services to a targeted population. The SGA provides all of the necessary information for applying for Federal assistance. Please note that competitions for PRI and Youth Offender grants do not necessarily occur every year, depending on availability of funds and the extent to which existing grants are continuing.

Award Procedure

Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals. The general procedure is as follows. A technical review panel composed of staff from ETA program offices as well as peer reviewers evaluates eligible submitted applications. The panel prepares a report for the ETA Grant Officer identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the application and the cumulative rating. Once selections are made by the Grant Officer, an Award Notification is sent through the appropriate congressional channels for notification. After awardees are notified, the list of awardees is posted on the ETA Web site at www.doleta.gov. If an application is rejected, a letter is sent to the applicant as notification that they were not selected as a recipient of the grant.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 60 to 90 days.

Appeals

From 60 to 90 days. Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals.

Renewals

From 60 to 90 days. Extensions available upon approval; renewals are not automatic.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

This program has MOE requirements, see funding agency for further details.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The period of performance varies by grant announcement. The possibility of additional years of funding varies by grant announcement. Payments to grantees are usually made by Letter of Credit draw-down procedures. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable. Cash reports are not applicable. Quarterly progress reports are required. Depending on the solicitation, grantees also may be required to participate in DOL's Management Information System data collection system. Quarterly financial reports are required. Regional Federal Project Officers are responsible for monitoring performance.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Recipients are required to maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence of accounting procedures and practices sufficient to reflect properly all direct and indirect costs of whatever nature claimed to have been incurred for the performance of the grant. Records are to be retained for three years from the date of final payment unless the grant officer authorizes earlier disposal.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Accomplishments are published quarterly on the Internet and are available at: www.doleta.gov/Performance/eta_default.cfm. Fiscal Year 2009: Goals are to have a recidivism rate at twelve months of 16 percent or less for young offenders, ages 17 and under, and 17 percent or less for young offenders, ages 18 and above, and to place at least 49 percent of out-of-school enrollees, ages 18 and above, in unsubsidized jobs, post secondary education, long-term training, or the military. Fiscal Year 2010: DOL budgets are posted on the Internet and are available at: www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/main.htm#budget.

Financial Information

Account Identification

16-0174-0-1-504 - Project Grants.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $63,000,000; FY 09 est $74,000,000; FY 10 est $112,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

The range and average of financial assistance varies. The information is published in Federal Register grant announcements.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Specified in SGA Announcement.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Richard Morris 200 Constitution Ave, NW
Room N-4507, Washington, District of Columbia 20210 Email: morris.richard@dol.gov Phone: 202-693-3603 Fax: 202-693-2764

Web Site Address

http://www.doleta.gov.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: PRI Grants: Grants of $660,000 to community and faith-based organizations to support a project director, three job counselors, one job developer, a mentoring supervisor, an administrative assistant, tryout jobs for participants, materials, and supplies. Youthful Offender Grants: Grants to school districts to serve students in persistently dangerous schools. Fiscal Year 2009: See above. Fiscal Year 2010: See above.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria for each proposal are specified in the applicable request for proposals.