National Farmworker Jobs Program

 

To help individuals, and their dependents, who are primarily employed in agricultural and fish farming labor that is characterized by chronic unemployment and underemployment, obtain and retain unsubsidized employment, or stabilize their unsubsidized employment, including upgraded employment in agriculture. Grant organizations provide career services, job training, housing assistance, and other related assistance.

Active 17.264 Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor A - Formula Grants Fiscal Year 2022 Accomplishment statement: Career Services and Training grant recipients help farmworkers and their dependents acquire necessary skills to either stabilize or advance in their agricultural jobs or obtain employment in new industries. To support better economic outcomes for farmworkers, Housing grant recipients work to meet a critical need for safe and sanitary permanent and temporary housing. For program year 2022, Employment and Training Administration awarded $88,160,000 for Career Services and Training grants and $6,447,000 for Housing grants. Performance data is available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/agriculture/performance. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. It supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and amends the Wagner-Peyser Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This regulation has been submitted to the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) for publication, and is currently pending publication in the Federal Register. Only the version published in the Federal Register is the official regulation., Title I, Part D, Section 167, Public Law 113-128, 29 U.S.C. 3222 The provisions of WIOA, Section 167(b), describe entities eligible to receive a grant as those that have: 1) an understanding of the problems of eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers (including their dependents); 2) a familiarity with the area to be served; and 3) the ability to demonstrate a capacity to administer and deliver effectively a diversified program of workforce investment activities (including youth workforce investment activities) and related assistance for eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Entities such as state government agencies, state workforce investment boards, local government agencies, local workforce investment boards, faith-based and community-based organizations, institutions of higher learning, and other entities are examples of organizations that could be eligible to apply for NFJP grants. To receive NFJP services an individual must be either a(n): A. Eligible seasonal farmworker adult, Eligible migrant farmworker adult, Eligible migrant and seasonal farmworker (MSFW) Youth, Dependent Adult of an eligible MSFW, or Dependent Youth of an eligible MSFW; and B. A low-income individual who faces multiple barriers to economic self-sufficiency as defined in Training and Employment Guidance Letter 18-16, Change 1. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Grants for operating NFJP programs are awarded every four years through a competitive process. Applications are solicited through a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) published in the Federal Register and on ETA's Web site, www.doleta.gov. Applicants are required under the solicitation to provide their proposed plan to operate NFJP services in the areas where they propose to operate. A single NFJP Career Services and Training grantee is funded to serve the geographic area of each state, except as follows: more than one applicant may be selected to serve areas within California, and some service areas comprise the geography of two adjoining states. Housing grantees serve the geographic areas designated in their program plans, and may include single states, multiple states, or parts of states. Competing applications will be rated according to criteria included in the FOA. Awards are made directly to eligible applicants by the Employment and Training Administration. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 60 to 90 days. From 60 to 90 days. Petition for reconsideration of non-selection as a potential grantee may be made to an Administrative Law Judge within 21 days of notification of the Department's decision. Not applicable. Selection criteria are described in the FOA published in the Federal Register whenever there is a competition for grant awards. (Also, please see paragraph 92, above.) In the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents may receive career services, such as an eligibility determination, initial assessment, job placement assistance, comprehensive skills assessment, an individual employment plan, case management, career planning, and workplace readiness. Training services, such as occupational skills training or on-the-job training, and related assistance, such as emergency assistance, allow a farmworker to obtain, retain, or stabilize their unsubsidized employment, including upgraded employment in agriculture. In addition, permanent and temporary housing assistance is also provided to migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) and their families. Performance Reports: Regional Federal Project Officers conduct monitoring, including desk audits, risk assessments, site visits and file audits. Subject to audits by the Department of Labor or other authorized Government agencies. Grantees are required to maintain complete accounting, personnel, and individual participant records in accordance with the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200 and DOL Exceptions at 2 CFR 2900. Participant records must support eligibility and the need for services provided. Statutory Formula: Title 20 CFR Part 685 Public Law P.L. 113-128

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Grant awards are for four years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Letter. See Regional Agency Offices. Regional contact information is available on the NFJP website at https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/Farmworker/pdfs/NFJP_directory.pdf Steven Rietzke
200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room C-4510
Washington, DC 20210-0001 US
Rietzke.Steven@dol.gov
Phone: 2026933912 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/agriculture 16-0174-0-1-504 (Formula Grants) FY 22$95,000,000.00; FY 23 est $99,000,000.00; FY 24 est $98,000,000.00; FY 21$95,000,000.00; FY 20$89,000,000.00; FY 19$88,000,000.00; FY 18$87,000,000.00; FY 17$81,000,000.00; FY 16$81,000,000.00; - The range and average varies by year according to appropriation levels. State allocations are published annually in the Federal Register. 20 CFR Part 685 Fiscal Year 2022 The funds allocated should be used for providing career services, training services, youth services, related assistance services, and housing assistance to eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents. Here is an example of a success story that demonstrates how funding is used: Jessica was a low-income, seasonal hired hand farmworker. When she graduated from high school, she was unemployed and looking to pursue her post-secondary education. She earned wages doing general seasonal farm and ranch work for different employers in the central areas of the state. Much of this work was done during the summer months as way to earn and save money in hope of continuing her post-secondary education. Her goal was to earn an A.S. Degree as a Veterinary Technician. Jessica contacted the case manager at the Black Hills Special Services Cooperative inquiring about the NFJP services. She heard about the program from others, including her brother who also benefited from NFJP services, but she also saw fliers and brochures at various locations including the local gas station and high school. An intake application was completed, and the customer was enrolled in the program, NFJP - Black Hills Special Services Cooperative provided financial assistance for training, but also made referrals to outside agencies to access resources to further assist. Support services such as assistance with transportation and housing were also provided. She was always quick to say how appreciative she was of the NFJP assistance that was provided to her. This not only helped remove barriers and obstacles she was facing, but this also allowed her to focus on her education, training, and employment goals. Jessica completed her training and earned a A.S. Degree as a Veterinary Technician. Today, Jessica remains in frequent contact via emails, phone calls, and in-person contact with the case manager. She accepted a full-time permanent job with a local veterinary clinic working with large animals. Additional information regarding NFJP performance is available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/agriculture/performance. Success stories are available at https://farmworker.workforcegps.org/resources/2019/09/26/18/03/MSFW_Success_Stories_Promising_Practices.