The USDOL Veterans’ Employment and Training Service is offering the Homeless Female Veterans’ and Veterans with Families Reintegration Program Grant to expedite their return to the labor force.

A. Eligible Applicants
Applications for grant funds will be accepted from State and Local Workforce Investment Boards (SWIBs/LWIBs), local public agencies, Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), for-profit/commercial entities, and non-profit organizations, including faith-based and community-based organizations. Applicants must have a familiarity with the area and population to be served and the ability to administer an effective program that is ready to start immediately upon the first day of the grant award period of performance.
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Eligible applicants will fall into one of the following categories:
• State and local WIBs, established under Sections 111 and 117 of the Workforce Investment Act.

• Public agencies, meaning any public agency of a state or of a general purpose political subdivision of a state that has the power to levy taxes and spend funds, as well as general corporate and police powers (this typically refers to cities and counties). A state agency may propose in its application to serve one or more of the jurisdictions located in its state. This does not preclude a city or county agency from submitting an application to serve its own jurisdiction.

• Native American tribal governments (federally-recognized) and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally-recognized tribal governments),

• For-profit/commercial entities,

• Non-profit organizations (faith-based and community-based organizations). If claiming 501(c) (3) status, a current and valid Internal Revenue Service (IRS) statement indicating 501(c) (3) status must be submitted with the application or the application will be deemed non-responsive and it will not be evaluated. The IRS statement should be an attachment to the Technical Proposal and it will not be counted toward the 50 page limit.

The USDOL, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) announces a grant competition for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. This program is authorized under 38 U.S.C. Section 2021, which provides that the “Secretary of Labor (Secretary) shall conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to provide job training, counseling, and placement services (including job readiness, literacy, and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force.” The funds available in this competition are focused on homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families under 38 U.S.C. Section 2021A. Applications proposing to serve homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families (HFVVWF) under this Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) solicitation will fall into one of two categories: Urban, Non-Urban geographical areas. Applicants proposing to serve HFVVWF on Native American tribal lands are encouraged to apply under the Non-Urban category. HFVVWF grants are intended to address two objectives: to provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless female veterans and veterans with families into meaningful employment within the labor force, and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless female veterans and veterans with families.
Successful applicants will propose programs that expedite the reintegration of eligible homeless veterans into the labor force. Applicants must address all of the operational, administrative, and financial requirements described within this solicitation. Successful applicants will have demonstrated the ability to address the universal challenges as well as the local or regional problems that have contributed to veteran homelessness and have prevented these veterans from stabilizing their lives and reentering the workforce.

For this PY 2013 grant solicitation, VETS seeks applicants that will provide services through a client-centered case management approach that will network with federal, state, and local resources for veteran support programs. Successful applicants will have clear strategies and obtainable goals for employment and retention of employment for homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families. Successful applicants will design programs that assist eligible veterans by providing job placement services, job training, counseling, mentoring, supportive services, and other assistance to expedite the reintegration of homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families into the labor force. Successful applicants will also design programs that are flexible in addressing the universal as well as the local or regional problems that have had a negative impact on homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families reentering the workforce.

Under this solicitation, VETS anticipates that a total of up to $5,000,000 will be available for Urban and Non-Urban grants. Awards will range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $300,000 for an Urban grant and from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $200,000 for a Non-Urban grant. Applications submitted outside of these ranges will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated. VETS expects to award grants in the Urban and Non-Urban categories. However, the actual number of grants to be awarded in each category will be announced after selections are made. The primary basis for award is merit. Applicants must clearly identify the funding category for which they are applying. The Grant Officer reserves the right to negotiate proposed funding amounts and geographic service delivery areas under each of the designated funding categories.

This notice contains all the necessary information and forms to apply for grant funding under the HFVVWF. There may be future addenda to this solicitation published on www.grants.gov and www.dol.gov/vets. All applicants are responsible for checking www.grants.gov and the www.dol.gov/vets site regularly to ensure that they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.

This SGA provides background information on HFVVWF and identifies the critical elements that must be contained within proposals funded under this solicitation. It also describes the application submission requirements, the process that eligible applicants must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and how grantees will be selected.