This article was contributed by Community Services and Workforce Development.
The Workforce Development Board of San Benito County is requesting proposals for the Prison to Employment Initiative Implementation Grant.
The California Workforce Development Board and the Employment Development Department made available $14 million in state general funds for collaborative development of regional partnerships and plans to serve the formerly incarcerated and other justice-involved individuals in California. These funds will go out as local assistance planning grants to each of the 14 Regional Planning Units. The Mid-Peninsula Region (San Benito County, Sunny Vale NOVA, San Mateo NOVA, San Jose Work2future and San Francisco) will receive $1,891,912. San Benito County will receive $84,830.
In July 2018, the California Legislature approved $37 million in state general funds to resource AB 1111, the Breaking Barriers to Employment Initiative proposed by Governor Jerry Brown in his 2018 budget proposal. Funding for the initiative is intended to support regional planning efforts, fund regional plan implementation and provide resources for direct services to the formerly incarcerated and other justice-involved individuals.
The San Benito County Workforce Development Board is seeking to award a qualified Community Based Organization to support the efforts of the board to provide individuals with barriers to employment the services they need to enter, participate in, and complete workforce preparation training necessary to successfully enter the labor market, retain employment, and earn wages that lead to self-sufficiency. The total funding available for this request for proposal for San Benito County is $76,103.
Refer to link: Request for Proposal (RFP)
The RFP is due no later than Wednesday, May 8 by 3 p.m. The applicant must deliver three (3) copies to 1111 San Felipe Road, Suite #108, Hollister, CA 95023, Attn: Enrique Arreola and one (1) emailed RFP to Enrique Arreola, deputy director at earreola@cosb.us. Late submissions will not be accepted.
A qualified Community Based Organization should submit a statement of qualifications and experience outlining the depth of workforce-related knowledge; experience on projects of similar size, scope and population served; capability to deliver timely and high quality services; references; and the itemized total cost of service delivery.
The qualified applicant must have the ability to coordinated Earn and Learn and Direct Supportive services to the justice-involved individuals such as:
- Coordinate integrated education, training and employability skills
- Provide supportive services to assist the justice-involved with needs related to budgeting, transportation assistance, housing assistance, etc.
- Provide training opportunities