Click here to view the 2025-2027 Job and Work Readiness Grant Request for Applications (RFA)
Questions or requests for technical assistance must be directed to our Single Point of Contact (SPC)
Bethany Moreland
Bethany.Moreland@ode.oregon.gov
Goals
The YDD Job and Work Readiness Grant is intended to address historic inequity and disparities in educational and work readiness resources and outcomes, through the provision of quality youth development programming, including access to high school completion, Essential Employability Skills training, support during post-secondary transitions into training, internships, Apprenticeships, Industry-Recognized Credentials, and/or Paid Work Experiences. Through the Job and Work Readiness Grant Projects, YDD intends for youth participants to become increasingly capable of obtaining a job and having subsequent and more advanced training or education that prepares them for future opportunities to thrive in the workforce, so that they can be self-sufficient and ultimately self-actualized. YDD’s programs focus on youth with demonstrated need, particularly youth who are disconnected from school, face complex individual barriers to post-secondary transitions, and/or are employed in jobs that do not have a clear path to living-wage opportunities. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate how proposed Projects actively and effectively serve Youth Furthest from Opportunity.
The Job and Work Readiness Grant supports community-based youth development efforts to develop skills that lead to and improve employment readiness. The goals of the Job and Work Readiness Grant are to:
- Support healthy youth development and skill-building for work readiness and success in living-wage careers;
- Support efforts to reduce disparities in educational and workforce success;
- Reduce youth disconnection from school and/or work;
- Remove barriers to job and work training;
- Increase job, internship, and apprenticeship opportunities for youth; and
- Encourage multi-sector collaboration to improve outcomes for youth.
Proposed scope, duration, and scale of services may be determined by the Applicant; however, funding may not be used to support stand-alone events (i.e., career expos, job fairs, or special events) outside of ongoing training and programming.
Youth who face challenges to high school completion may experience significant life challenges and/or other barriers to employment and self-sufficiency. To provide youth access to appropriate educational and work services and opportunities, Job and Work Readiness Projects shall build trust and strengthen partnerships with other partners. Successful Applicants will become participants in the Oregon Statewide Youth Reengagement System. The overarching goals of the Reengagement System are as follows:
- Reconnection to education: Reengaging youth who leave school before earning a diploma or its equivalent such as a GED test credential, through targeted outreach to youth, reconnection with Educational Services programming, and supports to aid retention.
- High school completion: Delivery of specialized education, training, and/or support services that lead to high school graduation and high school equivalency completion for reengaged youth, in order to increase the number of graduates and completers.
- Career pathways and post-secondary education and training: Providing innovative, trauma-informed, cross-sector programming that meets reengaged youth where they are; providing education, training, coaching, and supports that meet each reengaged youth’s individual needs; and supporting the identification and achievement of their educational and career goals, including access to post-secondary education and training for reengaged youth.
- Collaboration networks: Building collaboration and connections between schools and educational agencies, non-profits, community-based organizations, social service agencies, local government, and other youth-serving entities in order to reduce disconnection and create opportunities and positive outcomes for youth.
Funding Level Criteria for $120,000-$300,000
YDD Returning Grantees may apply for $120,000-$300,000 if, at the time of the Application, the Applicant has an Operational Project previously funded by Agency for this RFA type that delivers services and activities which meet the RFA requirements. The proposed Project must be serving youth and reporting Individual-level Participant Data within six months of the execution of the Grant Agreement. For a list of Returning Grantees applicable to this RFA, see Attachment I 2021-2025 Returning Grantees (Job and Work Readiness).
Funding Level Criteria for $120,000-$200,000
Applicants not listed in Attachment I may apply for $120,000 - $200,000 if, at the time of the Application, the Applicant has an Operational Project that delivers services and activities which meet the RFA requirements. The proposed Project must be serving youth and reporting Individual-level Participant Data within six months of the execution of the Grant Agreement. See Attachment F for required data elements.
Funding Level Criteria for $100,000-$150,000
Applicants may apply for $100,000-150,000 if the proposed Project delivers services and activities which meet the RFA requirements and is a New Project (as defined in Section 2.2 Definition of Terms), ), system-level, pilot, startup, services are seasonal or limited duration (less than 9 months), training models, or any Project that does not collect Individual-level Participant Data. The proposed Project must be operational and demonstrate progress within six months of the execution of the Grant Agreement. If Individual-level Participant Data reporting is required, data reporting must begin within 12 months of Grant execution (see Attachment F for required data elements).
2025-2027 Job and Work Readiness Grant
Click here to view the 2025-2027 Job and Work Readiness Grant Request for Applications (RFA)
Questions or requests for technical assistance must be directed to our Single Point of Contact (SPC)
Bethany Moreland
Bethany.Moreland@ode.oregon.gov
Goals
The YDD Job and Work Readiness Grant is intended to address historic inequity and disparities in educational and work readiness resources and outcomes, through the provision of quality youth development programming, including access to high school completion, Essential Employability Skills training, support during post-secondary transitions into training, internships, Apprenticeships, Industry-Recognized Credentials, and/or Paid Work Experiences. Through the Job and Work Readiness Grant Projects, YDD intends for youth participants to become increasingly capable of obtaining a job and having subsequent and more advanced training or education that prepares them for future opportunities to thrive in the workforce, so that they can be self-sufficient and ultimately self-actualized. YDD’s programs focus on youth with demonstrated need, particularly youth who are disconnected from school, face complex individual barriers to post-secondary transitions, and/or are employed in jobs that do not have a clear path to living-wage opportunities. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate how proposed Projects actively and effectively serve Youth Furthest from Opportunity.
The Job and Work Readiness Grant supports community-based youth development efforts to develop skills that lead to and improve employment readiness. The goals of the Job and Work Readiness Grant are to:
- Support healthy youth development and skill-building for work readiness and success in living-wage careers;
- Support efforts to reduce disparities in educational and workforce success;
- Reduce youth disconnection from school and/or work;
- Remove barriers to job and work training;
- Increase job, internship, and apprenticeship opportunities for youth; and
- Encourage multi-sector collaboration to improve outcomes for youth.
Proposed scope, duration, and scale of services may be determined by the Applicant; however, funding may not be used to support stand-alone events (i.e., career expos, job fairs, or special events) outside of ongoing training and programming.
Youth who face challenges to high school completion may experience significant life challenges and/or other barriers to employment and self-sufficiency. To provide youth access to appropriate educational and work services and opportunities, Job and Work Readiness Projects shall build trust and strengthen partnerships with other partners. Successful Applicants will become participants in the Oregon Statewide Youth Reengagement System. The overarching goals of the Reengagement System are as follows:
- Reconnection to education: Reengaging youth who leave school before earning a diploma or its equivalent such as a GED test credential, through targeted outreach to youth, reconnection with Educational Services programming, and supports to aid retention.
- High school completion: Delivery of specialized education, training, and/or support services that lead to high school graduation and high school equivalency completion for reengaged youth, in order to increase the number of graduates and completers.
- Career pathways and post-secondary education and training: Providing innovative, trauma-informed, cross-sector programming that meets reengaged youth where they are; providing education, training, coaching, and supports that meet each reengaged youth’s individual needs; and supporting the identification and achievement of their educational and career goals, including access to post-secondary education and training for reengaged youth.
- Collaboration networks: Building collaboration and connections between schools and educational agencies, non-profits, community-based organizations, social service agencies, local government, and other youth-serving entities in order to reduce disconnection and create opportunities and positive outcomes for youth.
Funding Level Criteria for $120,000-$300,000
YDD Returning Grantees may apply for $120,000-$300,000 if, at the time of the Application, the Applicant has an Operational Project previously funded by Agency for this RFA type that delivers services and activities which meet the RFA requirements. The proposed Project must be serving youth and reporting Individual-level Participant Data within six months of the execution of the Grant Agreement. For a list of Returning Grantees applicable to this RFA, see Attachment I 2021-2025 Returning Grantees (Job and Work Readiness).
Funding Level Criteria for $120,000-$200,000
Applicants not listed in Attachment I may apply for $120,000 - $200,000 if, at the time of the Application, the Applicant has an Operational Project that delivers services and activities which meet the RFA requirements. The proposed Project must be serving youth and reporting Individual-level Participant Data within six months of the execution of the Grant Agreement. See Attachment F for required data elements.
Funding Level Criteria for $100,000-$150,000
Applicants may apply for $100,000-150,000 if the proposed Project delivers services and activities which meet the RFA requirements and is a New Project (as defined in Section 2.2 Definition of Terms), ), system-level, pilot, startup, services are seasonal or limited duration (less than 9 months), training models, or any Project that does not collect Individual-level Participant Data. The proposed Project must be operational and demonstrate progress within six months of the execution of the Grant Agreement. If Individual-level Participant Data reporting is required, data reporting must begin within 12 months of Grant execution (see Attachment F for required data elements).