Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2024 & FY2025: Workplace Education Grant

Fund Codes: 0494/0495

Purpose:

Workplace Education Planning Grants (Phase 1 Fund Code 0494) are competitive grants designed for partnerships among education providers, employer partners, and unions (where the workforce is unionized) to identify needs for instructional services for adult incumbent workers. In Phase 1, the partnership assesses the readiness of the business to support an educational program that meets the basic skill needs of its incumbent workers.

Workforce Education Implementation Grants (Phase 2 Fund Code 0495) are competitive grants designed for partnerships among education providers, business partners, and unions (where the workforce is unionized) to implement an instructional program for adult incumbent workers.

Eligible incumbent workers must:

Be at least 16 years of age
Not be enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law, and
Not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and not have achieved an equivalent level of education; or are basic skills deficient; or are English language learners between SPL 0–6

Students under 18 must provide a letter of withdrawal from the local school district in order to enroll in the program. Students who are home schooled must provide a letter from the local school district stating that they are not enrolled.

Priorities:

Phase 1 (Planning): Priority will be given to programs that:

Provide evidence of an employer and education provider partnership
Develop a plan and timeline to conduct a Workplace Needs Assessment (WNA)
Identify a lead person to direct the work of the WNA
Include a variety of perspectives through participation in the WNA
Integrate Adult Basic Education (ABE) and/or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) with industry skills training/work readiness to develop increased economic self-sufficiency and a more productive workforce
Provide evidence of outreach to local MassHire workforce partners in the local workforce area in which the business partner is located and demonstrate alignment with local Workforce Investment and Opportunity Agenda (WIOA) plans
Demonstrate past effectiveness in improving the English communication skills, literacy, and/or numeracy of eligible individuals by means of contextualizing curriculum and instruction
Ensure that participants progress through the National Reporting System (NRS) Educational Functioning Levels by offering scheduled educational activities of sufficient intensity and quality, which (a) use curriculum aligned to the Anchor Standards and level-specific standards of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE) or the standards and benchmarks of the Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (MA MELPS), (b) are based on rigorous research, (c) include the essential components of reading, and (d) may include math instruction for English language learners, and, where possible, effectively use technology so that participants develop their digital literacy skills
Deliver activities supported by a solid organizational capacity (including providing equitable working conditions), highly qualified educational leaders, and well-trained instructors who have access to high quality professional development
Accelerate the attainment of student outcomes, especially educational functioning level (EFL) completion in the target skill area, and/or high school equivalency credential attainment
Engage in continuous improvement planning to enhance the quality of the services provided and determine that student and program outcomes have been met

Phase 2 (Implementation): Priorities are to support applicants that demonstrate:

A need for ABE and/or ESOL services
A commitment from each stakeholder in the partnership
Readiness of the partnership to develop, implement and evaluate a multi-year workplace education program through oversight and guidance from a Planning and Evaluation Team (PET)
Strategies for student class participation and retention, e.g., release time, paid stipends, remote and/or asynchronous learning, or additional measures to support student participation for attendance and retention
Evidence of alignment with the WIOA plan in the local workforce area(s) in which the business partner is located (where the instruction is to take place)

Eligibility:

Phase 1: Eligible workplace education provider applicants may include, but are not limited to:

Local educational agencies
Community-based organizations or faith-based organizations
Volunteer literacy organizations
Institutions of higher education
Public or private nonprofit agencies
Libraries
Public housing authorities
Nonprofit institutions that have the ability to provide adult education and literacy activities to eligible individuals
A consortium or coalition of the agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities described previously in this section, and
A partnership between an employer and an entity described previously in this section.

Phase 2: Eligible applicants are those that were awarded a Phase 1 grant.

Funding Type:

Phase 1 Planning (Fund Code 0494) State Line Item 7038-0107
Phase 2 Implementation (Fund Code 0495) Federal CFDA 84.002

Federal grant funds must adhere to:

UGG (2 CFR 200)
EDGAR As Applicable
EDGAR General Fiscal Administration 34 CFR Part 76

Funding:

Phase 1 (Planning): $100,000 is available for up to 15 planning grants. Each grantee must conduct a WNA as part of the planning process. Phase 2 Implementation: Up to $500,000 is available for up to 15 implementation grants between $40,000 and $60,000.

Phase 1 (Planning): Applicants may request up to $7,000 to conduct a WNA to determine the readiness of the partnership to support a multi-year instructional program for incumbent workers. The planning process must include a WNA as outlined in the fund use section.
Phase 2 (Implementation): Only those partnerships having been approved for Phase 1 are eligible for three-year implementation grants. Applicants may request up to $60,000 to implement an instructional program.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimates and subject to change. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

Phase 1 (Fund Code 0494): Funding must be used to conduct a WNA that includes a systematic analysis of the readiness of the partnership to deliver a quality instructional program. The plan must identify:

A lead person to convene and train the WNA team and coordinate WNA team activities
An inclusive process with input from prospective students, supervisors, managers, and unions (where the workforce is unionized) to determine needs and assets to support the instructional program
A preliminary assessment of the evidence of incumbent workers lacking the foundation skills of a high school graduate (e.g., reading, writing, and mathematics) and/or ESOL
A process to identify the current and future job-related basic skill needs e.g., reading, writing, math and/or English communication among the workforce
Ways to uncover the supports to worker participation in the educational program (i.e., survey, focus groups etc.)
Ways to uncover barriers to worker participation in the education program and a plan to address those (i.e., survey, focus groups etc.)
A projected timeline to accomplish the activities described above

Phase 2 (Fund Code 0495): Funding must be used to:

Deliver classroom and/or remote instruction in keeping with the approved program plan
Develop and document contextualized curriculum
Convene and maintain an ongoing and active PET that represents each interest group, e.g., management, supervisors, education staff, and union (where the workforce is unionized)
Implement NRS-required assessments
Develop and implement formative assessments
Maintain class enrollment retention
Collect and input student data into the statewide data management system.

For Phase 2, not less than 95 percent of funds must be spent on adult education direct services and literacy activities; as a result, not more than five percent of the funds may be spent on administrative costs. AEFLA defines administrative costs as allowable costs related to planning, administration (including carrying out performance accountability requirements), professional development, providing AE and literacy services in alignment with local workforce plans, carrying out one-stop partner responsibilities, and state approved IDC charged to the grant. (Note: Approved IDC is part of the grantee's administrative cost.)

AEFLA Sec. 233 states that professional development expenses are administrative expenses and part of the five percent limit. DESE has further defined administrative professional development expenses to include non-SABES registration fees and travel expenses including out of state travel. SABES trainings and the annual MCAE Network conference are defined by DESE as instructional expenses.

Grantees may negotiate with DESE on an individual basis to determine an adequate level of funds for non-instructional purposes by submitting a written request and rationale with their annual continuation applications. DESE will not grant administrative cost requests that exceed 25 percent of grant funds. Grantees must keep in mind that charges for IDC are included in the program's administrative costs.

Programs may negotiate a higher administrative cost percentage by submitting a written request and rationale with the application.

Adult Education Services are restricted rate programs that are subject to a statutory "supplement, not supplant" restriction. Grantees are required to use a restricted indirect cost rate of 8% unless your calculated indirect cost rate is less than 8%. If the calculated indirect cost rate is less than 8%, you must use the lower rate for your budget. If you have an approved negotiated federal indirect cost rate, it must be submitted to ESE. If you do not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement, you must apply annually to ESE for an approved indirect cost rate. The indirect cost rate is calculated using costs specified in the grantee's indirect cost plan. Those specified costs may not be charged as direct costs to the grant or to any other grant under any circumstances.

Applicants are required to provide an auditable matching share of 20% of the total amount of the requested grant award.

Project Duration:

Phase 1 (Planning Fund Code 0494): Upon Approval through Sunday, June 30, 2024

Phase 2 (Implementation Fund Code 0495): Upon Approval (No earlier than 7/1/2024) through Monday, June 30, 2025

Phase 2 grants are conditionally renewable for FY 2026, 2027, subject to satisfactory performance, the appropriation of federal funds, and the continuance of federal authoring legislation. The total grant award duration will not exceed three years (initial plus two renewals).

Program Unit:

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Contact:

Wayne Yee

All inquiries concerning Phase 1 applications must be submitted in writing to wayne.yee@mass.gov by Monday, March 4, 2024. All inquiries concerning Phase 2 applications must be submitted in writing to wayne.yee@mass.gov by Monday, May 27, 2024. All answers will be posted to the ACLS website.

Bidders' Conference:

A Bidders' Conference will be held via Zoom on Thursday, February 22, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

Join Zoom Meeting

Date Due:

Proposals for Phase 1 (Fund Code 0494) must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, March 15, 2024*.

Proposals for Phase 2 (Fund Code 0495) must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, June 5, 2024*.

*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not submitted on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity.

Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date listed in the RFP.

Additional Information:

Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Workplace Education Partnerships

Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers of Adult English Speakers of Other Languages

Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education

College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education

Massachusetts Indicators of Program Quality for Workplace Education

Workplace Education Recommended Readings

GEM$ Submission Instructions:

The FY24 and FY25 0494/0495 Workplace Education Planning and Implementation Requests for Proposals will be submitted in our new GEM$ system. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.

Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)

Grants for Education Management System (GEM$) Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application by the due date listed in the RFP.

The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.

Please Note: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization

EdGrants Submission Instructions: established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.

Failure to provide DESE with GEMS Request Form at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.

Last Updated: April 24, 2024