Work Incentives Grant

 

Work Incentive Grants (WIGs) and Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) were established to increase the labor force participation and career advancement of persons with disabilities by effecting systemic change in the One Stop Career Centers. These programs support the capacity of the One Stop Career Center system to achieve integrated, seamless, and comprehensive services for people with disabilities, thereby increasing their employment, retention, and earnings. The competitive WIG Program has been reoriented from a competitive solicitation to the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) cooperative agreement, thereby assuring that the essential goals of the WIGs are achieved in the Workforce Investment System. The Department of Labor (DOL) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) jointly established a new position, the Disability Program Navigator (DPN), in One Stop Career Centers. The DPN guides the One Stop Career Center staff in helping people with disabilities access and navigate the various programs that impact upon their ability to gain/retain good jobs. Complex rules surrounding entitlement programs, along with the fear of losing cash assistance and health benefits, can often discourage people with disabilities from working. Consequently, the DPN initiative was established to better inform beneficiaries and other people with disabilities about the work support programs now available at the DOL-funded One Stop Career Centers. The major objectives of the DPN initiative are: (1) creating systemic change and transforming the culture of how the One Stop Career Center system serves customers with disabilities; (2) promoting meaningful and effective access, both physical and programmatic, to the One Stop Career Center system for all customers, including persons with disabilities; (3) creating attitudinal change about the abilities of people with disabilities to work in a variety of jobs and industries; (4) developing new/ongoing partnerships to achieve comprehensive services to people with disabilities; (5) expanding and enhancing the workforce development system's capacity to serve customers with disabilities and employers through the implementation of effective DPN strategies and practices; and (6) increasing the number of people with disabilities served under the WIA and achieving quality employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities through accessing WIA Title I and Wagner-Peyser Programs.

Deleted 01/15/2013 (Archived.) 17.266 Agency: Department of Labor
Office: Employment Training Administration Cooperative Agreements Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2011: Once finalized, performance budgets are posted annually on the U.S. Department of Labor Web site and are available at: www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/main.htm#budget. Fiscal Year 2012: No Current Data Available Workforce Investment Act Sections 121, 134(c), 189(c) (29 U.S.C 2841, 2864 (c), and 2939(c)). Key regulations governing the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program are at 20 CFR Parts 651-652 and 660-671.
, 29 U.S.C ; Wagner-Peyser Act. Key regulations governing the Wagner-Peyser Act program are at 20 CFR Parts 651-652 and 660-671., 29 U.S.C 49f. State WIA administrating agencies. Limited to persons with disabilities eligible for employment and training services under the WIA. No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Solicitations for cooperative agreements are published on the ETA Web site: http://www.doleta.gov/disability/. All information concerning the proper application, format, content, and applicable forms are contained in the solicitation and published cooperative agreement. The state WIA administrative entity in the states that meets the eligibility criteria will receive a cooperative agreement solicitation requesting a response within 30 days of receipt. Awards for cooperative agreements are made directly to successful applicants by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Approval times are specified in individual Solicitation for Grant Applications. Appeal information is noted in individual Solicitation for Grant Applications. The cooperative agreements may be extended beyond the initial period of award, depending upon the availability of funds, to provide additional support. Selection criteria are described in the Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement published on ETA's Web site. Funds are used for establishing Disability Program Navigators in One Stop Career Centers and improving the centers' physical and programmatic access for customers with disabilities. All proposed costs should be necessary and reasonable according to the Federal guidelines set forth in the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to state and local governments, codified at 289 CFR Part 97, and must comply with the applicable OMB cost principles circulars, as identified in 29 CFR 96.27 and 29 CFR 97.22(b). Awardees must comply with the all other applicable administrative standards and national policy provisions (listed in the SGA). Indirect costs cannot exceed ten percent of the award.

Funding for the Work Incentive Grants (WIGs)/Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) have been eliminated, effective June 30, 2010. Round IV DPN projects (Arkansas, Nevada, the Virgin Islands, and Guam) were initially funded through June 30, 2011. In addition, several existing projects will continue for some period of time in FY 2010 due to carry-over funding.

There is a new Disability Employment (DEI) Initiative, which is a joint project of the U.S. DOL/Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and Office of Disability Employment Policy. ETA issued a Solicitation for Grant Application (SGA) totaling approximately $22 million to fund projects to improve the educational, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes of youth and adults with disabilities, including those receiving Social Security disability benefits. State WIA-administering entities will be eligible to receive grant funding, through cooperative agreements, ranging from $1.5 to $6 million, for a three-year period. These cooperative agreements will be used to foster exemplary and model service delivery through the public workforce investment system for job seekers with disabilities, building upon the disability program navigator initiative and other model service delivery strategies. The funds will be awarded by September 30, 2010. The Disability Employment "DEI" Initiative is covered under CFDA number 17.207 Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities. Funds must be used in accordance with Federal Regulations for this program. Restrictions are noted in grant agreements.

As of June 30, 2010, the funding for the DPN grants has been eliminated; several of the existing grants are continuing with carryover 2009 and 2010 funds. The Combined Appropriation Act of 2010, Public Law 111-1117, included $12 million in funds to DOL's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy to fund $22 million in competitive grants to state WIA-administering entities to improve educational, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes of youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and receiving Social Security disability benefits. ETA expects to award approximately six to ten cooperative agreements ranging from $1.5 to 6 million for a three-year period. This funding will continue the Disability Program Navigator Initiative's effective practices, as well as other promising practices. The funds will be awarded by September 30, 2010. The funds are included under CFDA 17.207. No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. A quarterly narrative report is required within 45 days of the end of each quarter. A quarterly financial report is required within 45 days of the end of each quarter. Regional Federal Project Officers perform monitoring through desk or on-site reviews. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Subject to audits by the U.S. Department of Labor or other authorized Government agencies. Grant recipients are required to maintain records in accordance with 29 CFR 95 and 97. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other pertinent records shall normally be retained for a period of three years after the grant is closed out. Participant records shall be retained for five years. Records must be retained longer in certain cases, such as when audit findings have not been resolved. This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements.
This program does not have MOE requirements. The period of performance will be up to approximately 24 months from the date of execution by the Department. The Department may extend the period of performance based on the availability of funds and satisfactory performance. Payment will be made through electronic funds transfer utilizing the computerized Payment Management System (PMS). Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit. See Regional Agency Offices. Contact the Federal Project Officer (FPO) for the DPN Cooperative Agreements in the appropriate Regional Employment and Training Administrative Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Randee Chafkin 200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Room S-4209, Washington, District of Columbia 20210 Email: chafkin.randee@dol.gov Phone: 202-693-2723 Fax: 202-693-3817 http://www.doleta.gov/disability. 16-0179-0-1-999. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 09 $18,000,000; FY 10 $0; FY 11 $0 - Program awards are still being tracked. Cooperative agreements ranged from $ 75,000 to $ 2 million dollars. The average is not computed. Regulations governing the WIA are at 20 CFR Parts 651 through 652, 660 through 671 (65 FR 49294, August 11, 2000). The Uniform Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments (also known as the "Common Rule") are applicable. The "Common Rule" is codified at 29 CFR Part 97 (97.22). Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2012: No Current Data Available