BOARD CONTRACT YEAR 2011 CONTRACTS FOR - Texas



Hurricane Harvey Upskilling Project - UpdateDiscussion PaperBackground Hurricane Harvey made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast between Port Aransas and Port O’Connor on August 25, 2017. Storm surge, catastrophic and widespread flooding, and damaging winds devastated coastal communities, which included Greater Houston and surrounding areas in southeastern Texas. Forty-one Texas counties have been declared federal disaster areas.?In total, nine local workforce development areas (workforce areas) have been approved for federal public and individual assistance.?Additionally, four counties in four workforce areas that sustained little or no storm damage have been approved for federal public assistance to help manage the influx of evacuees.?Many other communities and counties outside the declared disaster areas have also been affected.?Hurricane Harvey is the most expensive disaster in Texas history.?In late September, the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) three-member Commission, along with the Tri-Agency Workforce Commission partners, led by the Commissioners of the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, held four regional forums in Corpus Christi, Houston, Beaumont, and Austin. The purpose of the forums was to meet with and listen to stakeholders impacted by the disaster to better understand the needs and concerns of the affected communities and to hear ideas about how the three agencies can address them.IssueThe Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is dedicating up to $1.2 million of Disaster Dislocated Worker Grant funds to address skills shortages and industry need created by Hurricane Harvey, through collaborations between Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards) and one or more of the following partners: nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, public governmental entities, private employers, and industry associations. Collaborations must serve dislocated workers impacted by Hurricane Harvey, and participants must engage in allowable dislocated worker activities since the funds will be accessed through existing Harvey grants to impacted Boards. Boards with counties eligible for FEMA Public Assistance A and B are eligible to apply. Eligible participants are dislocated workers as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).The goal of these grants is to leverage local resources to upskill the local workforce by expanding skills training into demand industries critical to the state’s economic recovery.?The funds will be used to purchase training services, equipment, curriculum development, and supplies to develop and provide training in local demand occupations. The Board may provide support services to participants while they are receiving training in demand occupations on the statewide occupation list.When the Board’s partner (nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, public governmental entities, private employers, and/or industry associations) provides funding for upskilling the local workforce, Boards may request additional disaster grant funds from TWC to support the effort. In order for the Board to request additional funds, the funds provided by the Board’s partner must be used to provide training and equipment, curriculum development and supplies that are needed to ensure that trainees are receiving the cutting-edge skills needed to secure employment in high skills, high wage jobs. The contribution by the partner may not be derived from TWC funds.For the period of November 7, 2017, through January 12, 2018, eligible Boards are encouraged to apply for these grants. Individual grants will be available to Boards at up to the 100% of the amount contributed by the Board’s partner, but totaling no more than $100,000. The grant period will be 12–15 months, with an end date no later than September 30, 2019.Projects must focus on addressing the needs of one of the designated industry clusters on the state or local demand occupation training list.The Board’s grant funds must be used for allowable activities under the dislocated worker grant, including, but not limited to, career and training services, temporary jobs, and support services. The partner organization’s funds can be used to provide an array of complementary services, including equipment, curriculum development, and any other need that supports the upskilling of workers.Boards must enter into an agreement with one or more of the organizations listed above to leverage dislocated worker grant funds with an equal amount of local contributions of cash or qualifying expenditures. Boards will submit applications that include a project summary, project objectives, project timeline, and authorized signatures by all parties engaged in the grant committing to provide the leveraged dollars.Decision PointStaff seeks guidance on updating this discussion paper by: Amending line 8 to remove the January 12, 2018 date of application deadline and leave the application period open; and, Amending line 10 to increase the limit of each grant from $100,000 to $250,000 up to the 100% match of the partner(s) for the upskilling of workers in Hurricane Harvey–impacted areas. ................
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