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for Proposals and Guidelines for Submission document that has been distributed. You may want to have it available for reference as it will not be shown in its entirety.

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Workforce Initiative Act of 2015Regional Workforce Grant ProgramRFP and Submission Guidelines

GENERAL INFORMATION/OVERVIEWDr. Brett Powell

Legislative IntentCreation of statewide comprehensive structure for workforce

development that reduces skills gaps in the regional workforce pool• Evaluation of workforce needs of state• Coordination of secondary and postsecondary education,

including career and technical programs (CTE)• Pursuit of high demand jobs, including those that require industry

recognized credentials, short-term training through bachelor level programs

• Create long-term relationships between employers and regional workforce alliances

Facilitation of a skilled and employment-ready workforce through alignment of education and workforce needs through a competitive grant process

Core Requirements Representation from mandatory partners• CTE educators or appropriate local K-12 district that awards

concurrent credit• Technical institute, community college or university offering CTE

programs• Employers representing critical needs in the identified workforce

regionEnhance, expand or create clearly defined CTE pathway

program(s) at technical institutes, community colleges or universities that includes concurrent secondary center programs to fill a critical, demonstrable local workforce need

Core RequirementsInclude programs which emphasize basic skills instruction

concurrently with occupational trainingEmbrace diversity of student enrollmentProvide essential support services which link to resources that

assist students in progressing along the identified pathways, including advising on academic, employment, financial and personal issues

Develop and implement collaborative apprenticeship or training programs that prepare workers for rapid entry into the workforce or provide recognized industry certifications

General ProcessCompetitive RFP process

Awarded to regional workforce alliances

Grants awarded by ADHE based on recommendations from:• Arkansas Department of Education• Arkansas Department of Career Education• Arkansas Department of Higher Education• Arkansas Department of Workforce Services• Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Three Phases• Phase 1-Planning grants (up to $100K)• Phase 2-Implementation (up to $1M over two years)• Phase 3-Continutation (up to $1M over two years)

TimelineDate Action Item

May 2015 Guidelines Available

August 2015 Intent Letter Due

September 2015 Planning Grant Proposal Due

October 2015 Notification of Planning Grant Awards

June 2016 Implementation Grant Proposal Due

July 2016 Notification of Implementation Grant Awards

September 2016 Initiatives Begin (no later than)

September 2017 Interim Report due

June 2018 Continuation Grant Proposal Due

July 2018 Notification of Continuation Grant Awards

September 2019 Interim Report Due

August 2020 Continuation Award Period End

September 2020 Final Report Due

Planning GrantProposal SpecificationsRegional alliance with mandatory partners

Arkansas community college or university to serve as lead applicant and fiscal agent. Additional partners may include any public or private, non-profit, technical institute, two-year or four-year institutions

Two or more employers representing industry sectors with a demonstrated shortage of skilled workers seeking credentialed graduates from the proposed program

CTE educators or other appropriate representatives from a local K-12 school district

Based on input from Local Workforce Development Board

Proposal will present a detailed plan for achieving the outlined objectives in a Phase 2 Implementation Grant proposal

Northwest ArkansasBenton, Carroll, Boone, Marion, Baxter, Washington, Madison, Newton, Searcy

Northwest Technical InstituteNorthwest Arkansas Community CollegeNorth Arkansas College ASU – Mountain

HomeUniversity of Arkansas, Fayetteville

John Brown University Univ. of the Ozarks

North Central ArkansasFulton, Izard, Sharp, Stone,

Independence, Jackson, Van Buren, Cleburne, White, Woodruff

ASU – Beebe ASU – NewportOzarka College UACC – BatesvilleLyon College Harding University

Northeast ArkansasRandolph, Clay, Lawrence,

Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, Mississippi

Arkansas NortheasternBlack River Technical College

Arkansas State Univ.Crowley’s Ridge Williams

Baptist

Eastern ArkansasCross, Crittenden, St. Francis,

Lee, Phillips

East Arkansas CC Mid-South CC

Phillips CC of UA

Central Arkansas and Little Rock

Faulkner, Saline, Pulaski, Lonoke, Prairie, Monroe

Pulaski TechUniv. Arkansas – Little Rock

Univ. Central ArkansasPhilander Smith Shorter

College Arkansas Baptist Hendrix Coll.

Southeast ArkansasGrant, Jefferson, Arkansas, Cleveland, Lincoln, Desha, Drew, Bradley, Ashley, ChicotSoutheast Arkansas CollegePhillips CC of UAUniv. Arkansas – Pine BluffUniv. Arkansas - Monticello

Southwest Arkansas

Sevier, Howard, Hempstead, Nevada,

Dallas, Little River, Miller, Ouachita,

Calhoun, Lafayette, Columbia, Union

Cossatot CC of UA South Ark. CC

UACC – Hope SAU Tech

Southern Ark. Univ.

West Central ArkansasJohnson, Pope, Conway, Yell, Perry,

Montgomery, Garland, Hot Spring, Pike, Clark

National Park CC College of the OuachitasUACC - Morrilton

Ark. Tech Univ. Henderson State Univ.Ouachita Baptist Univ.

Western ArkansasCrawford, Franklin, Logan,

Sebastian, Scott, Polk

Rich Mountain CCArkansas Tech - Ozark

Univ. Arkansas – Ft. Smith

WIOA BOARD INVOLVEMENTDirector Daryl E. Bassett

PLANNING GRANTSMonieca West

Planning GrantProposal ElementsElements Points Possible

Program Need 30

Program Plan 25

Strength of Partnerships 25

Budget Plan 20

Total 100

Reference: Scoring Rubric on Appendix D of RFP Submission Guidelines

Program Need (Planning)

Program Need (30 points)• Labor needs overview• Current and projected skills gaps• Proposed program/equipment needs• How program/equipment will address stated labor needs

Exemplary26-30

Superior21-25

Adequate16-20

Needs Improvement0-15

Significantly address a top 3 workforce need in region

Addresses in a more limited way a top 3 workforce need in region

Addresses in a limited way a less critical workforce need in the region

Identified labor need is too narrow or not in a critical area

Program Plan (Planning)

Program Plan (25 points)• Meets the goals and core requirements of the Regional

Workforce Grants program• Summary of expected outcomes• Description of career pathways that will be created/enhanced• Description of anticipated equipment needs• Proposed governance and accountability structure for program

Exemplary22-25

Superior18-21

Adequate14-17

Needs Improvement0-13

All goals and core requirements and identifies significant outcomes

Most goals and requirements and identifies outcomes

Many goals and requirements and identifies few outcomes

Lacks significant requirements or lacks apparent outcomes

Strength of Partnerships (Planning)

Strength of Partnership (25 points)• How the program plan incorporates each mandatory partners• Other regional partners who can contribute significantly in

unique and meaningful role• Anticipated role for each member for the alliance• Commitment letter from each partner• Commitment letter from Local Workforce Development Board

Exemplary22-25

Superior18-21

Adequate14-17

Needs Improvement0-13

Includes broad representation and each partner has defined role with identified critical contributions

Includes broad representation but partner roles are not clearly defined

Plan lacks one or two important partners or not all partners are critical to success of the plan

Partner participation is too narrow or some partners do not contribute meaningfully

Budget Plan (Planning)

Budget Plan (20 points)• Detailed financial plan with cost estimates for all proposed

planning activities• Completed budget template• Efficiency in planning grant expenditures is expected

Exemplary18-20

Superior15-17

Adequate11-14

Needs Improvement0-10

All requested resources are essential and clearly support goals of plan

Most requested resources are important and clearly support goals of plan

Plan includes some questionable resource requests

Budget includes requests deemed unnecessary

Application Procedures (Planning)

Intent to SubmitSubmission• Application Cover Sheet• Proposal Narrative• Budget Template

Review and Approval• Scored by state workforce development partners using Scoring

Rubric for each application• ADHE will average individual scores and rank from most to least

favorable• Funding not guaranteed for any submitted proposal

ADHE will issue notice of approval and permission to proceedADHE disbursement of funds

Intent to Submit Proposal (Planning)

Reference: Appendix A of RFP GuidelinesRequired information includes:• Workforce Initiative Alliance Lead Institution• Workforce Initiative Alliance Partners• Contact information for Lead Institution• Project title (if one has been chosen)

Cover Sheet (Planning)

Reference: Appendix B of RFP GuidelinesRequired information includes:• Requesting Institution• Title of Project• Project Partners• Requested Budget (not to exceed $100,000)• Date Submitted• Applicant Contact• Authorized Signatures of all Project Partners

Budget Template (Planning)

Reference: Appendix C of RFP GuidelinesRequired financial information includes:Budget Item Amount

A. PARTNER PARTICIPANT SUPPORT COSTS1. Personnel/Stipends2. Travel3. OtherTotal Partner Participant Support Costs

B. OTHER DIRECT COSTS1. Materials and Supplies2. Publication Costs/Documentation/Dissemination3. Consultant Services4. OtherTotal Other Direct CostsC. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS (A & B)TOTAL REQUESTED PLANNING GRANT BUDGET

PLANNING GRANT QUESTIONSTara Smith

IMPLEMENTATION GRANTSMonieca West

Proposal Specifications Implementation

Successful planning grants are expected to culminate in Implementation Grant proposals. Applicants must demonstrate the viability of a regional alliance with the same makeup as required in the Planning Grant application.

Implementation Grants must also be based on input from a Local Workforce Development Board and address the following proposal requirements:

Elements Points Possible

Program Need 20

Program Plan 25

Strength of Partnerships 20

Budget Plan 15

Sustainability 20

Total 100

Reference: Scoring Rubric on Appendix G of RFP Submission Guidelines

Implementation Grant NotesProcess and procedure is generally same as for Planning

Grants.Differences include:• Sustainability• Local Match ($10% of total request; maximum of $50,000)

Date Action Item

June 1, 2016 Implementation Grant Proposal Due

July 1, 2016 Notification of Award Implementation Grant Awards

September 1, 2016 Initiatives Begin (no later than)

August 1, 2016 25% of Grant Disbursed

January 1, 2017 25% of Grant Disbursed

September 2017 Interim Report due

August 1, 2017 25% of Grant Disbursed

January 1, 2018 25% of Grant Disbursed

August 2020 Continuation Award Period End

September 2020 Final Report due

Budget Template (Implementation)

Appendix F of RFP GuidelinesBudget Item Amount

A. PROGRAM LEADERSHIP SUPPORT COSTS1. Personnel2. Travel3. OtherTotal Program Leadership Support Costs

B. OTHER DIRECT COSTS1. Equipment2. Materials and Supplies3. Publication Costs/Documentation/Dissemination4. Consultant Services5. OtherTotal Other Direct CostsC. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS (A & B)D. COST SHARING (Minimum 10% of C; up to $50,000)TOTAL REQUESTED IMPLEMENTATION GRANT BUDGET

Questions & SummaryQuestions

Summary

Next Steps

For follow-up information:• Tara Smith, ADHE• 501.371.2026 tara.smith@adhe.edu

Submission and submission related questions:• ADHE.Workforce.Grant@adhe.edu