WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of $52 million in grant funding for organizations that provide reentry services to incarcerated individuals before release from state correctional facilities or county or local jails. By eliminating gaps between release from prison or jail and enrollment in a workforce develop program, the funding will help enhance reintegration efforts and reduce recidivism.
Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, these Pathway Home grants allow organizations to establish formal partnerships with employers to help participants acquire training and industry-recognized credentials to successfully transition into employment and their communities.
The department’s Employment and Training Administration will award grants for up to 20 projects that provide justice-involved individuals with legal assistance, counseling, job search strategies and other foundational skills prior to release. The funding – ranging from $1 million to $4 million to each recipient – will also support apprenticeships, occupational training and supportive services for participants after they return to their communities.
The Pathway Home Grant Program also supports the administration’s Justice40 Initiative which aims to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution. Applicants that align training with a specific infrastructure project funded by the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda will receive special consideration during the review process.
