Braiding Funds to Support Career PathwaysJudy Mortrude & Manuela Ekowo

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Challenges to sustaining and scaling up career pathways

• Generally funded with one-time grants

• Different funder requirements, eligible populations, timeframes, and accountability expectations

• Key partners may be missing from the initiative

• Remains an innovation, not yet the “new normal”• Pilot funding vs. FTEs, ADAs, and ITAs

• Programs must do many “work arounds” of existing policies, although this has really changed under new WIOA

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Federal programs can support career pathways

• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Title I (Adults and Youth)• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Title II (Adult Education and

Family Literacy Act)• Trade Adjustment Assistance• Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Title III Employment Service

(Wagner-Peyser Act)• Pell Grants – Ability to Benefit Provision• Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training

(SNAP E&T)

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“Braid” Federal Funds to Help Develop, Sustain, and Scale Up Efforts

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…and more!

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Braided Funding for Minnesota FastTRAC Adult Career Pathways Grant Making

RFP Round

Funding 2009 2010 2011 2012

WIA Title 1b 10% Funds (discretionary)

WIA Title II Discretionary (adult ed)

WIA Incentive Funds

Greater Twin Cities United Way

State Colleges & Universities Systems Office

TANF Innovation Funds

TOTAL $548k $1m ~$1.7m $1.5m

2013 - 2015: State workforce development funds and TANF Innovation funds support MN FastTRAC adult career pathway programs

MN FastTRAC Local Braided Funds (2013)

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Arkansas State Career Pathways Initiative

• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Title I (Adults and Youth)

• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act)

• Trade Adjustment Assistance• Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Title III

Employment Service (Wagner-Peyser Act)• Pell Grant• Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

(TANF)• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Employment and Training (SNAP E&T)

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Locals Link Community Resources

• Arkansas Department of Higher Education determines which two-year colleges receive grant awards that range from $167,000-$605,000 in FY16.

• Students must apply for Pell.• Local WIB may pay for fees, uniforms and transportation.• Department of Childcare pays for childcare if student is eligible and funds

are available.• Department of Workforce Services refers TEA clients and provides case

management for these students.• Department of Human Services provides food stamps and ArKids.• Community College provides instruction and awards credentials.• Colleges provide in-kind with classrooms, labs, office space, faculty,

assessments and financial aid staff, as well as other services that are available to all students.

TANF funds may be utilized for the following purposes:• Direct support (tuition, books, transportation and childcare)  and indirect student support

(case managers and career coaches).

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Oregon Career Pathways• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act

Title I (Adults and Youth)• Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act

Title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act)

• Trade Adjustment Assistance• Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-

Apprenticeship• Employment Service (Wagner-Peyser

Act)• Pell Grants• Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical

Education Act• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

(TANF)• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T)

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Funding Career Pathways:A Federal Funding Toolkit for States

Understand key components of career pathways

Identify Federal Resources to support career pathways

Pinpoint state policy changes or actions needed

Most recent version = February 2015

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How to Use the Toolkit

Step 1: Understand possible key components and tasks involved in developing, implementing, and maintaining career pathways and career pathway bridges.

Step 2: Identify how federal resources can support these key components and tasks.

Step 3: Pinpoint state policy changes or other state actions needed to fully

leverage federal funding opportunities for pathways.

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Thank You!

Judy Mortrude & Manuela Ekowo

Alliance for Quality Career Pathways

careerpathways@clasp.org