Notice of Funding Opportunity State Agency Name: Iowa Workforce Development Funding Opportunity
Title: Iowa Health Careers Registered Apprenticeship Program 2.0
Announcement Type: Initial
CFDA Number (if applicable): Not applicable
Important Dates
Deadline: Applications for the funds are due by March 9, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Central Standard Time. Grant applications will not be accepted until January 11, 2023.
Webinar Date: Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) will host a webinar to provide information and an opportunity for a live Q&A on January 27th , 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Application Notification: A Notice of Intent to Award will be posted on the following websites:
www.earnandlearniowa.gov
www.iowagrants.gov
Program Description
Purpose
Iowa’s healthcare providers have for many years struggled to recruit and retain a robust healthcare workforce. Demand for skilled EMT’s, Paramedics, CNA’s, LPN’s, RN’s, Direct Support Professionals (I, II, & III), Community Health Workers, Behavioral Health & Substance Abuse Specialist, and other critical professionals continue to persist. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated Iowa’s healthcare workforce shortage.
The purpose of this award is for the development and/or expansion of Healthcare Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Iowa. The intent is to provide funding to Iowa-based Skilled Nursing Facilities, Residential Care Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities, Hospitals, Home Health Agencies, and Public/Private accredited Iowa High Schools, Community Colleges, and Universities, for the purpose of developing Registered Apprenticeship pathways for individuals, located in the state of Iowa. These Registered Apprenticeship programs will provide an alternative pathway to health education, degrees, and certifications. These alternative pathways include a combination of on-the-job learning alongside related training instruction traditionally taught in a classroom setting. The identified career pathways include Nursing, Emergency Medical Services, Direct Support Care & Behavioral Health, all serving in direct patient care rather than administrative duties. Related instructional training must be provided by an accredited high school, college, university, or other accredited third-party RTI providers.
The Health Care and Social Assistance industry has the highest number of job openings (12,689) in Iowa and is Iowa's second largest employing industry with nearly 217,000 jobs.
As of November 7, 2022, healthcare careers represented 4 of the top 10 job postings on iowaworks.gov . Registered Nurse and Nursing Assistant positions were the top two occupations, with 4,488 and 1,276 openings respectively. Solving Iowa’s healthcare workforce shortage will require short- and long-term strategies and investments, public-private partnerships, and innovative collaborations between and within Iowa’s communities.
The Iowa Heath Careers Registered Apprenticeship Program 2.0 grant will select no fewer than 5 successful applicant communities in which to establish a new, or expand an existing (adding RA pathways), high school-based and/or adult registered apprenticeship program for health care careers. Successful applicants will build community partnerships and design a health care registered apprenticeship program for high school and/or adult apprentices. The result is an alternative pathway to health education with an added opportunity to earn and learn, including one-to-one mentoring during on-the-job training.
Awardees who are high schools or organizations who choose to partner with high schools to develop their RA program(s) will receive supplemental assistance from the State of Iowa to acquire VR simulation software in available RA fields and hardware to further enhance apprentices’ educational and practical experience, and readiness.
Funding Priorities and A dditional Considerations
Funding priority and preferential points will be given to partnerships that involve public/private accredited Iowa High Schools or public/private accredited Iowa High Schools acting as lead registered apprenticeship program sponsors. Applicants providing details on efforts to include underrepresented populations within the program. Consideration will be given regarding the location of applicants during the review process to promote the geographic diversity of grantees.
Performance Measures
All applications must include performance measures that align with the Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship work processes within the approved Registered Apprenticeship On the Job Related Training Instruction standards and/or competencies .
Anticipated number of new pathways established for apprentices Anticipated number of apprentices participating within each pathway offered Number of industry-recognized credentials and certifications earned Comparison of open positions available associated with each pathway prior to the start of the program, during and after completion
Program Authority
IWD’s authority to award these grants may be found in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, (H.R.1319), as delegated by Governor Kim Reynolds pursuant to her authority under the same act.
Award Information
Funding
Governor Kim Reynolds has reserved $15,000,000 in funding that Iowa received under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (H.R.1319) to support the Iowa Health Careers 2.0 Grant. Awards will be given to a minimum of five (5) grants under this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Estimated Award Amount
IWD anticipates awarding a total of approximately $15,000,000 allocated to Registered Apprenticeships developed within the following career pathways: Emergency Medical Services, Nursing, Direct Support Care and Behavioral Health. A minimum of five (5) grants will be awarded that may vary in amount as determined by the scope of the project and the availability of funding. Funding decisions are made as funding is available, and IWD is not obligated to provide any requested amount.
Limitations
Each successful applicant will be required to provide a sustainability plan that demonstrates how the program will be maintained after grant funding is fully expended.
Project and Award Period
Funds received as part of this program must be entirely spent by June 30, 2026. This is to ensure that the overall program will comply with the American Rescue Plan Act expenditure date of December 31, 2026. No costs incurred prior to 6/01/2023 or after 6/30/2026 are eligible.
Awardees must provide a detailed report of the progress of the project and the use of funds every quarter, beginning from the date the Memorandum of Understanding between the applicant and the State is fully executed.
The funds for this award are provided by the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF), part of the American Rescue Plan. SLFRF requires that all costs be incurred during the period beginning March 3, 2021 and ending December 31, 2024. Therefore, all costs incurred prior to March 3, 2021 and after December 31, 2024 are not eligible uses of these funds. The period of performance for SLFRF funds runs until December 31, 2026, which will provide recipients an additional two years during which they may expend funds for costs incurred (i.e., obligated) by December 31, 2024. Any award funds not obligated or expended within these timeframes must be returned to the State. Recipients of these funds will be held accountable to these funding timeframes. Awardees must provide a detailed report of the progress of the project and the use of funds every quarter, beginning from the date the Memorandum of Understanding between the applicant and the State is fully executed.
Type of Award
IWD will award funds to successful applicants to carry out planned proposals. Any unexpended grant dollars must be returned to Iowa Workforce Development thereafter.
Use of Funds
As a condition of receiving the funds appropriated under this request for proposal (RFP), the subrecipient shall testify upon the request of any committee or subcommittee of the State of Iowa General Assembly regarding the expenditures of such funds.
All funds requested through the Budget Narrative and Budget Summary Form should provide justification for the costs and the majority of the funds requested should closely match the program priorities. Grant funds provided may be used on:
· E quipment purchases under $5000;
· Tuition, textbook and fee expenses for an accredited, third party RTI provider;
· Training materials (such as textbooks, curriculum, etc) for in-house instruction;
· Supportive Services for Apprentices including Uniforms and PPE;
· Fees traditionally incurred by apprentices, such as CPR and CNA test expenses, lab costs, and background checks;
· Apprentices’ ‘Earn and Learn’ wages up to $7.00 per hour for OJT providers up to an annual maximum of $7,000. *
· Instructor salaries for in-house RTI;
· Administrative expenses – limit 5% of total award
· Transportation expenses for programs
* Entry-level wages for apprentices must meet or exceed the corresponding Iowa statewide occupational entry wage as indicated on the 2022 Iowa Wage Report.
All grant funds are administered as reimbursement only and no advance payment options are available.
