Deadline: 31-Jul-23
The National Institute of Correction (NIC) is accepting applications for the Evidence Based Workforce Development – Regional Training Series.
The National Institute of Correction (NIC) is committed to establishing collaborative relationships with various tribal, local, state, and Federal Bureau of Prisons or other federal agencies to increase the opportunity for post-release success (defined as maintaining a prosocial lifestyle and sustained attachment to the workforce).
In addition, NIC’s emphasis on research-based practices and programming requires structured training to provide criminal justice practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to support the reentry goals of justice-involved adults, thereby increasing public safety. The process for supporting the workforce development efforts of justice-involved adults involves the migration from a ‘face “face them and place them”’ perspective towards an approach that incorporates assessments, services and support. This transformative model helps expands the scope of workforce services while helping improve employment and job retention outcomes. This model increases self- awareness, helps identify strengths and weaknesses, and encourages the individual to assume greater ownership for their life’s work’.
Goals
- The goal of this project is to manage the Evidence-based Regional Training series, a blended curriculum training program consisting of 4 training events for each regional training site. The training will include four asynchronous pre-training modules and 12 monthly post-training coaching sessions.
- Training, intended for 20-30 practitioners per training event, will be provided the knowledge and skills to support the workforce development and reentry efforts of justice-involved adults. In addition, training participants instruction will be provided on the effective utilization of the Employment Retention Inventory (ERI) – developed o support case management activities when working with justice-involved adults.
Objectives
- The tasks to be performed under this cooperative agreement will include: a review of the blended 40-hour Evidence-Based Workforce Development Training Series curriculum and support documents; management of 4-5 regional training series (consisting of 4-5 training events per region); train 20-25 participants per training event; development/administering of pre/post assessments and activities to evaluate the mastery of established competencies, knowledge and skills; provision of monthly posttraining coaching sessions. The awardee will work collaboratively with the designated NIC project manager to select and arrange travel/hotel accommodations and training space for training participants and instructors. The awardee will work with the NIC project manager to process registration and secure training instructors. In addition, the awardee will provide certification for training participants and pursue the awarding of continuing educational units (CEUs). Lastly, the awardee will work in collaboration with the designated NIC staff to develop a marketing strategy to promote the training series (to include participation in at least one major national criminal justice conference).
Funding Information
- NIC expects to make one award for as much as $ 1,000,000.00 for a 12-month project period, beginning on September 1, 2023. Requests for amounts more than a total of $ 1,000,000.00, including direct and indirect costs will not be considered.
Evidence-Based Programs or Practices
- NIC strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development.
- improving the quantity and quality of evidence NIC generates;
- integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within NIC and the field; and
- improving the translation of evidence into practice.
Program-Specific Information
- A proposal responsive to this solicitation should, at a minimum, have the following:
- 10 years of experience managing national and/or regional training events
- 10 years of documented experience developing and facilitating virtual and instructor-led training sessions
- Documented experience capturing qualitative and quantitative data to access knowledge transfer
- Specific experience facilitating training events and post-training coaching sessions
- Documented experience using learning management systems, e. g., Oracle-Taleo, and Web-based platforms, e.g., Web-Ex, Zoom and Teams
- Specific experience facilitating motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral intervention training.
- The ability to provide training certification and establish the foundation for awarding Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
- Experience responding to request for workshops proposals at major national conferences
- The ability to provide post-training coaching sessions and consultation
- The ability to develop a marketing strategy to promote the training series
- The ability to create a web-based platform to support a community of practice (information sharing)
- The ability to coordinate and secure travel and lodging for training participants and instructors
- Knowledge of the evidence-based strategies that effectively address the diverse training needs of adult learners.
Eligibility Criteria
- NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply. Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.
- NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.
- NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.