Farmworker Career Development Program

The Florida Department of Education, through the Division of Career, Technical and Adult Education and the Farmworker Career Development Program, administers the National Farmworker Jobs Program, Farmworker Career Development Program opportunity under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Title I, Section 167, CFDA 17.264. The program is designed to strengthen the ability of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents to achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment. It serves eligible farmworkers and dependents who face socioeconomic and educational barriers identified under applicable United States Department of Labor WIOA requirements. The RFA identifies total projected funding of 2,656,072 dollars, contingent upon Florida's 2026-2027 federal award. The award is discretionary and non-competitive, with allocations identified in Attachment A for eight projected subrecipient agencies and their designated service areas. Individual allocations range from 258,759 dollars to 471,852 dollars, and the allocation formula identifies a cost per participant of 7,611 dollars for 349 projected participants. Program funds must be used for activities directly supporting the program purpose, priorities, and expected outcomes. Allowable costs may include appropriate project staff, office materials and supplies, consultant fees, meeting room rentals, printing, career services, training services, and related assistance. Administrative and indirect costs are shared costs that cannot exceed 5 percent of the award amount. Generally unallowable expenses include pre-award costs, entertainment, meals and refreshments, celebrations, game systems, out-of-state travel without FDOE pre-approval, overnight field trips, incentives, gift cards, decorations, purchases of facilities or vehicles, land acquisition, furniture, kitchen appliances, tuition, capital improvements and permanent renovations, personal-benefit organizational dues, and costs already covered by indirect cost allocation. Equipment purchases must comply with applicable federal and state requirements, and equipment purchases not included in the original FDOE-approved budget require an amendment and approval before purchase. The RFA states that there is no matching requirement. Eligible applicants are organizations within the state of Florida, with applicants directed to Attachment A for the applicable focus areas. Because this is a discretionary non-competitive opportunity, Attachment A identifies projected allocations to Putnam County School District, Hillsborough County School District, Polk County School District, Manatee County School District, South Florida State College, Indian River State College, Collier County School District, and Miami-Dade County Community Action and Human Services. Participant eligibility is separately governed by WIOA Section 167 and applicable TEGL and state requirements. Eligible participants include qualifying migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents who meet requirements concerning work authorization, Selective Service where applicable, low-income status and barriers to economic self-sufficiency, qualifying agricultural employment, family support, and other applicable requirements. Applications must be submitted electronically to the FDOE Office of Grants Management through ShareFile. Required materials include the DOE 100A Project Application Form, DOE Budget Narrative Form, applicable Risk Analysis documentation, Project Performance Accountability Form, DOE 599 Project Disbursement Report, Staffing Breakout Form and related staffing documentation, applicable assurances, and required narrative and supporting materials. The narrative has a maximum length of 20 pages, excluding specified forms, tables, charts, and other exempt materials, and must use Times New Roman 12-point font, double spacing, and one-inch margins. Narrative requirements address the project abstract, project need, labor market assessment, project design and implementation, objectives and timelines, participant assessments, training and other services, youth services, collaboration, Local Workforce Development Board coordination, Local Advisory Board planning, recruitment and enrollment, evidence of capability, and budget narrative. Applications are evaluated against the detailed criteria included throughout the RFA. Applicants must demonstrate that proposed expenses are necessary, allowable, allocable, accurate, and connected to project activities and outcomes. Performance objectives must be measurable and achievable, services must address identified farmworker needs, labor market information must support training strategies, and proposed partnerships and recruitment strategies must be sufficiently developed. Applicants must also submit required collaboration agreements, a Local Workforce Development Board memorandum of understanding, a Targeted Occupation List, and an Eligible Training Provider List. The RFA contains inconsistent language concerning employer collaboration agreements: one provision states that at least two of five agreements must be with employers, while subsequent criteria state that at least one employer agreement is required. The stated application due date is June 30, 2026. Although the RFA states that applications are accepted after this date, June 30 remains the identified application due date, and the DOE 100A must be received by June 30 for a July 1 grant start date. The program period of performance is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, while the budget period is July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Based on the annual program-year structure, the opportunity is treated as recurring rather than rolling. The program contact is Claudia Campagnola at 850-245-9081 and Claudia.Campagnola@fldoe.org. The Grants Management contact is Jasolin Wiggins at 850-245-9814 and Jasolin.Wiggins@fldoe.org.

Follow the prescribed checklist order and page-numbering requirements; keep the narrative within 20 pages using 12-point Times New Roman, double spacing, and one-inch margins; provide clear and specific responses rather than copying RFA language; use Employ Florida as the required Labor Market Assessment source; reconcile staffing salary and benefit totals across the Staffing Breakout Form, DOE Budget Narrative, and DOE 599; ensure costs are necessary, allowable, allocable, accurate, and connected to project activities; make objectives and deliverables measurable and verifiable; obtain required collaboration agreements and the LWDB MOU; verify the conflicting employer collaboration agreement requirements with FDOE and satisfy the stricter requirement unless FDOE directs otherwise.