Reentry Employment Opportunities Program (REO)

Reentry Employment Opportunities Program (REO) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The REO Program provides funding to organizations to deliver job training and employment services to justice-involved individuals, including formerly incarcerated youth and adults, to help them successfully reenter their communities and the workforce.

The Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program encompasses two distinct grant categories: adult reentry grants and youth/young adult-focused grants. Adult reentry grants are designed to enhance workforce reintegration for individuals returning from incarceration by increasing employment opportunities, improving job retention, and raising earnings, while simultaneously reducing recidivism rates.

Youth-focused grants address the needs of young individuals involved in or at risk of involvement in crime and violence. The objectives include preventing school dropout among in-school youth, improving literacy and numeracy skills, increasing employment rates for out-of-school youth, and mitigating both criminal activity and recidivism among youth populations.

Collectively, the REO program seeks to facilitate successful community reintegration for justice-involved individuals through the development of evidence-based strategies and collaborative partnerships that promote sustainable workforce outcomes. **Fiscal Year 2025:** REO program provides pre-release and comprehensive post-release services targeted in communities where high rates of poverty and crime exist.

REO services include career assistance, occupational skills training, work-based learning, mentoring, trauma informed care approaches, mental health and substance abuse support, and for youth and young adults, community violence intervention and preparation for post-secondary education.

REO grantees also provide or connect participants with additional supportive services such as housing, transportation assistance, childcare, identification assistance and legal assistance. REO grants have employer partners involved in the program design, so participants are prepared with skills and credentials that are in-demand.

Grantees connect with employers to educate them on the benefits of hiring individuals with criminal records and assist them in connecting with an often-overlooked labor supply. REO programs include Pathway Home (PH), an adult focused program operating in local jails and state prisons, and Growth Opportunities (GO), a youth/young adult focused program.

In 2022, REO partnered with the Department of Justice to establish Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD), an adult-focused program similar to Pathway Home which operates in the federal corrections system.

This program includes both reentry grants that focus on serving adults who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, and youth/young adults who are involved or at risk of involvement in crime and violence. EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR - HW Labor Market Activity The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law on July 22, 2014.

It supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and amends the Wagner-Peyser Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Only the version published in the Federal Register is the official regulation. , Title Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, Section 169 (a)(2)(A)-(G), PL 119-75 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, references Bill H.

R. 7148, which was signed on January 3, 2026, making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. -Public Law 119-75 _These funding amounts do not reflect the award amounts that are displayed on USASpending.

gov_ **This listing is funded for the current fiscal year. ** Reentry Employment Opportunities programs are generally 42-month programs, beginning at the time of award. Grantees have the 32 months to execute and operate the program and an additional 12 months for participant follow-up.

There may be variation of funding from year to year based on the amount of funds allocated and the additional spending for program management. **Fiscal Year 2025:** In Fiscal Year 2025, ETA anticipates distributing funds totaling $81,000,000 to states and non profit organizations to support adults, young adults and youth with justice involvement with the advancement of workforce readiness skills.

Goals for the grant funds will support in-demand industries and are aligned with the America's Talent Strategies. Prior to FY2025, ETA distributed grant funds totaling $92,561,555 to 31 public or private nonprofit organizations, community and faith-based organizations for the administration of the Pathway Home (adult) and Growth Opportunities (youth/young adult) Programs.

The adult projects provide reentry programming to individuals prior to release from state correctional facilities and county and local jails with continued employment-focused services after release. The youth projects prepare justice-involved youth and young adults for employment through training activities and paid work experience, as well as incorporate community violence intervention.

As of quarter ending 6/30/2025, 86% of adults received a credential and 50% were employed after exiting the project. Additionally, 70% of youth received a credential and 62% of youth were in education or employment after exiting the project. Non-governmental entities are typically required to provide documentary evidence of sufficient financial controls.

Grantees must demonstrate their organizational capacity to implement a Reentry Employment Opportunities program, including a detailed description of the occupational skills credentials participants will attain through the program. Furthermore, grantees must present evidence of their ability to monitor and report the required performance outcomes. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia), Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government, Not-for-Profit Organization Eligible youth, young adult and adult applicants for Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) grants vary depending on the solicitation.

Applicants are generally located in or have a staff presence in the community being served. Examples of possible eligible applicants include community-based organizations, school districts, state and local government juvenile justice agencies, tribal entities, and entities carrying out activities under WIOA, such as local Workforce Investment Boards or American Job Centers.

Major Metropolis (over 250,000), Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant eligibility. Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) Adult grants serve individuals, 18 years old and older, who have been convicted as an adult and have been imprisoned for violating a state or federal law, and who have never been convicted of a sex-related offense.

Depending on the solicitation, enrollment may be limited based on whether the presenting offense was violent or whether the individual has previously committed a violent crime. Eligible applicants for youth focused grants vary depending on the solicitation.

Personal Services Compensation (e.g., Salary, Stipend), Staff Training and Development, Utilities (e.g., Power, Water, Phones), Facilities Rental/User Fee, Services under the adult reentry grants include assistance in finding employment, mentoring, job training, work-based learning remedial education, and other comprehensive transitional services.

Services under the youth focused grants include a wide array of education, employment, mentoring, case management, violence and crime reduction and diversion. Architectural and Engineering, Costs of Meals and Refreshments, Rearrangement and reconversion costs, Construction costs are not allowed and this line must be left as zero.

Minor alterations to adjust an existing space for grant activities (such as a classroom alteration) may be allowable. We do not consider this as construction and you must show the costs on other appropriate lines such as Contractual. Deadline determined at as part of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E. O.

12372. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Opportunity Posted Location: Grants.

gov Application Procedures Location: NOFO Criteria for each proposal are specified in the applicable request for proposals. Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals. The general procedure is as follows: A technical review panel composed of staff from ETA program offices as well as peer reviewers evaluate submitted and eligible applications.

The panel prepares a report for the ETA Grant Officer identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the application and the cumulative rating. Once recommendations are made by the Grant Officer and approved by the Secretary of Labor an Award Notification is sent through the appropriate congressional channels for notification. After awardees are notified, the list of awardees is posted on the ETA Web site at www.

dol. gov/agencies/eta/grants. If an application is rejected, a letter is sent to the applicant as notification that they were not selected as a recipient of the grant.

From 60 to 90 days. ETA has instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist you in understanding the standards against which your application will be judged. The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application.

Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below. > 180 Days. ETA may provide no-cost extensions at its own discretion based on the success of the project and other relevant factors.

From 60 to 90 days. Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals.

The following 2CFR policy requirements apply to this assistance listing: Subpart B, General provisions Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements Subpart E, Cost Principles Subpart F, Audit Requirements The following 2CFR policy requirements are excluded from coverage under this assistance listing: **Progress/Performance Reports :**Quarterly progress reports are required.

Depending on the solicitation, grantees also may be required to participate in DOL's Grantee Performance Management System (GPMS) data collection system.

, Frequency: Quarterly Recipients are required to maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence of accounting procedures and practices sufficient to reflect properly all direct and indirect costs of whatever nature claimed to have been incurred for the performance of the grant. Records are to be retained for three years from the date of final payment unless the Grant Officer authorizes earlier disposal.

Retention Period: 3 Years Domestic Assistance Program that uses Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): 200 Constitution Ave, NW, Room N-4511, Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reentry Employment Opportunities Reintegration of Ex-Offenders