DC Youth and Young Adult Update 01-10-2025

By NYEC | January 10, 2025

 

 

 

News at NYEC:  

  • Join the National Youth Employment Coalition’s 2025 Annual Forum- Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities, in Minneapolis, MN, from May 12-14, 2025! This event will gather practitioners, youth advocates, and community leaders to explore key topics like youth leadership, holistic supports, living wage employment, and policy & advocacy.  Early bird registration closes today! 
  • Fill out a 6-month Federal Advocacy Calendar!: Interested in being more engaged in federal advocacy? The hyperlinked title will direct you to a JotForm that lists concrete steps that you can take in the first 6 months of the year to build a relationship with your Members of Congress! NYEC will make it easy to complete each goal of every month by sharing support, reminders, and more!  

 Legislative Branch:  

  • 119th Congressional Committee Leadership and Membership Announced: Below, we list the Chairs and Ranking Members of Congressional Committees most relevant to issues facing opportunity youth. The House Steering Committee has not yet set the membership for their committees, though the Senate has.  
  • House Education and Workforce Committee: Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA)  
  • House Appropriations Committee: Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)  

Additionally, Chair Tim Walberg announced his senior staff for the Education and Workforce Committee. You can find the announcement here.  

  • E-BRIDGE Act to Increase Broadband Access in Rural Areas Is Signed into Law: The Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act, was signed into law on Friday as part of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (S. 4367).  S. 4367 was approved by both House and Senate in December 2024. The E-BRIDGE Act removes hurdles for broadband projects under Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants, including difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband deployment.  
  • Nomination Hearing – U.S. Secretary of Transportation: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a nomination hearing for the Honorable Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. Secretary of Transportation, at 10:00 AM EST on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.  

Executive Branch:  

 

  • HUD Invests Over $140 Million to Support Families Achieving Economic Self-Sufficiency: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on January 6th over $140 million in funding to 836 existing grantees through the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program. These awards will fund 1,537 service coordinator positions across the country. The FSS program provides grants to public housing agencies and multifamily property owners to support the salary of program coordinators.  

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines:  

  • DOJ Grant: OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: The Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program, referred to as the Tribal Governments Program, assists Tribal governments (or their authorized designees) to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking in Tribal communities. Applications are due April 8, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship: This funding opportunity seeks to support doctoral students whose dissertation research is relevant to preventing and controlling crime, advancing knowledge of victimization and effective victim services, or ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal or juvenile justice in the United States. Applications are due April 15, 2025. 
  • FY25 U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation: This Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) funding opportunity seeks to provide funding to improve public safety and victim services in tribal communities. CTAS provides federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia an opportunity to apply for funding to aid in developing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety. Applications are due March 18, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: Building a Community of Practice for Women in Strategic Trade: This grant exists to create a professional network and community of practice to advance women working in strategic trade through sustained mentorship. Experienced international strategic trade experts and practitioners will guide early- or mid-career women in the strategic trade field through a sustained six-month mentorship. Applications are due March 25, 2025. 
  • Multiple OJJDP Grants:  

 

Previously Shared   

  • DOS Grant: Youth Coalitions for Drug Demand Reduction: Applicants will use funds to carry out a project to improve youth engagement in drug demand reduction interventions, expanding access to community mental health services, and supporting drug prevention through school-based in underserved communities. The project should plan for implementation in at least 10 communities, including at least three communities each in Peru’s coast, Andean, and Amazonian regions. Applications are due January 10, 2025.  
  • Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants: AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations that engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. AmeriCorps members may receive a living allowance and other benefits. After successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award they can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans. Applications are due by January 23, 2025.  
  • FY 2025 National Infrastructure Investments: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 authorized and appropriated $1.5 billion to be awarded by the Department of Transportation for Local and Regional Project Assistance Program Grants under National Infrastructure Investments. This notice of funding opportunity solicits applications for projects funded under the Local and Regional Project Assistance Program, known as the RAISE Grants program. Applications are due January 30, 2025.  
  • Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Student Support Service: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Partnership Grants: The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program that encourages eligible entities to provide support, and maintain a commitment, to eligible students from low-income backgrounds, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. Under the GEAR UP program, the Department awards grants to two types of entities: (1) States and (2) Partnerships consisting of at least one degree-granting institution of higher education (IHE) and at least one local educational agency (LEA). Applications are due on February 3, 2025.  
  • IMLS Grant: Native American Library Services Basic Grant: The Native American Basic Grants (NAB) program assists Native American Tribes in establishing, sustaining, and improving library services and operations with their communities. As information needs change, Tribal libraries must be able to serve as knowledge and resource centers to benefit their users and the wellness of their communities. The NAB program supports Tribes across the country to address their individual information needs and priorities. Applications are due February 4, 2025.  
  • Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program: The purpose of the PROTECT Program is to provide grants on a competitive basis for projects that seek to strengthen surface transportation to be more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, heat waves, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure. Applications are due February 24, 2025.  
  • SAMHSA Grant: National Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health: The purpose of this program is to provide training and technical assistance to increase the access to, effectiveness of, and dissemination of evidence-based mental health services for children, youth, and young adults (through age 21) with Serious Emotional Disturbances/Serious Mental Illness and their families and to promote the coordination of these services. Applications are due on March 15, 2025.    
  • Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant: The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant programs provide funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. Applications are due June 30, 2025. 

From The States: 

  • Massachusetts: Despite recent reforms aimed at improving Massachusetts’ childcare system, many workers are still struggling. A new report reveals that these essential workers often need to work multiple jobs to afford necessities or are leaving the profession altogether. This workforce shortage undermines the effectiveness of the state’s efforts to provide affordable, high-quality childcare.    
  • Ohio: Ohio is taking a significant step towards reforming its juvenile justice system. Governor Mike DeWine recently announced plans to construct new, smaller youth centers in Bedford and Grafton, moving away from the state’s current reliance on large, centralized juvenile detention facilities. This initiative, spurred by the recommendations of a juvenile justice task force, aims to create a more rehabilitative and community-centered approach to youth corrections. 

For The Youth: 

  • JFF Horizons Summit ambassadors: JFF is searching for passionate young adults to represent the voices of learners and early career talent at their annual summit. You will get to share your unique perspectives with leaders in the workforce and education spaces and influence the summit agenda and engage in meaningful dialogues. You will also, get the opportunity to network with industry professionals, build your leadership skills, and gain valuable exposure. 
  • Resume Writing Workshop for Youth: Ready to craft a winning resume? In this Youth Culture Learning Workshop, students will gain the skills to write a strong resume (or enhance their existing one). The curriculum covers essential elements like creating a basic resume template, effectively summarizing work and volunteer experiences, identifying and showcasing key skills, and receiving valuable tips for resume success. This workshop can be taken independently or as part of the comprehensive Career Discovery and Essentials Certificate program. 

Resources:  

  • The Social Capital Framework: Search Institute developed the Social Capital Framework based on extensive research into how youth-serving programs can foster strong social connections in young people. This framework provides a roadmap for schools and youth organizations to intentionally cultivate social capital within their communities. Building and utilizing social capital effectively requires a deliberate and inclusive approach that prioritizes meaningful relationships. This focus on relationships must be deeply integrated into the daily operations of every school and organization. When these institutions successfully implement this approach, they become ‘social capital promoting organizations.’  
  • The Mentoring Lab Youth Mentoring Training: Empower yourself to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people. The Mentoring Lab’s mentoring training program delivers evidence-based and trauma-informed strategies, equipping you with the practical tools and knowledge to effectively navigate the challenges of youth work. Move beyond casual interactions and become a truly impactful mentor. 

 

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