This grant will continue to support the Interfaith Education Fund's efforts to replicate and expand sectoral employment initiatives. These initiatives have demonstrated how social and economic benefits can be achieved through investments in long-term training for those who otherwise would not have the opportunity. The grantee's work with sectoral employment initiatives defines the skills required to succeed in targeted, hard-to-fill occupations with viable career ladders, and then recruits, trains, and develops low-income adults so that they are qualified and ready to fill employers' needs for skilled workers. Funding will enable the Interfaith Education Fund to increase the number being served by existing initiatives in Texas, Arizona, Iowa, and Louisiana and to work with leaders in several California cities and Albuquerque, New Mexico to launch similar strategies in their communities.

Alternative staffing organizations put the staffing services model to work for job candidates who face labor market barriers. They have a dual goal of providing job brokering for workers who face barriers to employment as well as delivering staffing services for customers who need workers. This renewal grant will provide funds for Emerge Community Development to continue to participate in an evaluation of job placement outcomes for clients of four alternative staffing organizations, including a comparison with hard-to-employ clients of conventional staffing firms.

Through its GoodTemps staffing service, Goodwill Industries of West Michigan is providing jobs for people with barriers to employment. As one of the only alternative staffing services in Michigan, GoodTemps is the base for expanding this effective workforce development technique to other Goodwill organizations across the state. This grant will provide support for the client services offered through GoodTemps and allow the organization to continue to support development of other alternative staffing programs throughout Michigan.