Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 16 04
Apply for FOA ILAB 16 04
- The DOL-ETA-ILAB in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Country Projects to Promote Workplace-Based Training for Vulnerable Youth in Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.401.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 18, 2016 and posted on May 18, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 18, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) is offering funding for country-specific technical assistance projects designed to strengthen workplace-based training systems for vulnerable and marginalized youth in three locations: Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya. This opportunity is structured to support one cooperative agreement per country, with the idea that each awardee works closely with in-country partners to build lasting capacity rather than running a short-term standalone program. The overall intent is to help governments, employers, worker organizations, and civil society expand access to quality workplace-based training pathways, particularly for adolescents who are at or above the legal working age and who are engaged in, or at risk of entering, the worst forms of child labor.
The total funding available is approximately $9 million, split across up to three awards. Each cooperative agreement can be funded up to a ceiling of $3,000,000 in total costs, and ILAB expects to make three awards in total. Because these are cooperative agreements rather than standard grants, applicants should anticipate substantial involvement from the Department during implementation, which often includes collaboration on technical direction, monitoring, learning activities, and coordination with stakeholders. The maximum project period for each award is four years (48 months) from the effective date of the award, which signals an emphasis on policy, systems change, and institutionalization of practices rather than only short-term service delivery.
Projects are expected to concentrate on improving a country's capacity to establish and expand workplace-based training programs that are safe, relevant, and aligned with labor standards. The focus on "vulnerable and marginalized youth" reflects a deliberate priority for those facing barriers such as poverty, limited access to education and skills training, social exclusion, or heightened risk of exploitative work. A key target group is adolescents who may otherwise be pushed into hazardous or exploitative labor, with the project designed to create legitimate training-to-employment options that reduce those risks and provide structured entry points into decent work.
ILAB outlines three main outcome areas that successful projects should deliver. First, laws or policies that support quality workplace-based training opportunities for youth should be improved and/or implemented by key stakeholders. In practice, this can involve strengthening regulatory frameworks for apprenticeships or internships, improving standards for training quality and youth protections, clarifying roles across ministries and training institutions, and ensuring that policy commitments translate into operational procedures. Second, employers, worker organizations, and other stakeholders are expected to implement best practices related to workplace-based training for youth, including vulnerable and marginalized youth. This typically implies improving employer engagement, adopting fair recruitment and supervision practices, ensuring safe workplaces and appropriate working conditions, incorporating mentorship and structured learning plans, and aligning training with labor market needs. Third, the opportunity places emphasis on improving the quality of existing public and private programs that provide youth with prerequisite skills needed to enter workplace-based training. That includes strengthening "pre-apprenticeship" or bridging programs that build foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, employability skills, and job readiness, so that youth can successfully transition into more formal workplace-based learning opportunities.
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the Employment, Labor and Training activity area, with CFDA number 17.401. The funding opportunity number is FOA ILAB 16 04, and it was posted on May 18, 2016, with an application closing date of July 18, 2016. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, which usually means a range of organizations may be considered depending on the FOA's specific rules (often including nonprofits, NGOs, universities, research institutions, and other qualified entities with relevant experience).
Applicants are allowed to apply for one country or multiple countries, but there is a strict submission rule: countries cannot be bundled into one proposal. If an applicant wants to compete for more than one country, they must prepare and submit a separate application package for each country project. This structure reinforces that each award is distinct, country tailored, and judged on the applicant's technical approach and partnerships for that specific national context.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity about?
This opportunity from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) funds country-specific technical assistance projects to strengthen workplace-based training systems for vulnerable and marginalized youth. The goal is to help expand access to safe, relevant, labor-standards-aligned training pathways that can lead to decent work and reduce the likelihood that youth enter the worst forms of child labor.
Which countries are eligible under this opportunity?
The funding is intended for projects in three locations: Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya. ILAB anticipates making one cooperative agreement award per country.
How many awards does ILAB expect to make?
ILAB expects to make up to three awards total, structured as one award for each of the three countries (Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya).
How much total funding is available?
Approximately $9 million in total funding is available across the opportunity, split across up to three awards.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
Each cooperative agreement may be funded up to a ceiling of $3,000,000 in total costs.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
This opportunity uses cooperative agreements (not standard grants). That generally means ILAB expects substantial involvement during implementation, including collaboration on technical direction, monitoring, learning activities, and coordination with stakeholders.
How long can each project last?
The maximum project period for each award is four years (48 months) from the effective date of the award.
What is the overall intent of these projects?
The overall intent is to strengthen national and local capacity for workplace-based training systems by working closely with in-country partners and building lasting capacity. The emphasis is on policy, systems change, and institutionalization of practices rather than running a short-term standalone program.
Who is the primary target population?
The projects focus on vulnerable and marginalized youth, particularly adolescents who are at or above the legal working age and who are engaged in, or at risk of entering, the worst forms of child labor.
How does this opportunity define "vulnerable and marginalized youth" in practice?
The opportunity prioritizes youth facing barriers such as poverty, limited access to education and skills training, social exclusion, or heightened risk of exploitative work.
What is meant by "workplace-based training" in this opportunity?
Workplace-based training refers to training pathways connected to real workplaces that are intended to be safe, relevant, and aligned with labor standards. The opportunity references strengthening systems that may include structured approaches such as apprenticeships or internships and other employer-linked training models.
Why is there an emphasis on youth at or above the legal working age?
The opportunity specifically highlights adolescents who are at or above the legal working age because it aims to create legitimate training-to-employment options that reduce the risk of hazardous or exploitative labor while supporting structured entry into decent work.
What are the three main outcome areas ILAB expects projects to deliver?
ILAB outlines three outcome areas: (1) laws or policies that support quality workplace-based training opportunities for youth are improved and/or implemented by key stakeholders; (2) employers, worker organizations, and other stakeholders implement best practices related to workplace-based training for youth, including vulnerable and marginalized youth; and (3) the quality of existing public and private programs that provide youth with prerequisite skills needed to enter workplace-based training is improved.
What kinds of policy or legal improvements are expected under Outcome Area 1?
Examples described include strengthening regulatory frameworks for apprenticeships or internships, improving standards for training quality and youth protections, clarifying roles across ministries and training institutions, and ensuring that policy commitments translate into operational procedures.
What does Outcome Area 2 focus on for employers and worker organizations?
Outcome Area 2 emphasizes best practices in workplace-based training implementation. The description includes improving employer engagement, adopting fair recruitment and supervision practices, ensuring safe workplaces and appropriate working conditions, incorporating mentorship and structured learning plans, and aligning training with labor market needs.
What are "prerequisite skills" and what types of programs are included under Outcome Area 3?
Outcome Area 3 focuses on improving the quality of programs that prepare youth to enter workplace-based training. The opportunity references strengthening "pre-apprenticeship" or bridging programs that build foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, employability skills, and job readiness.
Is this opportunity focused on direct services or systems change?
The opportunity signals an emphasis on systems change and institutionalization (supported by the four-year project period and the focus on improving policies, best practices, and program quality), rather than only short-term service delivery.
Can an organization apply for more than one country?
Yes. Applicants may apply for one country or multiple countries.
Can multiple countries be included in a single proposal?
No. Countries cannot be bundled into one proposal. If an applicant wants to apply for more than one country, they must prepare and submit a separate application package for each country project.
Why does ILAB require separate applications for each country?
The opportunity is structured so each award is distinct, country-tailored, and judged on the applicant's technical approach and partnerships for that specific national context. The separate-application rule reinforces that structure.
Who are the key stakeholders expected to be involved?
The opportunity highlights governments, employers, worker organizations, and civil society as important stakeholders for expanding access to quality workplace-based training pathways and supporting implementation of policies and best practices.
What is the activity area and funding category?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the Employment, Labor and Training activity area.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 17.401.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is FOA ILAB 16 04.
When was the opportunity posted and what was the application deadline?
It was posted on May 18, 2016, and the application closing date was July 18, 2016.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. This typically indicates that a range of organizations may be eligible depending on the FOA's specific rules.
What types of organizations might be included under "Others"?
Based on how similar opportunities are often described, this can include organizations such as nonprofits, NGOs, universities, research institutions, and other qualified entities with relevant experience, subject to the specific eligibility rules in the full announcement.
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