8/2 - Provider Network Member Grant: Supporting Employment for Unserved and Underserved Individuals with Disabilities

 Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive and coordinated efforts from government agencies, non-profit organizations, employers, and the community in creating access, enhancing support services, providing adequate training and education, and fostering a culture of inclusion that leads and results in improving the quality of life and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Scope of Work
Applicants for grant funds must:

1. Demonstrate a commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities in preparing, securing and maintaining competitive integrated employment.
2. Set specific goals and benchmarks for increasing the number of individuals employed, quality of their employment and wages/benefits.
3. Identify and undertake measurable activities to achieve these goals.
4. Outline the evaluation plan/quality assurance to ensure goals are being met.

Funding can be used for various activities, including but not limited to:

• Strengthening organizational activities to improving employment outcomes
• Implementing organizational changes necessary to support employment goals
• Developing and enhancing services to enhance employment opportunities and outcomes

Expected Outcomes

1. Improve employment status for currently employed individuals, including increased hours, increased pay, promotions and job satisfaction.
2. Increase employment retention.

Proposal Requirements

1. Provider’s name, address, contact information, name of the grant lead contact.
2. Vision/mission/strategic goal(s), objectives for provider’s employment program.
3. Brief organizational history.
4. Description of the employment program-how many people served in FY24, employment retention outcomes and specific reason why the funding is needed.
5. Description of how grants funds will be used, the impact/improvements, specific goals & outcomes, and how these outcomes will be measured.
6. A detailed budget.
7. A description of how the funds will be sustained.
8. A description of the impact or effect the project has upon the people supported.
9. A commitment statement to present their work at the end of the grant.

IV. Proposal Format

1. Proposals should not exceed 5 pages, excluding any supporting documents.
2. Use font size 12, and number pages.
3. Submit only the requested documents; additional materials will not be reviewed.
    

Deliverables
Grant recipients must submit a final grant report to include expenditures, how grant money was used, outcomes, lessons learned, and sustainability plans.

Funds Available
Organizations may apply for a maximum of $25,000. Half of grant funds will be available on 8/9/24.  The remaining grant funds will be dispersed upon receiving the final grant report and completing exit grant meeting with Maryland Works CEO and Finance Director, which must occur before 12/31/24, to review the goals that were established, outcomes and expenditures.   All grant funds must be expended by 12/31/24.

Who Can Submit Proposals
This grant opportunity is available to members of Maryland Works Provider Network.

Pre-Proposal Information Session
A pre-proposal information session will be held:

• Date: 7/17/24
• Time: 11:30 AM

Register online here or call 410.381.8660 to register and receive call-in information.

Proposal Deadline
Proposals must be received by 8/2/24, at 12:00 PM (noon).

Submit applications to Cathey McGee: catheym@mdworks.com

Important Note: Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged by email or phone. If confirmation is not received by 2 PM on 8/2/24, contact Cathey McGee at 410-381-8660.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and working together to expand employment opportunities for unserved and underserved individuals with disabilities.