“We expect these sorts of proven ‘work first’ programs to be among the pilot projects that are approved,” said Lucas in a statement.
Under the 2014 farm law, USDA will award $200 million in grants to up to 10 projects that will experiment with how to help people get jobs or advance to better-paying work. USDA spends a relatively small amount on employment and training, around $90 million a year, so USDA will look for collaborative projects.
Applications are due on Nov 24 from state governments, with the winners to be announced in February 2015 for a multi-year trial. In an announcement in August, USDA said it was “particularly interested in pilots that target hard-to-serve populations, and test job-driven training strategies that include work-based learning or career pathway approaches or utilize strong public-private partnerships.”
Conservative Republicans say food stamp costs are too high but were thwarted during farm bill debate when they tried to tighten eligibility rules. The job-training pilots were part of a compromise with Senate Democrats who opposed cuts in enrollment but agreed to close a loophole involving recipients with high utility costs.
Lucas did not cite a particular “work first” program as an example although he described the approach as a success. There are a variety around the country. North Carolina’s Work First program sets a two-year limit on enrollment and has more generous rules on savings and vehicles than traditional welfare, as well as providing services such as child care and transportation, all to keep people off long-term welfare. The program includes short-term training.
For a video recording of the hearing and to read Vilsack’s four-page statement, click here.