Latino Coalition for Community Leadership

Fair Chance Hiring RFP

1 in 3 adults has a criminal record, about the same that have college degrees
Having a record reduces the likelihood of a job call-back or offer by as much as 50 percent
Reduced employment for the millions of people with records costs America up to $87 billion/year
About 8,500 people leave Colorado prisons each year

How to Apply

Proposal may be submitted online through Submittable at https://latinocoalition.submittable.com/submit/226417/fair-chance-hiring-colorado-rfp

Funding Overview

The Colorado Fair Chance Hiring Initiative’s (CFCHI) vision is to mobilize employers who are dedicated to fair chance hiring so that justice impacted individuals can connect to career pathways that provide a livable wage. This Initiative will catalyze employment opportunities for those reentering society after finishing their prison sentence, which will reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and boost Colorado’s economy.

In the state of Colorado, approximately 15,000 individuals are incarcerated in state prisons at any given time. Each year about 8,500 of these individuals leave the system and reenter society. After three years, one in two individuals released from a Colorado prison will recidivate.  

Employment is a key mitigating factor that can break the cycle of recidivism, yet too often job seekers with past convictions are denied access to employment for jobs they would be otherwise qualified to perform, artificially shrinking the labor force.  Likewise, people returning from prison can lack the necessary training to secure high-paying, career-oriented positions in high-growth industries.  

The Initiative seeks to improve the competency and commitment of employers to hire justice-involved people, providing access to quality job opportunities to bolster economic mobility.  Colorado is a leader in the reentry space thanks to innovative partnerships between local employers, community organizations, and the Colorado Department of Corrections (“CDOC”), such as the Work and Gain Education & Employment Skills (“WAGEES”) and Take TWO (“Transitional Work Opportunities”) programs. Moreover, Colorado has a robust ecosystem of community, faith-based nonprofits, and for-profit employers that are re-imagining what reentry can look like.

This grant opportunity will provide complementary funding for up to four community reentry organizations with the following primary objectives:

  • Connect with and build sustaining relationships with employers participating in the Colorado Fair Chance Hiring Initiative, providing a pipeline of eligible and qualified applicants.
  • Support justice-involved people hired by Network employers to retain those positions and advance in their careers.
  • Providing employment navigation and wrap-around supports to justice-involved applicants and employees such as clothing, cell phones, work tools, transportation or other supports. Fort 
  • Directly facilitate or connect returning community members to best-in-class workforce development opportunities and/or vocational training for high-paying careers aligned to Colorado’s high-growth industries and economic development priorities.  

Total Allocation

The total allocation of this grant award is $200,000 per year for two years.  Up to four awards will be made providing an average of $50,000 per award per year for two years.  More or less than the average may be requested but may not be fully awarded.

Timeline and Deadlines

  • Request for Proposal Released – May 20, 2022

  • RFP Webinar – May 24, 2022

  • Office Hours for Questions by Reservation Only – email kristen@latinocoalition.org to reserve a spot

    • June 8, 2022 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm

    • June 15, 2022 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm

    • June 22, 2022 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm

  • Proposals Due – June 30, 2022

  • Grantees Notified of Award – July 25, 2022

  • Memorandums of Understanding Issued – July 31, 2022 or earlier

  • Year 1 Grant Term* – August 1, 2022 or earlier to June 30, 2023

  • Year 2 Grant Term* – July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

*Awardees that meet or exceed performance measures in Year 1 will be invited to reapply for Year 2 funding.

Bidder’s Conference

The LCCL hosted a Bidder’s Conference on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.  Interested parties and applicants may view the webinar recording to learn more about the LCCL, FCH Initiative, and the RFP process. Attending or viewing the Bidder’s Conference is not mandatory to apply.  

Request for Proposal Documents

The documents below provide the guidance and requirements for submitting a proposal to be considered for grant funding.  The LCCL highly recommends downloading the latest free version of Adobe Reader DC which can be found at the bottom of this page.  The recent versions of Adobe Reader DC allow Proposers to enter and save information into the proposal form provided below.

If you have any issues downloading these documents, please try using a different internet browser other than Google Chrome (we recommend Firefox or Safari), or contact Kristen DeWitt, Fair Chance Hiring Program Manager, for assistance.

The LCCL highly recommends that all entities considering proposal submission read two publications about the LCCL and this Initiative available on the LCCL’s website. 

Deadline for Submission of Proposals

In order to be considered for funding, the proposal, budget and budget narrative must be electronically submitted through Submittable (instructions follow) no later than 12:00 midnight MST, on June 30, 2022.  Submission of proposal documents via email is not acceptable and will be rejected.

Submittable

  • Create an account (email required) at www.latinocoalition.submittable.com
  • Search for “CO Fair Chance Hiring RFP” or click on the button below.
  • Complete all required fields in the grant application.  Submittable automatically saves your work to return later. The completed form must be submitted no later than 12:00 midnight MST, on June 30, 2022. 
submit

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