Report 2015-508 Recommendation 4 Responses

Report 2015-508: Follow-Up—Federal Workforce Investment Grants: The Employment Development Department Established Procedures for Seeking Discretionary Grants, but Needs to Strengthen Them (Release Date: September 2015)

Recommendation #4 To: Workforce Investment Board, California

To ensure that the State maximizes federal funding opportunities related to workforce investment, EDD and the state board should formalize their collaborative grant-seeking procedures by December 31, 2015, to clearly define their respective roles and responsibilities in the grant-seeking process.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2017

This recommendation has been fully implemented as of December 2016. The State Board and EDD have agreed that EDD staff will actively search for Federal grant opportunities that will align with the California Strategic Workforce Development Plan (State Plan) and which support the delivery of employment and training services to California residents. In addition, the State Board may provide additional funding opportunities available through their broader Workforce Development Community by utilizing the procedure set forth in EDD's latest response to their recommendation number 1.

Based on the executive summary a determination will be made whether EDD or the State Board will be the lead for the application process. The lead will then reach out to required partners and stakeholders to begin the application process. The EDD Grants Unit and the State Board Administrative Branch will work in collaboration with each other to meet the application requirements and submit the application to the EDD Fiscal Program Division for submission on grants.gov when applicable.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

The State Board and EDD continue to collaborate in the development of internal processes, procedures, and coordinated roles and responsibilities for grant-seeking activities. The development of the internal processes and roles and responsibilities continues to be delayed due to WIOA implementation activities. The State Board and EDD are collaborating to formalize the grant-seeking procedures. The procedures will clearly define their respective roles and responsibilities in the grant-seeking process. Both EDD and the State Board will continue to follow their independent grant seeking processes and share analysis of grant opportunities until the collaborative process is finalized.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

The State Board and EDD continue to collaborate in the development of internal processes, procedures, and coordinated roles and responsibilities for grant-seeking activities. The development of the internal processes and roles and responsibilities has been delayed due to WIOA implementation activities and turnover of key staff in the area of grant seeking. On March 16, 2016 the State Board and EDD staff met to revise and merge the grant seeking activities of both organizations. both EDD and CWDB will continue to follow their independent grant seeking processes until the collaborative process is finalized.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken

60-Day Agency Response

The State Board and EDD are in development of internal processes, procedures, and coordinated roles and responsibilities for grant-seeking activities.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2015-508

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.