This is the second in a series of Community Challenges under a first-of-its-kind public-private anti-poverty program created to produce efficient, community-based, and scalable results.
The Jobs and Opportunity Community Challenge: Record Sealing and Employment Access will combat poverty by removing barriers to employment. This is in direct response to the more than 400,000 Philadelphians with arrest and conviction records. These Philadelphians face many obstacles returning to the workforce including limitations on credentialing and licensure and policies precluding them from certain positions and employers.
At a time when employment levels remain low despite many industries in dire need of workers, this effort could be game-changing for citizens and businesses across Philadelphia communities.
The Challenge will specifically focus on partnerships with deep community reach and/or legal expertise. Community Hub grantees will collaborate on outreach and engagement and host record sealing and clearing clinics. Legal Services grantees will provide direct services such as awareness about Clean Slate laws, identifying records eligible for sealing or expungement, filing petitions to help seal or clear past records, and support for seeking and securing employment.
Grants in the range of $35,000-$55,000 will be made available to 15-30 Community Hub grantees. Grants in the range of $200,000-$400,000 will be made available to 2-5 Legal Services grantees. The Call for Proposals seeks leading organizations serving Philadelphia to implement strategies to scale and deliver evidence-based approaches to maximize resources and benefits for Philadelphia residents.
For more information, contact The Promise at contact@thepromisephl.org.
Key Dates:
November 10, 2021: Call for Proposals Released
December 2, 2021: Informational Webinar
December 31, 2021: Proposals Due
March 2022: Awards Announced
March 2022 – March 2023: Grant Period
To view The Promise's website and to download documents, click here.