Business Roundtable Inc

AWARD PURPOSE TO FILL HIGH-DEMAND ENTRY LEVEL HEALTHCARE ROLES (I.E., LICENSED NURSE ASSISTANT, PERSONAL CARE AIDE) WITH 200 CANDIDATES FOR REGISTERED NURSE LICENSURE. THE PROGRAM BUILDS UPON A NURSING EDUCATION PIPELINE USING: • VERMONT STATE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS FOR PRACTICAL NURSING AND REGISTERED NURSING • EMPLOYER-PROVIDED CLINICAL EDUCATION, IN COOPERATION WITH AN ACCREDITED NURSING PROGRAM • WRAP AROUND SUPPORTS FOR SOCIAL, FINANCIAL, EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION RESOURCES • AN EMPLOYER-FUNDED SUSTAINABLE SHORT-TERM LOAN REPAYMENT VEHICLE • AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTICIPANT AND EMPLOYER ACTIVITIES PERFORMED 1. INITIATION - PRE-PLANNING AND EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP 2. PLANNING - INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CAPACITY-BUILDING AND SUPPORT 3. IMPLEMENTATION – APPRENTICESHIP EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS 4. MONITORING AND CONTROLLING – PROVIDING METRICS FOR PROGRAM SUCCESS 5. CLOSE - EVALUATING SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE AND SCALE PROGRAM DELIVERABLES TO ALIGN WITH WIOA INDICATORS, WE EXPECT A – 75% OF PROGRAM COMPLETERS WILL BE IN UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT DURING THE SECOND QUARTER AFTER EXIT FROM THE TRAINING PROGRAM. B – 85% OF PROGRAM COMPLETERS WILL BE IN UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER AFTER EXIT FROM THE TRAINING PROGRAM. C – MEDIAN EARNINGS FOR COMPLETERS IN UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT DURING THE SECOND QUARTER AFTER EXIT ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 50% BY THE END OF THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PROGRAM AND BY AN ADDITIONAL 25% BY THE END OF THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PROGRAM. D – CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT WILL RECOGNIZE THESE SIX POST-SECONDARY CREDENTIALS. EXPECTED ATTAINMENT IS BASED ON VERMONT STATE COLLEGE'S HISTORICAL ATTAINMENT FOR THESE CREDENTIALS: 1. PRACTICAL NURSE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP – VERMONT DOL, EXPECTED 80% 2. PRACTICAL NURSING CERTIFICATE – VT STATE UNIVERSITY, EXPECTED 80% 3. PRACTICAL NURSE BOARD LICENSURE – VERMONT BOARD OF NURSING, EXPECTED 80% 4. REGISTERED NURSE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP - VERMONT DOL, EXPECTED 85% 5. ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN NURSING – VT STATE UNIVERSITY, EXPECTED 85% 6. REGISTERED NURSE BOARD LICENSURE – VERMONT BOARD OF NURSING, EXPECTED 85% F1– EFFECTIVENESS IN SERVING EMPLOYERS – 75% OF THE PROGRAM COMPLETERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE RETAINED FOR SIX YEARS, BY THE SAME EMPLOYER. INTENDED BENEFICIARY THIS PROGRAM SERVES BOTH APPRENTICES AND EMPLOYERS BY PROVIDING A NEED FOR SKILL AND REDUCING FINANCIAL RISK: • APPRENTICE/EMPLOYEE: AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE, POTENTIALLY FROM AN UNDERSERVED OPPORTUNITY POPULATION SUCH AS NEW AMERICAN, BIPOC, JUSTICE-INVOLVED, VETERAN, OR OTHER, WHO IS EMPLOYED IN A LOW SKILL ROLE, AND INTERESTED AND ELIGIBLE FOR A CAREER IN NURSING. APPRENTICES ARE ENCOURAGED TO WORK IN THE ROLE OF NURSE ASSISTANT ROLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP. APPRENTICES ARE PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT, WRAP AROUND SUPPORTS, BENEFITS, CAREER ADVANCEMENT THROUGH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY WITH NO FINANCIAL OUTLAY, AND UP TO 40% PAID RELEASE TIME FOR EDUCATION. • EMPLOYER: AN ORGANIZATION PROVIDES AN INCENTIVE TO BECOME NURSE ASSISTANTS. NURSE ASSISTANTS ARE NEEDED TO FILL CRITICAL ROLES IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING, WHILE BEING EDUCATED AND UPSKILLED AS REGISTERED NURSES. AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR LOAN REPAYMENT OVER THREE YEARS AFTER RN COMPLETION, EFFECTIVELY ENGAGING THE APPRENTICE/RN FOR A SIX-YEAR TERM WITH THE EMPLOYER. THE RN ROLE IS THE HIGHEST DEMAND POSITION IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES INVOLVE PROJECT SUPPORT FOR CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION OR FOR EMPLOYERS WHO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM WITH CLINICAL EDUCATORS, MENTORS AND PRECEPTORS NEEDED TO HELP SCALE FOR INCREASED ENROLLMENT.

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARP FUNDED GRANT AGREEMENT IS TO ENABLE WESTERN NEW YORK SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE (SBR) TO PARTNER WITH THE WESTSIDE PROMISE AND BLACK ROCK NEIGHBORHOODS TO BUILD A COLLECTIVE MOVEMENT OF MEANINGFUL ACTION AROUND CLIMATE RESILIENCY. THE APPROACH IS HUMAN-CENTERED, PLACING THE NEEDS, VOICES AND LEADERSHIP OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED AT THE FOREFRONT. THEY WILL BRING TOGETHER THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS COMMUNITY OUTREACH CAPACITY AND SBR'S ABILITY TO INFLUENCE BUSINESSES TO BECOME PARTNERS IN ACTION. THE MAIN GOALS ARE TO: 1) EDUCATE RESIDENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE RESULTING RISKS; FROM A SHORT- MID-, AND LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE, 2) CREATE ARENAS FOR DIALOGUE AROUND WHAT TYPE OF MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION MEASURES ARE MOST IMPORTANT FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, AND 3) INVOLVE LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED CLIMATE RESILIENCY ACTION. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A BASE OF ENGAGED RESIDENTS THAT REFLECTS THEIR COMMUNITIES' VOICES, EXPERIENCES, AND PRIORITIES IN CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLANNING, AND A CORE GROUP OF LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES ASSISTING WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIORITIZED ACTIONS. NOTE FOR USE OF ARP FUNDS: CAA 103(B)(3): PEOPLE WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE OR UNCONTROLLED ASTHMA ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED FROM COVID-19. AIR POLLUTION MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ASTHMA. BY ADDRESSING AIR POLLUTION IN CAA 103(B)(3) PROJECTS, THE CHANCES OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM COVID-19 ARE REDUCED. ACTIVITIES:THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WILL BE PERFORMED: ANALYZE AND COMPILE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DRAFT A CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLAN; CONDUCT TWO WORKSHOPS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES (15-25 ATTENDEES PER WORKSHOP); CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE EVENT SURVEYS TO WORKSHOP ATTENDEES; PRODUCE 4 ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS, 2 VIDEOS, 8 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND 1-2 PAID ADVERTISEMENTS; CREATE A FACT SHEET OUTLINING BEST PRACTICES TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS (LIKE SBR) TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY DRIVEN CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND MITIGATION ACTION SUPPORTED BY LOCAL SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES, WITH THEIR CONSTITUENCIES; RECRUIT A MINIMUM OF 2 COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY/ CORPORATE SERVICE CLIMATE ACTION DAYS.SUBRECIPIENT:WESTERN NEW YORK SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS (SBR)'S SUB-GRANTEE, BLACK ROCK RIVERSIDE ALLIANCE (BRRA), IS ONE OF TWO MAIN PARTNERS FOR THE PROJECTS. THE PRIMARY ROLE OF BRRA WILL BE TO PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO THE RESIDENTS WITHIN THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITIES WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN DIALOGUES TO INFORM THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLANNING EFFORTS. THE SUB-AWARD WILL COVER TIME SPENT BY BRRA ON RECRUITMENT OF RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, DISSEMINATION OF MARKETING MATERIALS, USE OF BRRA'S MEETING SPACE FOR ONE OF THE WORKSHOP SERIES AND PRODUCTION AND DATA COLLECTION OF A POST-WORKSHOP SURVEY. BRRA HAS STRONG ROOTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, MAKING THEM VALUABLE FOR PROVIDING A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE RESIDENTS AND SBR'S NETWORK OF LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES. THE OTHER PARTNER, WEST SIDE PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM (WSPN), IS A NON-FUNDED PARTNER. OUTCOMES:KEY OUTPUTS INCLUDE 300 - 500 INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN OUR PROJECT ACTIVITIES, A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLAN AND A FACTSHEET. KEY OUTCOMES INCLUDE CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS AMONG WEST SIDE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, CHANGES IN BUSINESS PRACTICES, AND EQUITY CENTERED POLICIES IN PLACE. WEST SIDE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ARE THE BENEFICIARIES.