DRA webinar: How to write measurable project results for the DRA/Department of Labor FOA

Molly Chamberlain, a consultant with Chamberlain's End, LLC, presented a Delta Regional Authority webinar explaining how applicants should craft the "project results" section of the DRA/Department of Labor funding opportunity. She told prospective grantees what reviewers expect, gave concrete examples for each of the FOA's three work focus areas, and reiterated reporting and submission requirements.

Chamberlain said the project-results section is worth up to 30 points and set clear drafting standards: "results must be specific, measurable, achievable, and reasonable," and they must be consistent with the statement of need and the project activities described in the narrative. She emphasized that reviewers should not have to guess whether an applicant has included required components and advised applicants to use FOA language and label each section to match the solicitation.

Why it matters: The DRA regional demonstration grant requires measurable outcomes tied to workforce development, equity and sustainability. Chamberlain framed the guidance around three focus areas: increasing access to good jobs, prioritizing equity, and sustaining impact beyond the grant. Strongly aligned, well-defined results can determine competitive scoring and set obligations grantees must meet if funded.

Key guidance and examples

- Define and measure participants and deliverables. Chamberlain urged applicants to be explicit about "who will you serve, how many, and by how much will you change things, and by when." She warned, "Whatever you write as your results, you will be held to that if funded."

- Focus Area 1 (good jobs): Applicants must show how strategies connect workers to training or jobs in sectors paying at least $15 per hour and address the "pay good jobs" principle plus one or more of seven other good-jobs principles. Sample results offered: "100 worker trainees awarded an industry-recognized credential" tied to creating a registered apprenticeship, or "4 employer partners will offer benefits to program participants" tied to employer partnership activities.

- Focus Area 2 (equity): Applicants must identify how projects will recruit and enroll historically underserved or marginalized groups (the FOA lists examples including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, veterans, people with disabilities, those without a college degree, persons with substance use disorder, and justice-impacted individuals). Sample results: a "10% increase in participants from identified marginalized communities each year" or "15 new recovery-friendly workplace agreements" resulting from employer counseling and partnerships.

- Focus Area 3 (sustaining impact): Projects must describe sustainable impacts for at least five years post-performance, including social, economic, environmental, or cultural outcomes. Examples given include "3 educational institutions create degree programs" and "1 new industry sector agrees to participate" after the grant.

Reporting and administrative requirements

Chamberlain reminded applicants that funded grantees are required to submit quarterly financial reports, quarterly narrative performance reports, and record-level participant data each quarter (see FOA pages 4850). Participant-level data are submitted through the Workforce Integrated Performance System (WIPS); WorkforceGPS provides the required data element specifications and requires free registration. She recommended that applicants ensure they have the organizational, data-collection, and fiscal systems to meet these requirements before applying.

Application mechanics and deadline

Chamberlain advised applicants to include the SF-424, a project budget, a project narrative (limited to 20 double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point pages), and attachments. She urged applicants to begin UEI, SAM.gov and grants.gov registration early, and to submit technical questions with the FOA number to the listed email. She reiterated the submission deadline: "submit your applications by Thursday, 06/20/2024, 11:59PM Eastern" via grants.gov.

Closing

Chamberlain closed by providing contact information (mc@chamberlaindunn.com), clarifying the spelling of her name/company verbally during the presentation, and encouraging applicants to align results clearly to activities so reviewers can readily verify feasibility and scope if projects are funded. The webinar also pointed applicants to appendix and page references in the FOA for sample results and scoring guidance.