Pathways out of Poverty
Pathways Out of Poverty is an American workforce development program that was established on August 14, 2009 by the Obama administration and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced POP grantees on January 13, 2010. POP targets individuals living below or near the poverty level to provide them with skills needed to enter the green job market, focusing on the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The training programs focus on teaching basic literacy and job readiness skills. Some of the programs also provide supportive assistance with childcare and transportation to overcome barriers to employment.
History
Pathways Out of Poverty is administered by the United States Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Roughly $150 million is authorized by the ARRA and is granted in amounts from $2 million-$8 million to eight national and 30 local entities for the provision of training and placement services in order “to provide pathways out of poverty and into employment.” The Department of Labor particularly encouraged applicants to focus on serving Public Micro Data Areas with poverty rates of 15 percent or higher.Pathways Out of Poverty is part of the "fourth wave" of economic development, which stipulates an environmentally-sustainable approach.
A principal condition of POP is the training of disadvantaged populations for “employment within energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.” This type of employment is sometimes known as "green jobs" or "green-collar" jobs. As mandated by the POP grant, the grantees primarily target low income individuals, veterans, at-risk youth, high school dropouts, the unemployed and underemployed, ex-criminals, and individuals with limited English ability. In addition, some grantees report recruiting public assistance recipients, the homeless, people with disabilities, older workers, women, minorities, and refugees.
Each grantee is free to choose and make partnerships with any organization, including public, private, and not-for-profit. Some examples of partners include community colleges, technical schools, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, and trade groups.
Grantees
The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced the 38 national and local organizations that would be receiving grants on January 13, 2010. The grantees for Pathways Out of Poverty consist of two types: national non-profits that are connected with local organizations; and local public organizations and private non-profits.There are eight national grantees:
| Organization | Locations | Award Amount | Participants Served |
| East Harlem Employment Services Inc. | New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Hartford, CT; Benton, MI; Flint, MI; Baltimore, MD | $4,728,419 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
| Goodwill Industries International | Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Charlotte, NC; Grand Rapids, MI; Phoenix, AZ; Washington, D.C. | $7,303,634 | People with disabilities, chronically unemployed individuals, ex-offenders, older workers, homeless individuals, and high school dropouts |
| Jobs for the Future Inc. | Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Los Angeles, CA; Milwaukee, WI; Philadelphia, PA | $7,997,936 | Unemployed and disadvantaged individuals |
| MDC Inc. | Charlotte, NC; North Charleston, SC; Orangeburg, Calhoun, and Bamberg Counties, SC; Wise and Dickenson Counties, VA; Scott County, VA | $3,780,816 | Low-wage workers and unemployed individuals |
| National Association of Regional Councils | Apache Junction, AZ; Bisbee, AZ; Midland, TX; Odessa, TX; Dayton, OH | $7,994,999 | Limited English proficiency individuals, Native Americans, and ex-offenders |
| National Council of La Raza | San Jose, CA; San Diego, CA; Chicago, IL | $3,063,839 | Low-income and unemployed individuals and individuals with limited English proficiency |
| Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Inc. | Asheville, NC; Broward County, FL; Phoenix, AZ | $4,900,000 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
| PathStone Corp. | Rochester, NY; Scranton, PA; Juana Diaz, Santa Isabel, and Villalba, PR; and Arroyo, Coamo, Guayama, and Salinas, PR | $8,000,000 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
There are thirty local grantees:
| Organization | Locations | Award Amount | Participants Served |
| Alternative Opportunities Inc. | St. Louis, MO | $2,308,200 | High school dropouts, unemployed individuals, ex-offenders, and veterans |
| Better Family Life Inc. | St. Louis, MO | $3,305,493 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
| Boley Centers Inc. | St. Petersburg, FL | $2,300,678 | Disadvantaged and unemployed urban youth |
| Citrus Levy Marion Regional Workforce Development Board Inc. | Ocala, FL | $2,985,175 | Unemployed workers, low-income adults, high school dropouts, and individuals with a criminal history |
| City of Minneapolis | Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN | $4,000,000 | Individuals living in poverty, veterans, and unemployed young adults who do not have high school diplomas |
| CNY Works Inc. | Syracuse, NY | $3,715,931 | Low income individuals, ex-offenders, disadvantaged young adults, and displaced workers |
| Community College of Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $3,184,428 | Unemployed workers, ex-offenders, and veterans |
| Consortium for Worker Education | Bronx, NY | $4,000,000 | Individuals with limited English proficiency, veterans and eligible spouses, persons with criminal records, and Disconnected Youth and women |
| Eastern Maine Development Corp. | Piscataquis County and Penobscot County, ME | $2,109,088 | Disadvantaged adult job seekers, dislocated workers, returning offenders, public assistance recipients, high school dropouts, and veterans |
| Florida State College at Jacksonville | Duval County, FL | $2,229,642 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
| Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids, MI | $4,000,000 | Unemployed workers, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
| It's My Community Initiative | Oklahoma City, OK | $4,000,000 | Underemployed individuals and ex-offenders |
| Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board, Inc. | Allentown, PA | $4,000,000 | At-risk youth, veterans and eligible spouses, and underemployed and unemployed individuals |
| Los Angeles Community College District | Los Angeles, CA, communities of Watts | $4,000,000 | Dislocated, unemployed, underemployed, low-income workers and veterans |
| Mi Casa Resource Center | Denver, CO | $3,633,195 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, women, and minorities |
| Mott Community College | Flint, MI and adjoining suburbs | $3,662,403 | Low-income individuals |
| Mountrie Technical College | Tift County, GA | $3,753,579 | Individuals on probation, high school dropouts, residents with disadvantaged backgrounds, and displaced workers |
| Northern Rural Training and Employment Consortium | Butte, CA; Del Norte, Lassen, Modoc, and Siskiyou, CA; Shasta County, CA; Tehama and Trinity, CA | $4,000,000 | High school dropouts, at-risk youth, welfare recipients, individuals with criminal records, unemployed and dislocated workers, and veterans |
| Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. | Fayette County, PA | $2,732,719 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and individuals with criminal records |
| Providence Economic Development Partnership | Providence, RI | $2,489,111 | Ex-offenders and low-literacy individuals |
| Roca Inc. | Chelsea and Revere, MA | $2,398,778 | High-risk youth |
| SER - Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc. | Houston, TX | $3,122,554 | High school dropouts, ex-offenders, unemployed individuals, and disadvantaged individuals |
| Southeast Community College Area | Lincoln, NE | $2,331,278 | Unemployed individuals, veterans, high school dropouts, individuals with criminal records, refugees, and immigrants |
| Southwest Housing Solutions Corp. | Southwest Detroit, MI | $4,000,000 | Unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, and veterans |
| West Hills Community College District | Mendota, Firebaugh, San Joaquin, Huron, Coalinga, Lemoore, Avenal, and the unincorporated communities of Tranquility, Riverdale, Biola, and Five Points in Fresno and Kings Counties, CA | $3,000,000 | Disadvantaged individuals |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Woodbury County, IA | $3,999,459 | Dislocated workers, low-income adults, and disconnected youth |
| White Earth Band of Chippewa | Mahnomen, Clearwater, and Becker counties, MN | $3,086,817 | High school dropouts, unemployed individuals, and individuals with criminal records |
| Workforce Development of Seattle-King County | Southeast Seattle, WA | $3,639,530 | High school dropouts, unemployed adults, veterans, previously incarcerated youth and adults, and other disadvantaged individuals - with a specific focus on communities of color, individuals with limited English proficiency, and individuals with disabilities |
| The WorkPlace Inc. | City of Bridgeport, CT | $4,000,000 | High school dropouts, individuals with criminal records, unemployed individuals, and people facing other significant disadvantages |
| Worksystems Inc. | East Multnomah County, OR | $4,000,000 | Native Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, immigrants, veterans, individuals with criminal records, and homeless individuals |