Official Site of The State of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 14, 2025

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) is announcing the availability of $4 million in grant funding through the Job Opportunities for Building Success (JOBS) initiative. This competitive grant is designed to provide essential training, employment, and retention services to justice-impacted individuals throughout the Garden State. 

JOBS aims to facilitate the successful reentry of justice-impacted individuals into the workforce by offering career services, training, paid internships, apprenticeships, and support services such as transportation and ID obtainment. The program will award grants to four organizations across New Jersey’s Northern, Central, and Southern regions to develop partnerships with justice-related entities and support participants in overcoming employment barriers. 

“This program is focused on creating pathways to employment for those who need it most,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “Through JOBS, we are committed to helping to reduce barriers for New Jersey residents impacted by the justice system to cultivate a workforce that supports their return to our communities as contributing members of our society.” 

Key components of the JOBS initiative include providing ongoing career coaching and mentoring, offering virtual services to improve training accessibility, facilitating internship placements for work experience, and partnering with employers to increase unsubsidized employment opportunities and retention. The program also uses data and evidence to track outcomes and optimize participant utilization of JOBS funds. 

"It’s rare to see a program that truly transforms lives, but the Jobs Grant through the NJDOL is one of them,” said Pastor Amir Khan, President and Founder, New Beginning Behavioral Health. “As the saying goes, ‘The best social justice is a job’—and that sentiment is coming to life in New Jersey. We’ve witnessed firsthand how access to job training and employment opportunities can change lives. New Beginnings is honored to be a grantee of this incredible program, and we are proud to play a role in making a difference."           

Four organizations in the Northern, Central, and Southern regions of the state will be eligible to receive grant funding, with each qualify for up to $1 million. 

The program duration will span from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2027. 

Applications must be submitted online no later than Apr. 28, 2025, after submitting a Letter of Intent by Mar. 28, 2025. A mandatory technical assistance session is scheduled for Mar. 31, 2025. 

For additional details about the JOBS initiative and application guidelines, please visit https://www.nj.gov/labor/research-info/grants.shtml or email JOBS@dol.nj.gov.

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