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ClosedState of California

Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment 2.0

Workforce Development Board · State of California

At a glance

Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment 2.0 is a closed California state grant opportunity from the Workforce Development Board (State of California). The application deadline was February 26, 2026. Total estimated funding is $9.5M. Applicant types listed as eligible include business, nonprofit and public agency. It is listed on the California Grants Portal. Cost sharing or matching is required.

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

  1. Jan 12, 2026Posted
  2. Feb 26, 2026Application deadline
Opened
Jan 12, 2026
Close date
Feb 26, 2026
Award floor
Not specified
Award ceiling
Not specified
Est. total funding
$9,500,000
Expected awards
Not specified
Matching funds
Required
Funding instrument
Grant

Program details (as published on the California Grants Portal)

Type
Grant
Funding source
State
Matching funds
50% — All project types are required to leverage/match funding from a non-CWDB source for a minimum of 50% of their total requested funding. The CWDB will also prioritize projects with the capacity to leverage/match resources beyond the 50% leverage/match requirement.
Funding method
Reimbursement(s)
Estimated number of awards
Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
Estimated award amounts
Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
Award period
18 months
Expected award announcement
Summer/Fall 2026
Letter of intent
Not required
Geography
Statewide
Latest change note
Applicatiob deadline date and link to RFA.

Who can apply

Applicant categories as listed on the California Grants Portal. GrantsJunction maps them to detailed applicant types for search and matching.

  • Business
  • Nonprofit
  • Public Agency

Additional information on eligibility (from the listing)

Funding available through this Request for Applications (RFA) is limited to existing HIRE (HIRE 1.0) grantees and Network Spokes only. Applicants must select a single project type; therefore, HIRE 1.0 Network Spokes, electing to apply as an Independent project, cannot also apply as part of a HIRE 2.0 Network.

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Purpose and description as published on the California Grants Portal.

Purpose

The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) is pleased to announce the availability of approximately $9.5 million in funding for the Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment 2.0 (HIRE 2.0) grant program. This funding builds on past and current investments in the reentry population. HIRE 2.0 extends the CWDB’s portfolio of investments for California’s reentry population and represents the second cycle of the HIRE grant program.

Description

HIRE 2.0 aims to increase employment opportunities and job mobility for justice-involved individuals by supporting training, supportive services, reskilling and upskilling, and needs-related payments. This funding builds on the CWDB’s past and current investments in workforce programming for the reentry population. HIRE 2.0 funding is available only to existing HIRE 1.0 grantees and Network Spokes (subrecipients). A HIRE 1.0 grantee is defined as an existing Network Hub or Independent project awarded grant funds to operate programming under HIRE 1.0. A subrecipient refers to a HIRE 1.0 Network Spoke that operated programming under a HIRE Network. The HIRE 2.0 grant program’s objectives are to: • Increase employment opportunities and job mobility for justice-involved individuals.• Provide training, reskilling, upskilling, and supportive services to justice-involved individuals to improve employment opportunities and job mobility. Applicants must identify a single project type prior to applying. Organizations may only apply for one project type. The CWDB has identified two different project types for the HIRE 2.0 grant program: 1. Independent 2. HIRE Network projects Local workforce development boards, community-based organizations (CBOs), and other agencies areexpected to operate in a collaborative relationship for each project type to recruit and support participants, assess their needs, and provide supportive, direct, and needs-related payments to participants. Award ranges for HIRE 2.0 will be determined by the designations established for large and small CBOs under HIRE 1.0. For example, a HIRE 1.0 grantee or subrecipient designated as a small CBO may apply only for the award range designated for small CBOs under HIRE 2.0.

Program page on the agency site ↗

Past applications & awards

Historical data · not a prediction

Reported by the agency for this listing

  • Fiscal year 2025–2622 applications · 6 awards
Counts as published on the California Grants Portal. Award counts can read zero until decisions are announced.

Program contact (as published)

Solicitations
Solicitations@cwdb.ca.gov
1-916-657-1440

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for “Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment 2.0”?

The official listing names these applicant types as eligible: Business, Nonprofit and Public Agency. It adds: “Funding available through this Request for Applications (RFA) is limited to existing HIRE (HIRE 1.0) grantees and Network Spokes only. Applicants must select a single project type; therefore, HIRE 1.0 Network Spokes, electing to apply as an Independent project, cannot also apply …” Additional restrictions may apply; review the full guidelines.

How much funding is available through “Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment 2.0”?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $9,500,000.

How do I apply for “Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment 2.0”?

Applications go directly to Workforce Development Board, not through GrantsJunction. Read the program guidelines on the agency's site first; state programs set their own forms and registration requirements.

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Workforce Development Board
Award range
Amount not specified
Est. close
Not yet set
Who can apply
Business, Nonprofit and Public Agency
Source: California Grants PortalVerified today