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National Farmworker Awareness Week Begins

During NFAW Only:  Watch “The Harvest (La Cosecha)” for Free

Shine Global is screening “The Harvest (La Cosecha)” for free online for National Farmworker Awareness Week, March 25-31.  This feature-length documentary chronicles the lives of three farmworker children as they travel across the U.S. with their families, harvesting several crops.  


A powerful and moving film, the Harvest/La Cosecha was directed by the late Robin Romano.  The executive producer was Eva Longoria.  


Audiences can register at this link to watch the film at any point during the week to learn more about the conditions for farmworker children and why they urgently need to be protected.

Click here to watch the film by March 31st

Inside DOL

DOL Issues NFJP FOA, Encourages Applicants to Write to the Announcement’s Specifics

DOL released the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the next round of four-year NFJP grants on March 5, 2024.  The department has earlier stressed the importance of carefully reading the FOA and thoroughly writing applications in response to it.  Applications are due May 3, 2024, and the results will be announced sometime around July 1, 2024.


DOL expects to soon announce its plan to award approximately $6 million in NFJP Housing grants.


Grantees should submit their questions regarding the FOA to the NFJP Grants mailbox at nfjp.ogm@dol.gov and include “FOA-ETA-24-15” and the submitter’s name and phone number in the body of the email.  Submitters should cc: AFOP’s Director of Workforce Development, Kendra Moesle, so she can help track your question and make sure it gets to resolution.

Access the full FOA here

DOL Announces Winners of PY2023 NFJP Youth Grants

On January 26th, DOL announced the winners of the supplemental MSFW Youth funding.  The PY2023 grant recipients are as follows:


  • Rural Employment Opportunities, Inc. (Montana) - $41,874

  • PathStone Corporation (Puerto Rico) - $294,442

  • PathStone Corporation (New York) - $294,442

  • PathStone Corporation (Ohio) - $294,442


Congratulations to PathStone and REO!

Click here for more information about this supplemental funding

Inside AFOP

Members’ Corner

OIC of Washington Launches Daughter of Farmworker into a New Teaching Career

Proteus, Inc. Leaders Visit Nebraska Statehouse to Accept Resolution Declaring Farmworker Awareness Week

Leaders from Proteus, Inc. visited the Nebraska Statehouse on March 18 to accept a proclamation from Governor Jim Pillen declaring March 25-31 National Farmworker Awareness Week. The resolution, delivered by the Governor, highlights the invaluable contributions of farmworkers in Nebraska.


In a symbolic gesture of solidarity, Jody Stutzman and Jennifer Lewis, regional directors at Proteus, Inc. accepted the resolution on behalf of the farmworkers they work to support every day.  Dr. Daniel Zinnel, CEO of Proteus, Inc., expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with state governments in raising awareness about the vital role of farmworkers.  He remarked, "It is truly wonderful to partner with our state governments to elevate the awareness of the needs and importance of farmworkers to our collective well-being and state vitality."

For further information, contact Emily Mendez

Farmworker Health & Safety

Florida Bill Aims to Ban Local Mandates for Heat Protections

As reported in numerous media outlets, including ConstructionDive, the Florida state Senate on March 7th passed new legislation banning local governments in Florida from mandating heat exposure protections for workers. The bill is now on the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will need to sign it within a year for it to become law.


House Bill 433 prohibits localities in the Sunshine State from mandating these protections, such as providing workers with water, rest, and shade.


Should DeSantis sign it, effective July 1, counties and cities in Florida will not be able to require employers to have any type of mitigations to extreme heat, even for outdoor workers in construction and agriculture.

Read more

NC Farm Where Worker Died Cited for OSHA Violations, Ordered to Pay Fine

Read more

Performance Reporting

USDOL Provides Technical Assistance on “Reducing Administrative Barriers”

In recent weeks, officials in the Employment & Training Administration have provided technical assistance to NFJP grantees and other workforce development providers on “Reducing Administrative Barriers to Improve Customer Experience.”  In a webinar on March 13th, DOL presenters mentioned that some grantees’ management information systems require various elements that are not mandated by the Department, e.g. social security numbers or work authorization.  Grantees might also not be incorporating the option “did not identify” in their systems, which would simplify the intake process.


As stated in TEGL 23-19 Change 2, NFJP grantees are required to ask for a social security number (SSN), however they cannot refuse services if the individual does not wish to disclose his or her SSN.  TEGL  No.10-23 also clarifies that proof of work authorization is not required for certain basic career services.  NFJP grantees can provide these services to eligible farmworkers and their dependents with NFJP dollars without verifying work authorization, provided that grantees include these individuals in their performance metrics.

Access the webinar recording here

Additional Funding Opportunities

EPA Announces $2 Billion in Available Grants

On February 21, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of approximately $2 billion dollars in funds for environmental and climate justice activities that benefit disadvantaged communities.  These grants will fund projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges.  Non-profits, local governments, and colleges are among the eligible applicants.  

Read more about this and other grant opportunities from the EPA

What We’re Reading

The IRS Opens Up Direct File for Individuals in Certain States

According to the Center for the Study of Social Policy, certain people will be able to file their taxes free directly with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) this year, as part of a pilot program to provide taxpayers a free, high-quality alternative to paid tax preparation businesses.  This type of simplified, easy-to-use tax filing tool is crucial for families to be able to access and keep the refunds and tax credits they are owed.

Read more

The Affordable Care Act Radically Expands Coverage in its First Decade

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is turning 14!  According to the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, the ACA radically expanded eligibility for affordable health coverage in two main ways:


  1. by creating health insurance marketplaces with federal financial assistance that reduces premiums and deductibles, and

  2. by allowing states to expand Medicaid to adults with household incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.


Both of these coverage expansions took effect in 2014.  As of January 2024, 21.3 million people have selected an ACA marketplace plan for 2024, and 40 states and the District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid.  The number of people who are uninsured has dropped from 45.2 million in 2013 to 26.4 million in 2022, a historic decline.

Read More