REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 19, 2026
FROM
BRADLEY GATES, Director, Workforce Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development Grant Agreement
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept and approve Grant Agreement with the California Workforce Development Board on behalf of the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board, for the Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development Connect program, to continue to provide targeted employment services to federally incarcerated individuals as they approach community reentry, in the amount of $678,353.19 for the period of April 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
2. Authorize the Director or Assistant Director of the Workforce Development Department to execute and submit any ancillary supporting documents and execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the Grant Agreement, as may be required by the California Workforce Development Board, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Approve Agreement with Victor Valley College, to continue to provide vocational training services and instructional materials for eligible inmates of the Victorville Federal Correction Complex, in an amount of $362,347, for the term of May 19, 2026 through December 31, 2026, with an option to extend the term for two consecutive one-year periods.
4. Authorize the Director or Assistant Director of the Workforce Development Department to execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the Agreement with Victor Valley College to add training services to the scope of work and terminate the agreement, in accordance with the termination provisions, subject to review by County Counsel.
5. Direct the Director or Assistant Director of the Workforce Development Department to transmit any non-substantive amendments executed pursuant to Recommendation Nos. 2 and 4, to Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Bradley Gates, Director, 387-9856)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Employment Opportunities and Economic Value in the County.
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). This action is a period of performance extension with no additional funding. The Workforce Development Department (Department) will use the remaining grant funds of $678,353.19 from the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) for the Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD) Connect program to fund existing staff salaries and benefits and contractual services. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the Department’s 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PROWD is a grant initiative launched by the Department of Justice and Department of Labor to provide targeted employment services to federally incarcerated individuals as they approach community reentry. The program aims to improve the employment outcomes of returning citizens and the public safety of all community members while increasing the capacity of justice and workforce system partnerships. CWDB was awarded $5,333,658 for this initiative to assist in California’s efforts to promote equity and create economic opportunity for formerly incarcerated and justice-involved individuals through local workforce development boards and their America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC) to provide seamless, integrated services through non-competitive contract awards.
The primary goal of the PROWD program is to lay the groundwork for launching effective reentry programs serving citizens returning from federal incarceration, with an emphasis on quality jobs, by creating and delivering career services in a prison-based AJCC to inmates and addressing barriers pre-release. PROWD-funded training provides participants with direct services via career and skills training assistance, and supportive services to assist in meeting their basic needs. The Department’s PROWD Connect program takes an integrated approach to pre-and post-release services through the identification of individual, family and community risk factors building competencies and resiliency, all of which are proven to help reduce the likelihood of recidivism and reintegration into the workforce.
On February 11, 2025 (Item No. 42), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Grant Agreement No. 25-112 with CWDB, and accepted the PROWD Grant award, in the total amount of $2,300,000, for the period of February 11, 2025 through March 31, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the Department received approval for usage of the initial allocation of $1,300,000 from the total award, of which $678,353.19 remains unspent.
On August 19, 2025 (Item No. 62), the Board approved Agreement No. 25-651 with Victor Valley College (VVC) for $600,000, for the period of August 19, 2025 through March 31, 2026, to provide vocational training services and instructional materials for eligible inmates at the Victorville Federal Correctional Complex. As of March 31, 2026, $362,347 remains unspent.
Staff of the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC), located in Victorville, reports that hands-on vocational training is needed for soon to be released inmates to help with their transition out of prison. The vocational training serves as the first step in developing the groundwork for launching an effective re-entry program with an introduction to in-demand, quality jobs. VVC is the only college in the area with clearance to provide training services at the FCC complex for eligible inmates on site, at the VVC High Desert Training Center, and at the VVC main campus. Because of the existing partnership between VVC, FCC and WDD, WDD seeks to enter into a new agreement with VVC using PROWD grant funding to provide various FCC approved in-demand vocational training programs for current and recently released federal inmates.
On April 1, 2026, CWDB informed the Department that CWDB would authorize the Department to utilize previously awarded funds under Agreement No. 25-112, including remaining grant funds from the initial allocation under Agreement No. 25-112, in the amount of $678,353.19, for the same approved scope of work during the new period of April 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. This is the first Board meeting available following notice from CWDB to submit the new agreements for Board consideration following the requisite County legal, financial and administrative reviews.
Concurrent with the approval of a new Grant Agreement with CWDB, WDD recommends approval of a new agreement with VVC to utilize previously awarded funds under Agreement No. 25-651, including remaining grant funds in the amount of $362,347 to continue providing training services to the federal inmates though the new period of performance of May 19, 2026, through December 31, 2026. In the event that the CWDB extends the grant, , WDD will return to the Board to exercise the options to extend the contract with VVCC for up to two consecutive one-year periods.
WDD recommends approval of both agreements to improve the employment outcomes of returning County residents and reduce the likelihood of recidivism.
PROCUREMENT
Policy 11-04 requires WDD to seek Board approval when contracting for non-competitive purchases of products and services in excess of $200,000 during a single annual period.
The Purchasing Department supports the non-competitive procurement of vocational training services from VVC due to the specialized credentials of Federal Corrections Complex (FCC) clearance to provide vocational training to FCC federal inmates. VVC currently has access to provide training at FCC, the High Desert Training Center, and VVC’s main campus.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 6, 2026; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on April 22, 2026; and County Finance (Eduardo Mora, Administrative Analyst II, 387-4376) on May 1, 2026.