2015-16 BASIC FOOD
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
(BFET)
GRANT GUIDANCE
March 2015
Workforce Education Department
1300 Quince St SE; P.O. Box 42495
Olympia, WA 98504-2495
360-704-4400
www.sbctc.edu
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2015-16 BASIC FOOD EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
Application Instructions ....................................................................................................................... Page 1
Coding, Reporting, and Monitoring Guidance – Appendix A ............................................................ Page 3
Use of BFET Funds with Other Sources of Funding – Appendix B .................................................... Page 6
Reporting Hours of Participating – Appendix C .................................................................................. Page 7
i
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
2015-16 BASIC FOOD EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
Offered through the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the Basic Food Employment and
Training (BFET) program is another means by which the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC)
facilitates access to federal workforce education and training dollars to enable basic food recipients to gain the skills
necessary for employment. The target population is basic food recipients, not currently on TANF.
Who is eligible to apply?
Community and technical colleges (CTCs) which have received approval from the SBCTC and the Department of Social
and Health Services (DSHS) may apply for the FFY 2016 Basic Food Employment and Training program.
How do you apply?
Complete the application in the Online Grant Management System (OGMS): http://apps.sbctc.edu/onlinegrants no later
than Thursday, July 30, 2015. You must contact your OGMS security contact for access to the FFY 2016 Basic Food
Employment and Training application.
Continued for FFY 2016
The BFET program funding and billing process was modified in FFY 2014 to align with the federal fiscal year. Funding
awarded October 1, 2015 will cover fall quarter expenses incurred after September 30, 2015, and winter quarter, spring
quarter, summer quarter, and fall quarter expenses incurred prior to October 1, 2016.
When will you know if your application is approved?
A peer review committee will meet to read and offer feedback about the applications. You may be asked to make
changes to your application in OGMS. After your budget is approved by the SBCTC fiscal staff and DSHS, and the state
plan is approved by FNS, the SBCTC will approve your application in OGMS.
Allowable Activities
Based on clarification from the FNS, as of July 1, 2010, eligible BFET services will be limited to those expenditures that
are above and beyond what is provided to the general student population at no cost. Additionally, eligible expenditures
will continue to be what is necessary and reasonable for participation in the BFET program.
Examples of eligible expenditures:
Program Administration – activities necessary for the proper administration of the BFET program
o salaries and benefits for staff providing unique* services for the BFET program (e.g. staff responsible for
data entry and tracking of BFET students, staff attending BFET providers meetings, staff responsible for
maintaining BFET files)
o goods and services used by personnel providing unique* services (e.g. stamps, supplies, postage, small
equipment)
o up to 5 percent indirect costs based on actual salaries for staff attributed to providing unique* services
for the BFET program
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines
Page 1 of 8
Direct Services – staff and supplies associated with the following offering unique* BFET services
o front end BFET eligibility/enrollment process (e.g. staff assisting students with eligibility and enrollment,
computer for online applications)
o case management (e.g. staff that meet with students to assess and assist with barrier removal or need
for child care)
o development of an individual employment plan (e.g. staff that assess interests, skills and abilities with
students)
o required reporting and monitoring (e.g. staff that may have direct student contact to verify enrollment)
Participant Support
o Transportation – bus and transit tickets, fuel for participant owned vehicles for transport to and from
BFET activities
o Housing support– reasonable and directly related to preparing participants for self sufficiency, or to
prevent shut off of essential utilities
o Medical related – eye exams, vision correction, eyeglasses, emergency dental work
o Training permits and fees – related to training or job search activities. NOT allowed for starting or
retaining employment.
o Clothing for job interviews.
o Training tools – tools, uniforms. NOT allowed when related to starting or retaining employment.
o School supplies and educational costs – textbooks, training materials, other school supplies
Please note:
*Staff supported by college general funds dollars that are not necessary and reasonable and unique to the BFET program
will no longer be an eligible charge to the program (e.g. financial aid staff performing the same services as offered to the
general student population). Some services offered to Workforce students are considered to be above and beyond that
offered to the general student population. Cost of instruction is not an eligible source of non-federal funds.
Background
In October 2005, DSHS launched a pilot program in King County to substantially increase the amount of federal BFET
dollars available to support employment and training services for low-income adults. Fifty percent of any allowable
expenses incurred by a third-party contractor will be reimbursed by FNS. The pilot expanded in each year thereafter to
include college providers across the state. The pilot was unique, representing the first third-party reimbursement
program in the nation.
In 2009-10, the SBCTC negotiated an umbrella contract with DSHS, covering all of our participating CTCs. In 2011-12
DSHS, in partnership with the SBCTC, convened a strategic planning committee to produce a five- year plan to grow the
BFET program statewide. Since 2013-14, all 34 CTCs offer the program, along with more than 30 Community Based
Organizations.
For More Information
If you have any questions regarding the Basic Food Employment and Training program, please contact Mat Carlisle,
Program Administrator at (360) 704-4341 or mcarlisle@sbctc.edu.
If you have any questions regarding OGMS, please contact Deb Knackstedt, Program Manager at (360) 704-4337 or
dknackstedt@sbctc.edu.
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines
Page 2 of 8
Appendix A
CODING, REPORTING, AND MONITORING GUIDELINES
2015-16 BASIC FOOD EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
HOW TO CODE STUDENTS FOR TRACKING IN THE STUDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The Basic Food Employment and Training Program enrollments are reported using the Unusual Action code.
Instructions
The BFET students are identified through the Unusual Action code. You must first add the new Unusual Action code to
the Unusual Action Code table in SMS (SM5021). Use unusual-action value “B!”. Enter the value for the student on the
Student Unusual Action screen (SM5003) including the YRQ of their enrollment in the program. The student must be
coded as BFET for each quarter. This requires updating the YRQ field.
B!
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines-Appendix A
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NOTE: The students will need to be coded with the Unusual Action code and the YRQ field updated each quarter they
are enrolled in the BFET program.
If you have any question on the use of this code please contact Carmen McKenzie at cmckenzie@sbctc.edu or 360-7044369.
COMPLETIONS AND EXIT STATUS
Outcomes have been identified, and performance measures include:
• New enrollments
• Number of participants completing a specified component
• Entered employments
In addition, the SBCTC collects general student demographic information for accountability reports such as:
• Employment outcomes
• Achievement points as students progress
• Students’ highest achievement at the time of exit
• Comparisons to other similar student groups not receiving BFET resources
SYSTEM AND COLLEGE QUARTERLY MONITORING
With an increased emphasis on accountability and performance, it is essential that BFET coordinators verify their
college’s SMS quarterly data before it is transmitted and work with campus registrars for quarterly reporting dates and
timelines. The SBCTC (or data warehouse) can provide Basic Food Employment and Training coordinators outcome data.
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines-Appendix A
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These reports will be deemed official and final. For accurate reporting and performance measurements, it is important
that colleges count the same students that the SBCTC counts.
BASIC FOOD EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM REPORTING
Each college must comply with requirements for documenting, reporting, and verifying participation in BFET activities
using the eJAS system. Participation notes must be entered for each month. In addition, colleges must submit a
quarterly summary report within 15 days of the completion of each fiscal quarter as defined in the Contractor Manual.
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines-Appendix A
Page 5 of 8
Appendix B
BFET FUNDS WITH OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING
2015-16 BASIC FOOD EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
Can partners use Basic Food Employment and Training funding to cover unmet needs for students who are receiving
other sources of funding or financial aid?
Yes, BFET funds can be used to cover the cost of tuition, books, and supplies as well as support services that are
necessary and reasonable for the student to continue to participate in a BFET activity, that are not covered by other
sources of funding or financial aid for which the participant qualifies.
Important
Other sources of funding and financial award packages must be fully utilized to cover all costs first. Colleges may not use
BFET funds if participants have been funded to their maximum need level by another available resource. Colleges may
not consider that BFET funding might be available to clients in determining the financial need they would otherwise get.
In addition, if a college encounters this scenario, the college must document the financial aid award, the eligible costs,
and the disbursement of the financial aid to cover those costs and clearly show the balance that was charged to BFET.
How does the “unmet needs clarification” apply in situations where financial aid funds are not fully disbursed?
BFET policy is aware that in some instances, such as with work study, students do not have access to the total amount of
the award up front. However, the policy regarding the use of BFET funds does not make allowances for these situations.
The college must ensure, in some way, that no BFET funds were used to pay costs covered by other sources of funding
(work study funds in this case).
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines-Appendix B
Page 6 of 8
Appendix C
REPORTING HOURS OF PARTICIPATION
2015-16 BASIC FOOD EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
ISSUE
Can study time be added to the number of training hours reported in eJAS for BFET participants in a program at a
community or technical College?
Colleges can add time spent in additional activities that are directly connected to a training program. Colleges will
specify in writing when students are required to participate in additional activities that are directly connected to their
training program. Training hours and any other additional required activities will be described in all Individual
Employability Plans (IEP) and this will allow the additional hours to be added to the number of classroom instruction
hours.
BACKGROUND
Before FFY 2011, Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) were not eligible to receive food assistance for
more than three full months unless they worked, performed workfare, or complied with the requirements of a work
program (BFET) for twenty hours or more per week. Failure to schedule and document sufficient weekly participation
could have resulted in the loss of Basic Food eligibility for 36 months.
Beginning with FFY 2011, DSHS exempted all households from mandatory participation in E&T activities. Washington
State moved to an all-volunteer E&T program. All Basic Food recipients, even those that are mandatory work
registrants, are considered exempt from E&T participation.
CLARIFICATION
On December 18, 2008, it was clarified that the ABAWD WAC exempt ABAWDs from work requirements if they are
enrolled at least half time (according to the institution) at an accredited school, training program, or institution of higher
education. Upon review this exemption was found to be valid. Furthermore, this exemption also applies to NonABAWDs. This means that any ABAWD or Non-ABAWD who is enrolled at least half time (according to the institution) is
exempt and does not have to meet a specified number of hours of participation to receive Basic Food.
For college purposes, half time is defined as being enrolled a minimum of six credits per quarter.
IMPLEMENTATION
• Colleges must report the total number of hours of participation that students will be engaged in weekly. The
hours should include seat time and time spent in any other required activities that are directly related to the
BFET training program. Training hours and any other additional required activities will be described in all
Individual Employment Plans (IEP) and in Client Notes in eJAS.
•
Colleges must document participation time in approved educational activities as follows:
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines-Appendix C
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1. Vocational Education – Document the scheduled class time per week, including all other required
activities associated with the class or educational activity such as required group work/meetings,
internship activities, laboratory time, and cooperative learning experiences as described in a class
syllabus, contract, or curriculum guide.
2. Education, HSE, or Basic Studies – Document the activities as above.
3. The required documentation must be in place with a timeline for implementation.
4. A copy of the participating documentation must be maintained in the student file. Follow standard
retention guidelines for Federal program administration.
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-16 Basic Food Employment & Training Guidelines-Appendix C
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