Wilson Fish Bridge to Employment Program
🏛 Administration for Children and Families - ORR
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations serving unaccompanied children and youth transitioning from government care into employment. Eligible applicants are nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and government agencies with experience in workforce development and youth services. Programming must serve youth ages 14-23 who are in or aging out of federal child welfare, foster care, or immigration-related custody. Activities include job training, mentoring, case management, and placement support leading to sustainable employment.
The grant prioritizes serving vulnerable populations with barriers to work. Geographic focus may align with Administration for Children and Families regional offices. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to work with traumatized youth and coordinate with child welfare and immigration agencies.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Key dates
- Jul 10, 2026 Applications open
- Aug 10, 2026 Application deadline in 23 days
- Aug 31, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2026 Project start
Program description
The Wilson Fish Bridge to Employment Program (WF B2E) provides funds to ensure recipients of Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) can access required employment services as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act. ORR’s primary strategy for ensuring access to these required services in most states is through the Refugee Support Services (RSS) program. Beginning in FY 2027, RSS will no longer be available in select states. The WF B2E program provides required employment training and placement services, as well as English language training, to recipients of RCA in the states where RSS will no longer operate. Services provided under this program are only available to individuals within the first 36 months after they either arrive in the United States or within the first 36 months they receive an ORR-eligible status. Approved projects will fund required services either directly or through subawards. Details on the states in which this program will operate will be available in the forthcoming NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Faith-based Organization
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (standard federal application form)
- Project Narrative describing target population and employment services
- Budget and Budget Narrative with itemized costs
- Organizational capacity statement and resumes of key staff
- Letters of commitment from child welfare and workforce development partners
- Evaluation plan with outcome metrics
- Proof of 501(c)(3) status or government agency documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Abby Scott
- 📧 leah.scott@acf.hhs.gov
- 📞 202-401-4815
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.583 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$590,483,780
-
$187,902,178
-
$175,066,134
-
$110,842,481
-
$100,694,879
-
$65,861,030
-
$60,623,584
-
$58,679,957
-
$46,780,620
-
$40,198,511
Top States by Funding
- FL 2 awards $765.5M
- TX 2 awards $248.5M
- CA 4 awards $171.5M
- VA 2 awards $120.5M
- KY 3 awards $89.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.583). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $12,961,214 | |
| 2026 est. | $18,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and government agencies with youth employment or child welfare experience. Applicants must be able to serve unaccompanied minors or youth aging out of care.
What age groups does this grant target?
Youth ages 14-23 who are in or transitioning from federal child welfare, foster care, immigration-related custody, or runaway/homeless situations. Priority goes to those with multiple barriers to employment.
What activities can be funded?
Job training, vocational skills development, mentoring, career counseling, internships, job placement, case management, and supportive services. Activities must lead directly to employment outcomes.
How competitive is this grant?
Very competitive. Applicants need strong evaluation data, partnerships with child welfare and workforce agencies, and documented success with vulnerable youth populations.
What is the typical funding range?
Federal ACF grants vary widely. Budget your application based on the number of youth served and intensity of services, typically ranging from $100,000 to $500,000+ depending on scope.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Build strong partnerships with local child welfare, foster care licensing, and workforce development agencies before applying. Collaboration is essential.
- Develop clear employment outcome metrics. Funders want job placement rates, wage data, and retention periods documented.
- Address trauma-informed practice explicitly. Show staff training and how your organization supports youth with ACEs and PTSD.
- Use data from your own pilot work or similar programs. National evaluation results strengthen competitiveness significantly.
- Budget for case management and ongoing support. Employment success for this population requires intensive, sustained engagement.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak agency partnerships or failure to secure letters of commitment from child welfare and workforce boards before submitting. Vague employment outcome metrics or lack of baseline data from similar populations. Underestimating the support intensity needed; this population requires more staff time and wraparound services than typical job programs.
Similar grants
- CLOSED FY27 RFP COAEREF27001 for Refugee Mentoring — Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
- CLOSED FY27 RFP COAEEAP27007 for TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE for NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) GRANT PROPOSAL — Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
- OPEN FY 2026 Basic Center Program — Administration for Children & Families - ACYF/FYSB
- OPEN Child Abuse Prevention in Migrant and Tribal Communities — Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB
- OPEN Home Study and Post-Release Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children — Administration for Children and Families - ORR