Benefits Bridge Employer Pilot Program

Benefits Bridge Employer Pilot Program

UPDATE: The application deadline for this funding opportunity, initially set for June 30, 2025, has been revised to June 30, 2026. Please note that this opportunity will remain open indefinitely or until the available funding is exhausted.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) releases this Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) to award funding to employers to incentivize employees enrolled in public assistance programs. The Benefit Bridge Employer Pilot Program is designed to provide funding to employers to offer training programs to participating employees that are recipients of assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Ohio Works First, Medicaid, or a publicly funded childcare program, which are meant to encourage the participating employees to take advantage of the training programs in order to qualify for the one-time training incentive and wage increase that would replace the assistance received through these programs.

Employers will be required to present their training program plan to ODJFS for approval. Within three months of the participating employee’s completion of the training program, the employer shall submit to ODJFS proof of the employee’s completion of the training program and the wage increase received by the employee pursuant to the plan previously submitted to ODJFS. After ODJFS certifies that the participating employee no longer receives assistance from SNAP, Ohio Works First, Medicaid, or a publicly funded childcare program, or will imminently stop receiving assistance through one of these programs, ODJFS shall release the grant funds to the employer.

Details

• Agency: Department of Job and Family Services — Office of Family Assistance
• Opportunity #: JFSR2425178292
• Financial Details: Each selected applicant will be required to sign a grant agreement with ODJFS. Awards will be issued for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024 and 2025. Grant funds will be released to the employer once the employer demonstrates all conditions and requirements of the grant are completed and verified by ODJFS. The employer grant is capped at $5,000 per individual employee and has a total cap of $100,000 per employer. The actual dollar amounts awarded for selected applications may be less than the amount requested, based on the following:

1. Amount of funding made available to ODJFS;
2. The remaining funding balance at the time of award; and
3. The number of grant applications which are both qualified and selected for award.

The ODJFS Agreement Manager will notify the selected applicant when the Purchase Order is fully approved; this is when work may begin, and any costs paid after the date the Purchase Order is fully approved may be considered for reimbursement. ODJFS is under no obligation to award any funds for this project and may cancel or postpone the selection process at any time if for any reason ODJFS decides not to proceed. All selections of applicants for funding will be on a first come, first serve basis and are subject to certain legal and administrative reviews prior to being finalized. In the event that funding is fully allocated ODJFS may, at its option, close the posting at any time and inform all submitted applicants when no additional funding is available.

In the event that funding for the continuation of this program is made available to ODJFS, ODJFS may, at its sole discretion, offer a renewal period up to one (1) additional year. Any such renewal would be contingent upon all necessary funding and legal approvals; continued programmatic purpose; and the satisfactory performance of grantees. ODJFS currently has no indication that any funding for renewals will be available, therefore applicants may not propose multiple year projects that rely on renewed ODJFS funding. Should such funding become available, ODJFS may opt to renew some but not all grant agreements or may opt to not renew any grant agreements.