Wilson Fish Bridge to Employment Program

The Wilson Fish Bridge to Employment Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Administration for Children and Families, specifically the Office of Refugee Resettlement. This program operates under the broader Refugee and Entrant Assistance framework and is designed to support the transition of refugees and eligible entrants into the U.S. workforce. The program reflects federal priorities to promote economic self-sufficiency among newly arrived populations and to ensure continuity of services in jurisdictions where traditional Refugee Support Services will no longer be available beginning in fiscal year 2027. The primary purpose of the program is to provide employment-related services to recipients of Refugee Cash Assistance in states where the Refugee Support Services program will cease operations. These services include job readiness training, employment placement assistance, and English language instruction. The initiative is structured to ensure that eligible individuals receive consistent and required services as outlined in federal immigration law. Services funded under this opportunity are limited to individuals within their first 36 months in the United States or within 36 months of obtaining an eligible immigration status, reinforcing the program’s focus on early integration and workforce participation. Funding under this program is distributed through cooperative agreements, indicating substantial federal involvement in project implementation and oversight. Awardees may provide services directly or through subawards to partner organizations. The total estimated program funding is eighteen million dollars, with approximately five awards anticipated. Individual awards may range from a minimum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars to a maximum exceeding fourteen million dollars, depending on the scope and scale of proposed service delivery. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement associated with this funding opportunity. Eligible applicants include a broad array of public and nonprofit entities, including state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, public housing authorities, institutions of higher education, school districts, and nonprofit organizations regardless of tax-exempt status. Faith-based and community organizations are also eligible provided they meet the stated criteria. However, individuals, federal agencies, and foreign entities are explicitly excluded from eligibility. The geographic scope is expected to include specific states where Refugee Support Services will no longer operate, though those locations will be detailed in the formal Notice of Funding Opportunity. The application process is expected to open following the official posting of the Notice of Funding Opportunity, with an estimated posting date at the end of June 2026 and an application deadline at the end of July 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically through the designated federal grants platform by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the due date. While detailed application components are not outlined in the forecast, applicants should anticipate standard federal requirements such as project narratives, budgets, and organizational documentation. No pre-application or letter of intent requirement is specified in the forecast stage. Applications will be reviewed through a merit-based evaluation process, though specific review criteria are not provided in the forecast summary. Awards are expected to be announced by the end of August 2026, with project implementation beginning at the end of September 2026. The program does not explicitly state a recurring cycle, and given its alignment with a structural shift in service delivery, it may represent a targeted or transitional funding opportunity rather than a recurring grant. For additional information, applicants may contact the program representative listed, Abby Scott, via phone or email. Further program details, including eligible states, service expectations, and application requirements, will be made available in the forthcoming Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to monitor official federal grant platforms for updates and prepare in advance for a relatively short application window.