CONTACT:
Jaclynn Coussa, Director of Marketing & Communications, REDF
jcoussa@redf.org | (415) 510-6027
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Francisco, CA (July 16, 2025) — California’s Employment Development Department (EDD), in coordination with the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency, has awarded REDF $978,735 in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant funds to support the technical assistance program for employment social enterprises and workforce organizations looking to expand business revenue in program year 2024-2025.
Through the technical assistance program, REDF provides hands-on support to workforce organizations that receive WIOA funding, helping enterprises meet and exceed training and employment performance goals, build operational capacity, implement innovative service strategies, and deepen partnerships with Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) and employers. REDF also served as the technical assistance provider for the WIOA ESE grant in 2022-2023.
“Every Californian deserves the opportunity to pursue a meaningful career,” shared California Governor Gavin Newsom. “This investment advances California’s Master Plan for Career Education and California Jobs First by expanding access to career pathways for Californians who’ve historically faced systemic barriers. It’s a step toward a more inclusive and opportunity-rich economy for everyone.”
By enhancing access to transitional jobs, industry-recognized credentials, and trauma-informed wraparound support services, this program helps participants transition into competitive employment with wage increases, and drive systems-level change across California’s workforce landscape. The program will serve 599 individuals through six workforce projects leveraging the ESE model. The State of California has also awarded these organizations grants totaling $10m through this initiative.
“This program goes beyond just creating jobs; these grantee organizations help restore dignity, expand opportunity, and build a more inclusive economy,” shares REDF President and CEO Maria Kim. “Inspired by the ESE model that leverages the power of real work experiences as a critical first step, the California Employment Social Enterprise WIOA program supports six innovative organizations as they unlock economic mobility and workforce equity for some of our most vulnerable Californians. REDF is honored to help these organizations to grow and to surface economic mobility models that can be an inspiration for the field.”
One of the grantees, the Economic Development Corporation Serving Fresno County (FCEDC), is partnering with several ESEs (Fresno Area Community Enterprises, Hope Now for Youth, and Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley) and numerous employers to build an ecosystem of good jobs for individuals with barriers in Fresno, Kings, Madera, and Tulare Counties. Participants will have access to up to 12 organizations providing support services and 16+ free training programs that prepare them for careers in customer service, production, truck driving, construction, auto body repair, and human resources. FCEDC is planning to connect with more ESEs in the region to expand the reach of the project.
In this program, REDF is partnering with three organizations with deep expertise: the California Workforce Association (CWA), Job Forward, and Social Policy Research Associates (SPR). CWA will support ESEs in developing strong workforce and public sector partnerships across the state. Job Forward will support ESEs to develop partnerships with or pathways to education and training providers providing in-demand credentials or skills. SPR, which led the evaluation of the PY22–23 grant, will continue in its role as evaluator, capturing outcomes and insights to inform continuous improvement and long-term impact.
Grant funding for this program is provided through discretionary funds made available to Governor Newsom through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) allocation, and funding is administered by the EDD and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
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ABOUT REDF
REDF invests in employment social enterprises (ESEs) — businesses that provide jobs, training, and support to people breaking through barriers to employment. REDF partners with these businesses and the entrepreneurs who lead them — providing capital, capacity, and community — to amplify their transformative impact. Since 1997, REDF has invested in 363 ESEs in 42 states and DC. Collectively these partnerships have helped 157,000 people enter the workforce and generated more than $3.1 billion in revenue that is reinvested in employee success — creating a ripple effect that strengthens families and communities and helps build an economy that works. For everyone. For more information, visit redf.org.
