Goodwill Industries
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can provide assistance to unemployed workers. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program basics
- Aims to increase employment and earnings through subsidized jobs and job training and to reduce recidivism
- Begins with a job readiness assessment, followed by 2 weeks of job-readiness training
- Goodwill Industries works in conjunction with the San Francisco Department of Child Support Services
- Participants are placed into one of three tiers of subsidized jobs, depending on their job readiness—nonprofit, private-sector jobs (mainly at Goodwill), public sector jobs, or for-profit, private-sector jobs
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Promising (Third-highest tier)
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Promising (Third-highest tier)
Goodwill Industries is not yet in any of the major clearinghouses, but has demonstrated positive results in an independent, high-quality evaluation conducted by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation
Target population
Formerly incarcerated individuals
Program cost
$8,460 per participant
Implementation locations
Dates active
Not available
Outcomes and impact
- Increase in earnings, employment, and material wellbeing
- Some evidence of reduced rates of recidivism
- Some evidence of increased family engagement
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- Partnerships with employers ensure that trainings and certifications are equipping participants with in-demand skills.
- Support services should help participants overcome the numerous barriers they face in engaging with the program.
- Career support should be informed by job interest assessments, delivered through individualized coaching, and be characterized by a growth mindset that empowers trainees to create their own career trajectory.
