Community Development Agency
www.santa-ana.org/cd
Item # 15
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
June 16, 2026
TOPIC: Award Youth Agreements Funded with Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Funds
AGENDA TITLE
Award $600,000 of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Formula Youth Funds for Program Year 2026-2027 (Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute agreements to award $600,000 in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth program funds for a one-year period beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, contingent on the availability of WIOA funds for the 2026-2027 program year, with the following organizations (Core Agreement No. A-2026-XXX):
1. Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, in the amount of $200,000, to provide paid work experience, career counseling, job readiness and life skills training, mentoring, academic support, and industry-recognized certifications.
2. Working Wardrobes for a New Start, in the amount of $200,000, to provide career coaching, workforce readiness workshops, paid work experience, training in high-demand industries, and supportive services.
3. Taller San Jose Hope Builders, in the amount of $200,000, to provide career pathway training, industry-recognized certifications in healthcare, construction, and child development, employment readiness, job placement, and support services.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Santa Ana Workforce Development Board (WDB) is tasked with contracting qualified Youth Service Providers to offer WIOA-funded services to eligible at-risk youth in Santa Ana. With WDB approval, staff released two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) on November 4, 2022, and March 4, 2025. The first RFP resulted in one organization, the Orange County Therapeutic Arts Center, being deemed eligible to provide youth services through June 30, 2027, contingent on available funding and satisfactory performance. The second
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RFP in March 2025 created an additional pool of eligible organizations for a two-year procurement cycle from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027.
While organizations are selected through multi-year procurement cycles, the City enters into WIOA-funded youth services agreements on a one-year basis due to annual federal funding allocations and budget appropriations. As a result, the current agreements for Program Year 2025-2026 will end on June 30, 2026, and staff recommends approval of new one-year agreements for Program Year 2026-2027. This approach allows the City to evaluate provider performance each year, ensure compliance with changing WIOA funding levels and program requirements, and maintain flexibility in managing youth services.
On April 21, 2025, a review committee composed of three Workforce Development Board Youth Council members evaluated and scored the proposals based on the criteria outlined in the RFP. As a result of this process, all three organizations were deemed eligible for inclusion in the two-year procurement cycle ending June 30, 2027.
The committee established the following rankings:
Rank Organization
1 Working Wardrobes for a New Start
2 StandUp for Kids
3 Taller San Jose Hope Builders
Staff recommends funding Working Wardrobes and Taller San Jose Hope Builders.
StandUp for Kids, although currently funded for PY 2025-26, has requested not to be funded for PY 2026-27.
On April 9, 2026, the Workforce Development Board Youth Council Committee approved the Youth Council recommendations to award $200,000 each to Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, Working Wardrobes for a New Start, and Taller San Jose Hope Builders to serve 20 youth each.
Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Art Center (OCCTAC), with more than 25 years of experience, has served over 70,000 youth in Santa Ana through culturally competent, trauma-informed programming. Each year, the organization supports approximately 7,000 youth, with targeted services for foster youth, youth with disabilities, high school dropouts, homeless youth, and youth on probation. OCCTAC has been a WIOA Youth provider since 2005.
For Program Year 2026–2027, OCCTAC will continue providing a comprehensive WIOA youth employment program that covers 13 of the 14 WIOA-required elements. Services include:
Paid work experience in high-demand fields like education, technology, and the arts;
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Career counseling, job readiness, and life skills training; Literacy and numeracy tutoring for basic skills-deficient youth; Supportive services such as mental health counseling, transportation, and academic advising;
Mentoring, leadership development, and preparation for post-secondary education.
Participants will also gain access to industry-recognized certificates that boost their employability. Certification options include the Child Care Worker Certificate, Health Assistant/Aide Certificate, Customer Service and Administrative Office Support, and Digital Media and Technology Skills, such as audio engineering, film production, and graphic design. All participants will receive personalized case management and comprehensive support services to tackle personal and educational barriers.
Working Wardrobes for a New Start, founded in 1990, offers over 30 years of experience in providing workforce development services to youth and adults facing significant life challenges, including justice involvement, homelessness, foster care, and economic hardship. The organization has a proven record of serving vulnerable youth groups and delivering federally funded employment programs. For this contract, Working Wardrobes will implement its “Rebuilding Careers Program for Young Adults,” which offers a comprehensive service model that includes:
A dedicated Career Navigator providing personalized case management and career coaching.
A structured, paid five-part workforce readiness workshop series. Up to 90 hours of paid work experience with community employers or internal social enterprise locations.
Access to WIOA-approved training programs in fields like construction, logistics, culinary arts, and information technology.
Personalized mentoring and career exploration, including job shadowing and mock interviews.
Supportive services like transportation assistance, background check fees, and professional attire.
Twelve months of follow-up and career coaching after program completion to promote job retention and long-term success.
Taller San Jose Hope Builders, founded in 1995, has over 30 years of experience serving disadvantaged and out-of-school young adults aged 18–24 throughout Orange County, with a strong presence in Santa Ana. They will enroll 20 out-of-school youth in this age range. Their expertise centers on intensive career pathway training combined with structured mentorship and employment placement in high-demand industries such as healthcare, construction, and child development.
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Participants progress through a four-stage model: Job Skills Training, Mentoring/Life Skills, Career and Education Pathways, and Employment Services.
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Youth receive industry-specific training in Clinical Medical Assisting, Child Development, or Construction, leading to recognized certifications such as OSHA, CPR, and vocational certificates through community college partnerships. Participants access comprehensive support services, including case management, mental health referrals, transportation assistance, childcare stipends, financial literacy training, and barrier removal supports. Each participant is assigned an Employment Readiness Specialist who provides personalized service plans, weekly coaching, life skills instruction, and employment readiness training (resume building, interviewing, workplace professionalism).
Through its social enterprise, Hope Builders Career Connections (HBCC), the organization offers direct job placement, retention support, and career advancement services, with ongoing follow-up for up to 12 months.
By awarding contracts to Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, Working Wardrobes for a New Start, and Taller San Jose Hope Builders, the City of Santa Ana guarantees that its most vulnerable youth are supported by three well-established, highly experienced providers with a proven track record, extensive community partnerships, and a strong dedication to helping youth gain independence, career skills, and long-term self-sufficiency.
FISCAL IMPACT
An amount of $284,120 has been incorporated into the FY 2026-27 budget process for City Council review and consideration under the WIOA Youth, Payment to Subagent account (no. 12318763-69135). The remaining balance of $315,880 will be presented to the City Council as part of the FY 2026-27 carryforward request, resulting in a total award of $600,000.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Orange County Therapeutic Art Center Agreement
2. Working Wardrobes for a New Start Agreement
3. Taller San Jose Hope Builders Agreement
Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director, Community Development Agency Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager