Project Summary
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has been awarded a total of approximately $8.2 million by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the Social Impact Partnerships to Pay for Results Act (SIPPRA).
This award supports NYSERDA’s job training in the clean energy sector in priority geographic areas across New York State. The training will focus on work-based learning, technical certifications, and soft-skill training. Training providers will also provide supportive services and assist in the job placement process.
The award includes:
- $7.1 million project grant.
- $1.1 million for independent evaluation.
The project seeks to provide job training to unemployed and low-wage workers, increase participants’ wages, and evaluate the training’s effectiveness.
Outcome Goals:
- Increased annual earnings of low-income individuals for each year of the project.
- Increased post-intervention employment.
- Increased financial stability of low-income families.
The project’s interventions will be delivered by training providers located in several priority geographic regions across New York State. Training providers will be subcontracted by NYSERDA who will oversee implementation and administration of the interventions.
Training providers will provide clean energy job training and supportive services to eligible and enrolled individuals. Common intervention features and strategies across participating providers will include: sectoral employment training focused on energy efficiency occupations and leading to industry-recognized technical certifications (e.g., Building Performance Institute and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, among others); use of cohort models which facilitate persistence and completion, particularly for youth; work-based learning, including opportunities for apprenticeships and on-the-job training; and direct employment of completers by training providers who are also industry contractors.
The project will also provide supportive services such as childcare and transportation.
The project will serve low-income individuals in New York State whose household income is below 60% of the State Median Income, including those participating in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Home Energy Assistance Program, and other benefit programs. Priority populations include individuals who are long-term unemployed and youth who are 16 to 24 years of age.
NYSERDA expects to deliver workforce development services to 670 individuals in three cohorts.
- Increased employment opportunities and earnings for long-term unemployed individuals and youth.
- Reduced dependence of low-income families on federal means-tested benefits.
- Increased financial stability of low-income families.
| Role | Entity | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| State government | NYSERDA | Manage SIPPRA funds flow between Treasury and project. Fund training services. |
| Intermediary | Social Finance | Lead project design and support government entity contracting and fund management. Oversee and support evaluation. Provide active performance management services to monitor project indicators and outcomes and facilitate governance committees. |
| Service providers | TRC Companies, Inc. | Oversee the administration and implementation of the intervention by subcontracting training providers in multiple geographic areas. |
| Independent evaluator | MDRC | Establish research design. Estimate project impacts to evaluate whether performance benchmarks are met. Provide evaluation progress reports. |
| Investors | N/A |
NYSERDA will deliver the job training to three different cohorts. To calculate the outcome payment, the average annual earnings of the treatment group will be compared to the average annual earnings of the control group for six years after program services. As a result, the project will measure six outcomes, with a single outcome payment to be calculated at the end of the project.
The outcome payment is determined using a tiered outcome payment scheme based on levels of success in achieving the outcome. While the average increase in earnings due to the treatment is calculated at the level of the follow-up year, individuals within each cohort and follow-up year may differ in income. Thus, the payouts are calculated by combining the cohort-level increase in income due to the treatment with individual-level income data.
| Service Delivery | $ 10,425,000 |
| Evaluation | $ 1,100,000 |
| Total Project Costs | $ 11,525,000 |
- Project Period of Performance Start Date: June 2021
- Project Period of Performance End Date: November 2028
- Evaluation Start Date: June 2021
- Evaluation End Date: November 2028
Providers will identify eligible participants using a variety of outreach tactics and referral channels that leverage local and community partners and networks and will employ a comprehensive recruitment and enrollment process that is tailored to the target population. The application process will include multiple stages that assess applicants’ skills, interest and motivation, as well as potential needs or barriers to be addressed.
Each service provider will have access to a pool of interested applicants through the agencies in which they are housed and through their network of community-based organizations.
A randomized controlled trial will be conducted in which eligible and interested individuals will be randomly assigned to a group eligible for the clean energy training program and other services or to a control group not eligible for the program.
Annual earnings will be measured using wage records from the New York State Unemployment Insurance system.
| Entity | Estimated Savings | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Federal government | $3.1 million | Savings are based on the reduction in SNAP and EITC. The project also estimates it will generate $3.9 million in federal revenue. |
| State government | $3.7 million | Savings based on the reduction in state outlay costs. |
Further information is available through the official press release and federal registry notice. These documents provide detailed background on the SIPPRA award and program expectations.
- In 2024, NYSERDA, in consultation with the independent evaluator, requested to alter its payment schedule from multiple payments made in years four and seven to one payment made at the end of the project. This change was requested due to challenges in trainer recruitment and extended enrollment periods.
- NYSERDA will calculate the average annual earnings of the treatment group compared to the average annual earnings of the control group for six years after the trainings. To calculate federal savings, NYSERDA will calculate how increases in average annual earnings lead to a reduction in federal outlay costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Earned Income Tax Credit.