The Latino Coalition for Community Leadership (LCCL) is excited to announce a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) for community-based organizations (CBOs) interested in becoming a Work and Gain Education and Employment Skills Program (WAGEES) Community Partner. The Work and Gain Education & Employment Skills (WAGEES) program is a statewide, community-based reentry initiative established by the Colorado General Assembly (House Bill 14-1355). It provides support for individuals returning to their communities after incarceration.

This competitive RFP will result in the selection and disbursement of program grant funds to one WAGEES reentry community partner, capable of providing the full scope of reentry services articulated in this RFP guidance to individuals who identify as women (inclusive of cisgender and transgender women), as well as gender non-conforming, non-binary, and other gender-diverse individuals.

Submission Deadline

The submission deadline for this competitive WAGEES RFP is 5:00pm October 5, 2025. 

Number of Awards

One grant will be awarded to a single nonprofit organization located in Colorado.

Service Area

• El Paso County

Note: If your organization is not located in this area, you must clearly demonstrate how you will ensure access to services for WAGEES participants living there.

Grant Award Amount

• Up to $131,256 for the initial 8-month project term.

• Organizations responding to this RFP may request additional funds to support stable housing placements through LCCL’s Housing Support Payment (HSP) program, which operates similarly to a place-based housing voucher system.

• Potential increase to $175,000 in future years, based on:

• Grantee performance

• Availability of state funding

Note: Continued funding is subject to availability from the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) and the Colorado General Assembly. LCCL may require a reapplication process based on program performance and compliance.

Project Timeline

• Grant term: November 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

• Participant services begin: December 1, 2025

• The State of Colorado operates on a fiscal year from July 1 to June 30

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my organization eligible to apply to this RFP?

Organizations eligible to respond to this RFP must be a Colorado-based non-profit organization (including nonprofits without a 501(c)(3) designation from the Internal Revenue Service) or any Indian or Native American entity. For-profit organizations and units of government are not eligible to apply. 

If awarded, does my organization have to provide all WAGEES services directly?

The organization awarded under this RFP is required to provide community reentry services, either directly or by community-based referral, to returning community members referred to the program by the CDOC.

If awarded, is my reentry team required to pass a background check?

LCCL and the WAGEES program seeks participation from leadership and program staff with lived experience particularly those that are justice impacted. The background check process is not intended to be exclusionary; however it is required by the CDOC Division of Adult Parole for all WAGEES staff who will have direct contact with enrolled WAGEES participants. This generally includes organizational leadership and program staff. The LCCL sets up and manages this process but approval lies with the CDOC Division of Adult Parole. The existence of a criminal background is not grounds for automatic denial and will be considered on a case by case basis especially in circumstances in which the individual is still under supervision.

Helpful Guidance

Your application will be submitted through LCCL’s GivingData platform–  https://lccl.givingdata.com/portal/campaign/wageesElPasoRFP.

Please see the slides for step-by-step instructions of a sample application process for how to submit your application. GivingData Submission Tutorial