Continued support of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Integrity Center of Excellence (Integrity Center)

The summary for the Continued support of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Integrity Center of Excellence (Integrity Center) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Employment and Training Administration, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Continued support of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Integrity Center of Excellence (Integrity Center): This sole source award is statutorily mandated in the ETA's FY 2017 appropriation. The FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act provides “. . . $5,500,000 for continued support of the Unemployment Insurance Integrity Center of Excellence . . . .” The accompanying explanatory statement further states that the funding is “. . . an increase of $2,500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 level. The increase of $2,500,000 is intended as a payment on behalf of States to the entity operating the Center.” Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Pub. L.115-31), 163 Cong. Rec. No. 76, Book III (May 3, 2017). The current NYSDOL cooperative agreement for the operation of the Integrity Center specifies that CESER is the lead organization responsible for the operation of the Center. ETA interprets the language included in the congressional explanatory statement as requiring a $2.5 million award to CESER as the entity operating the Integrity Center. The primary mission of the Integrity Center is to provide training and technical assistance to states to improve UI program integrity; develop, disseminate, and promote innovative new tools and products that are transferable and scalable for all states to prevent UI improper payments and enhance fraud prevention solutions; and enable rapid alerts to states on new improper payment practices and fraud schemes as they are identified. CESER is uniquely qualified to provide a forum for states to exchange information and ideas related to program requirements and peer-to-peer collaboration to help ensure the integrity of UI program operations. The continued funding of the Integrity Center is essential to CESER's completion and expansion of presently funded project deliverables. The Integrity Center, operated by CESER, completed several of its core strategies over the past year and continues to develop and implement others. CESER, a 501(c) (3) entity, incorporated in August 1994 as an arm of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), is a leading provider of information technology, education, and research support for UI, workforce development initiatives and activities. NASWA serves as the collective voice of state agencies on UI matters, and through its subsidiary, CESER, fosters and supports relationships to help ensure program integrity and quality performance of the UI system nationwide.