North Carolina has been awarded a $4 million federal grant to support workforce reentry programs for incarcerated individuals, Governor Josh Stein announced on August 12, 2025. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Pathway Home” grant program and aims to help people in prison develop job skills before and after their release.
Governor Stein emphasized the broader impact of these efforts, stating, “When we prepare people leaving incarceration for success in the workforce, we all benefit. With support from this new grant, North Carolina can continue to build a strong workforce, improve reentry outcomes, and provide people with real opportunities for a second chance.”
First Lady Anna Stein also commented on the challenges faced by those leaving incarceration: “People leaving incarceration too often struggle to find employment, and this is a major barrier to their successful re-entry. The ‘Pathway Home’ grant will help bolster employment programs to work with people both before and after they are released from prison. Supporting rehabilitation and reentry programs is a priority of mine, and this grant will improve our state’s rehabilitation outcomes.”
The Division of Workforce Solutions (DWS) at the North Carolina Department of Commerce will lead the implementation of the “North Carolina Pathway to Reentry” project. DWS is working in partnership with three local Workforce Development Boards—Charlotte Works, Foothills WDB, and Western Piedmont WDB—as well as the N.C. Department of Adult Correction.
The initiative will offer pre-release activities such as workshops, small-group sessions, individual instruction, career counseling, employment advisement, and training. These services are designed to start within 72 hours after release and continue through post-release activities like goal setting, action planning, education assessment, skill development for specific jobs, and connection with apprenticeships or other work-based learning opportunities via NCWorks in collaboration with employers open to hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. Participants will receive ongoing wraparound support throughout a 24-month training period that includes monthly follow-up meetings.
Facilities participating in this program include Alexander Correctional Institution; Caldwell Correctional Center; Catawba Correctional Center; Foothills Correctional Institution; Gaston Correctional Center; Marion Correctional Institution; Mecklenburg County Detention Center; and Rutherford Correctional Center.
N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley noted how this initiative fits into broader state goals: “Our fast-growing economy needs skilled workers, and this grant helps us fill that need by providing reentry services to jobseekers who are ready to take the next step in their lives,” said Lilley. “This project will also help us in our efforts to meet several goals recently set out by the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, which include increasing participation in work-based learning.”
The DWS has prioritized reentry efforts over several years through its involvement with the Joint Reentry Council and its role in implementing the Reentry 2030 strategic plan. The division’s Reentry Initiative collaborates with NCWorks Career Centers statewide to assist justice-involved jobseekers overcoming employment barriers. Additionally, DWS works with three local boards on another federal program called Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD), focused on individuals leaving federal prison at Butner.
A pilot program led by DWS allows eligible inmates nearing release to begin their job search process—including resume creation—prior to completing their sentences so they can transition directly into using NCWorks online resources upon release.
For employers willing to hire people facing significant barriers such as prior incarceration records, DWS administers two federal incentive programs: Federal Bonding Program and Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). More information about available services can be found at https://www.ncworks.gov/.
