Franklin County Board of Commissioners
Franklin County has authorized an application for a grant that would connect people in the prosecutor's diversion program to solar energy job training, creating a pathway from the justice system into a growing industry.
The Board of Commissioners approved the resolution on February 10, authorizing the application to the Vera Institute of Justice's Motion for Justice grant and permitting the county administrator to accept the award if the application is successful. Prosecuting Attorney Shayla Favor's office presented the proposal.
The idea centers on pairing the existing diversion program with a new workforce development initiative focused on solar training. Rather than simply moving participants through the legal process, the program would equip them with both the technical and professional skills needed to pursue employment in the clean energy sector. Favor's office described it as an innovative approach, grounded in a straightforward premise: having a job leads to success.
Participants in the program were polled about which workforce development opportunities interested them most. Solar training ranked first.
The program would be developed in partnership with ARCH, which also supports workforce development through Cafe Overlook. Commissioner Crawley asked specifically about the partnerships involved, drawing out details about how the initiative would be structured and who would benefit.
The county expects to hear back on the grant application by the end of February. If awarded, it would represent an expansion of the prosecutor's diversion work, linking the office's legal tools to tangible economic outcomes for the residents it serves.