The Clover Agency Partners with Get Focused Stay Focused, Manages $700k Grant

Program management consultancy to manage grant from Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity's High Road Training Partnerships Fund

LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clover Agency, a leading management consultancy, today announced a strategic partnership with Get Focused Stay Focused, a nonprofit organization that empowers students and adult learners through goal-setting, career and skills exploration, and academic planning. Get Focused Stay Focused was awarded a $700k grant; together, the organizations are launching Green Futures LA – an innovative High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) designed to connect opportunity youth to careers in green infrastructure, sustainable construction, water management, and other high-growth sectors. The Clover Agency is managing the teams, projects and outcomes for this impactful grant program.

The grant comes from Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)'s High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP) Fund – funded through Care First Community Investment. The program prepares opportunity youth, particularly justice-involved and disconnected individuals ages 16 to 24, for careers in green construction, solar energy, water infrastructure, and sustainable landscaping. With over 120,000 disconnected youth in LA County, the program showcases The Clover Agency's commitment to helping address urgent workforce shortages and systemic barriers to economic mobility.

Additional partners supporting Green Futures LA include Pathway to Careers, Gaia Utility 360, and other local employers. The partners will provide an eight-week academy and additional on-the-job training. The program will serve 55 participants, with a goal of placing at least 75% of participants into employment or pre-apprenticeships – while building a replicable workforce model that strengthens local green infrastructure.

"Green Futures LA represents a bold step toward an inclusive green economy by investing in youth and young adults who have historically been left out of high-road career pathways. Our partnership with LA County DEO ensures this work is rooted in access, sustainability, and system transformation," said Dr. Paul N. De La Cerda, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Clover Agency. "We're proud to support a training model that connects regenerative practices with real employment outcomes. Green Futures LA is not just about jobs, it's about cultivating climate resilience and economic mobility using the Pathway to Careers platform for underserved communities."

This initiative will also offer:

• Pre-apprenticeship training aligned with union and employer standards
• Trauma-informed case management and wraparound support services
• Certifications and jobsite tours
• Hands-on mentorship and career planning
• Placement into green economy jobs or pre-apprenticeships leading to apprenticeship

"We're preparing the next generation for careers in Los Angeles County's high-demand green sectors," said Dr. Karen Miles, Executive Director of Get Focused Stay Focused Nonprofit. "We are transforming youth training and employment through career planning and readiness, skills training, and improved pathways to employers."

The program is beginning participant recruitment, and will launch in late October. The collaborative training model is designed to be replicable across the region to support a climate-ready, equity-centered workforce for Los Angeles County. For more information, visit pathwaytocareers.org/green-futures-la.

About The Clover Agency
The Clover Agency is a program management consultancy with a simple belief: everyone, regardless of their background, native language, culture, sexual orientation, age, or race, deserves an equal opportunity to embark on a fulfilling career journey. Our commitment to this belief serves as the cornerstone of our program model, designed to empower learners of all ages. We are dedicated to helping all students navigate the transitions and milestones that lead to successful, meaningful careers, fostering a more inclusive and vibrant economy for all.

About Get Focused, Stay Focused
The Get Focused Stay Focused Nonprofit believes in making career dreams come true for individuals from all backgrounds. We make this happen through our innovative programs and partnerships.

About HRTP Fund
The LA County Department of Economic Opportunity's High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP) Fund provides over $17 million to build innovative, worker-centered training models that promote equity, sustainability, and job quality. Grantees serve communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial and economic injustice through training in sectors such as construction, healthcare, and the creative economy.

About Pathway to Careers
Pathway to Careers is an equitable career pathway model that serves underserved youth and young adult students by inspiring, preparing and equipping them with the necessary tools to secure sustainable employment. The model adopts a holistic approach, beginning with career exploration activities and exposure to various industries to ignite students' passion and interests. It then provides comprehensive career readiness training, encompassing essential skills development, and addresses any barriers to employment by offering targeted wraparound services as needed.

SOURCE The Clover Agency