YouthBuild for the Future Act

Summary

Makes targeted changes to the YouthBuild program to increase support for rural and tribal participants, expand allowable participant services (including meals, food assistance, and help applying for means-tested benefits), and create a new employer-partnership grant stream. It also sets predictable funding notice timing, updates some program terminology, gives operators more input on performance targets, and authorizes specific annual funding levels for FY2027–FY2032, including a $20 million per-year grant pool for employer-linked partnerships.

• If YouthBuild appropriations exceed $125M in a year, 20% of that appropriation must be reserved for rural applicants and tribal/Native-serving programs.
• Explicitly allows YouthBuild to provide meals, food assistance, and help applying for means-tested benefits (e.g., SNAP, CCDBG-related assistance).
• Authorizes supportive services targeted to participants with disabilities and allows certain grant funds to count toward external matching requirements.
• Creates a new employer-partnership grant stream (eligible consortia of YouthBuild operators and employers) with $20M/year authorized for FY2027–FY2032.
• Requires annual consultation with YouthBuild operators when setting performance measures and asks the Secretary to publish funding opportunities on a predictable annual schedule.
• Directs States to facilitate access to participant wage data while maintaining privacy protections.
• Updates program terminology to be less stigmatizing and more outcome-focused (e.g., "youth justice-involved individual").