California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP)

The California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) empowers community-based organizations (CBOs) to be trusted messengers for the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), delivering crucial information on workers' rights and safety measures to workers, employers, and their communities.

DIR is touting a $34.9 million investment to continue the California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP). Through this unique partnership, the state works with community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve as trusted messengers, reaching some of California's most at-risk workers to help them understand their rights, access workplace protections and address other job-related concerns.

Strategic Components of CWOP 5.0/6.0:

  1. Comprehensive Education on Workplace Protections: Provide a wide range of information on workplace protections to improve safety and health conditions for workers, combat wage theft and retaliation, and inform workers of their rights to benefits and medical care for work-related illnesses and injuries.
  2. Language and Accessibility: Maintain a strong commitment to diversity and ensure outreach materials are accessible in multiple languages, addressing the needs of California's diverse workforce.
  3. Engagement and Outreach: Use interactive activities to engage workers and employers in meaningful discussions about safety practices, worker rights, and available resources regardless of immigration status. This includes direct outreach, workshops, and seminars.
  4. Partnership and Collaboration: Strengthen partnerships with CBOs, labor and occupational health centers, and agricultural associations to expand the reach and effectiveness of the program.
  5. Rural Strategic Engagement (RSE): Dedicate targeted outreach and legal resources to improve access to in-person services in under resourced rural areas, particularly for vulnerable workers such as farmworkers.

CWOP Grant Recipients

As a result of the Request for Proposal California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) Program Year (PY) 2026–27 Request for Application (RFA) competitive process, 15 new grantees will be awarded to join the CWOP 6.0 cohort to address identified gaps and emerging needs across California’s workforce. To learn more visit, CWOP Supplemental Funding for Request.

*Grantee region(s) of focus are still being determined.

After a competitive process that included a total of 121 applicants, the Department of Industrial Relations released $28 million to 89 organizations that applied for the California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) PY 25-26.

The information in the table is being updated on a rolling basis to reflect amended award amounts based on the Request for Proposal California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) Program Year (PY) 2026–27 Request for Application (RFA) competitive process. If you have questions, email CWOP@dir.ca.gov.

CWOP Campaign Reports

2023-24 CWOP Campaign Report

September 2026