Bridging the GAP of School to Work (US)

Deadline: 15-Aug-21

The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is pleased to launch the Fund for Columbia County was planning a county-wide convening to explore school-to-work gaps and opportunities.

The fund will seek innovative projects and services that support high school and college-age youth in making a successful transition from school to work.

Areas of Interest

Potential areas of interest for these projects include:

School year and summer field experiences including work-based learning, internships, apprenticeships and extended job shadows
Entrepreneurial programming and opportunities
Programs that build industry-specific work skills and experiences, with associated certificates
Platforms to encourage and mentor youth-designed and youth-led initiatives that foster workplace skills
School-based programs that support students in maintaining individualized learning plans, including specific career/work readiness skill development and experiences

Funding may be requested for a new program or enhancement/expansion of an existing program.

Preference will be given to programs or projects that increase the acquisition of universal working skills, applicable to all levels of future employment opportunities.

Awarded programs will either demonstrate a quantifiable increase in the number of students served or an enhancement and/or expansion in the amount of services provided.

The fund is particularly interested in approaches that have a deep level of individual engagement with youth to increase the likelihood of successful completion of the proposed program or project.

Although the fund recogniz that lack of transportation is a common and significant barrier to youth engagement, it cannot consider requests for the purchase of vehicles.

It will consider projects that have transportation costs as a portion of the overall budget (e.g. taxi rides or bus fares).

Funding Information