The Best Buy Foundation is seeking applications for its Career Pathway Program Grant to support organizations that provide tech skills and workforce readiness to help teens achieve a degree or credential, achieve self-supporting wages or have opportunities for further education and career advancement.
Donor Name: Best Buy Foundation
State: Minnesota
Counties: Anoka County (MN), Carver County (MN), Dakota County (MN), Hennepin County (MN), Ramsey County (MN), Scott County (MN), Washington County (MN)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 04/01/2022
Size of the Grant: $5,000 to $50,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
Best Buy Foundation seeks nonprofit partners that generate interest and awareness in tech-related careers, improve access to training, credentialing, and employment, and support tech career progression. Their goal is to help teens from disinvested communities obtain the tech skills and training they need to be prepared for a successful career.
The primary responsibilities of the nonprofit organization include:
- Working with schools and other community-based organizations to build awareness of the program to drive youth participation.
- Ensuring access to teens from disinvested communities.
- When possible, enabling participation of Best Buy employees to serve as volunteers.
- Developing financial and community support to help sustain the program beyond the grant funding from Best Buy.
- Completing an online impact report for program evaluation purposes. Components include program length, progress made towards goals, number of program participants and demographics, Best Buy volunteer engagement, community collaboration, technology, and work-life skills gained, organizational change, and teen engagement.
Funding Information
- Program grants (no general operating) typically range from $5,000 to $50,000.
- The median award for Career Pathways is $30,000.
Grant Period
Up to one year of funding. Organizations demonstrating success are eligible to apply for future funding in subsequent years.
Eligibility Criteria
The Best Buy Foundation invites nonprofits that have a fundamental commitment to youth, ages 13- 21, to apply for funding. Minimum eligibility criteria include:
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a proven track record of serving youth ages 13-21 from disinvested communities.
- Demonstrated track record in engaging youth at the local level who have been disconnected from education and careers.
- Programming must be within the Twin Cities seven-county metro area.
- Commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Preferred programs will have some of the following components:
- Rigorous tech-related curriculum, mentorship, and soft-/hard-skills training for youth over a 9-12-month period.
- Align training with the labor market needs to ensure youth gain relevant skills and engage youth in work-based learning opportunities (i.e. internships, apprenticeships).
- Opportunities for dual enrollment/college credits for teens from disinvested communities completing high school.
- Use technology to develop skills in a wide range of areas: 3D design, graphic design/photography, coding/programming, digital music/audio production, game design, mobile apps, multi-media production, robotics, video/film production, etc.
- Wraparound supports such as food access, housing, transportation, health services, etc.
- Success metrics include developing skills for tech-reliant jobs, achieving a degree or credential with real value in the current labor market, gaining employment with self-supporting wages, and/or having opportunities for further education and career advancement.
For more information, visit Career Pathway, Program Grant.
