The Youth Workforce: Career Pathways Grant initiative supports career paths that help young adults earn steady, livable wages in San Diego.
Donor Name: Prebys Foundation
State: California
County: San Diego County (CA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/28/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
Goals
The long-term goals of the foundation for Youth Success are that:
- Youth furthest from opportunity experience robust career progression.
- The San Diego workforce is resilient, skilled and qualified.
- It focuses on industries that align with the funding priorities, labor demand, and the goal of ensuring young people can live and thrive in San Diego County.
The goals of this initiative are that San Diego youth have:
- Increased access to high-quality internship/apprenticeship programs that provide education/training, supportive services, and pathways to productive careers with steady, living wages.
- Increased earning potential and career mobility while pursuing education and/or careers.
To achieve the above goals for youth in San Diego, the workforce ecosystem will need:
- Capacity for delivery of career pathway programs such as, the ability to expand program and/or internship hours, offer additional seat availability, and reduce barriers to program completion such as financial, transportation, childcare and mental health.
- Increased coordination and collaboration across sectors to reduce the disconnect between learning environments, employers and the needs of young people going into and in the workforce.
The efforts will focus on two paths to livable wages:
- Access to paid internships/apprenticeships with mentorship for underrepresented communities within the workforce.
- Opportunities for increased earning potential for young adults already in the workforce through additional education, certifications, leadership/professional development and trade courses etc.
Industries with Priority Consideration:
- Healthcare — registered nurses, lab technicians, phlebotomy, etc.
- Creative workforce — design, media, software development, stagecraft, etc.
- Environmental — blue & clean tech, natural resource management/monitoring, regenerative agriculture, etc.
- Trades/Career Technical Education — such as electricians, mechanics, information technology, etc.
Preference for programs that:
- Include partnerships across educational/training institutions, supportive services and employers.
- Programs that foster growth in the young workforce by embracing and valuing diversity.
Funding Information
Grants will be up to $450,000.
Grant Period
2‑year funding.
Uses of Funds
- Programs that provide quality job training, credentials, and certifications through partnerships with educational institutions, workforce development boards, and supportive services organizations
- Programs that provide access to extended and meaningful internships/apprenticeships in specific industries that lead to living wages for opportunity and overburdened youth.
- Programs that reduce barriers, such as financial ability, transportation, childcare, family support etc., to access and complete, education/certifications/credentials or internships/apprenticeships.
- Programs that include strong career guidance and support such as personal development, networking events, leadership development, mental wellbeing, etc.
Eligibility Criteria
- Lead organization must be located in and serving San Diego County.
- 501(c)(3) organizations, fiscally sponsored entities, or tribal entities.
- If your organization is a current workforce grantee, there must be less than 6 months left on current award.
- Young adults ages 18 – 26.
Priority Population:
- Overburdened Youth: Young adults, who experience excessive physical, emotional, or psychological pressure beyond what is considered normal or healthy for their age.
- Opportunity Youth: Young adults who are not in school or working, or are underemployed.
Criteria
For Internships and Apprenticeships:
- Lead organization should have a proven track record in workforce development
- Organizations should have the capacity to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs and measure the impact on:
- Participants’ wages.
- Job placement rates.
- Increased earning potential.
- Overall economic well-being.
- Apprenticeships: must be 32 – 40 hrs/week with a certification/credential upon completion.
- Internships: must be a minimum 4 – 6 months with strong potential for for long-term placement following completion.
- Applicants should be able to demonstrate strong relationships with employer/industry partners
- Program offers living wages.
- Program incorporates mentorships and career guidance.
For Increased Earning Potential
- Lead organization should have a proven track record in workforce development.
- Organizations should have the capacity to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs and measure the impact on:
- Participants’ wages.
- Job placement rates.
- Increased earning potential.
- Overall economic well-being.
- Program offers current youth in the workforce opportunities to gain certifications/credentials, leadership/trade courses, or other relevant experience to increase career mobility/earning.
- Program addresses barriers such as childcare, family care, ability to pay, hours, outside commitments, transportation challenges, etc.
- Program incorporates mentorships and career guidance.
For more information, visit Prebys Foundation.
