The $800,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation for 19 of our Affiliates has moved into the implementation phase. The grant is largely directed to the 19 State Organizations that operate as non-profits (or that have a supporting non-profit dedicated to their work). The recipients of the Walmart Grant have all begun submitting Implementation Plans consistent with the requirements of the grant, which has two central priorities:
- Expanding engagements with employers that lead to enhanced employment opportunities
- Enhanced outreach and engagement activities with institutions of higher education that lead to both greater enrollments and even more successful outcomes.
The Walmart Foundation guidelines and metrics are focused on tracking state activities that result in direct engagement with employers and institutions of higher education, and the strategies for taking advantage of those new opportunities that lead directly to better jobs, expanded postsecondary enrollments, and enhanced higher education outcomes.
Special training sessions for staff responsible for the implementation of the Walmart Grant were conducted at the 2011 National Training Seminar in New Orleans by Dr. Julie Ray, Walmart Foundation Grant Director. In addition, regular monthly teleconferences are conducted to share best practices and look for ways to enhance the impact of this critically important 18-month grant.
States participating in the Walmart Foundation grant are: Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.