Microsoft Elevate America Employment Services Grant Initiative

Posted by on September 17, 2010

Microsoft Elevate America Announces New Employment Services Grant Initiative
Deadline: October 8, 2010

Microsoft Corporation has announced the launch of the Elevate America community initiative, a new grant program to support nonprofit organizations offering employment services, including technology skills training and job placement, in local communities across the United States. The initiative is the latest extension of Elevate America, which was launched in 2009 to provide people across the country with no-and low-cost access to the technology skills they need to find employment.

To support the initiative, Microsoft is committing a total of $4 million in cash and $6 million in software and technology skills training curriculum over the next two years.

Grants will be allocated through a Request for Proposal process which invites nonprofits to share their plans for partnering with Microsoft on creating successful, scalable programs that respond to the twenty-first century skills training and employment needs of people across the U.S. For this initiative, the company has a particular but not exclusive interest in working with partners focused on the needs of women and young workers (ages 18-25).

Successful grant recipients will be funded to provide individuals with the support they need to find employment. The services provided by grant recipients to ensure a fully supportive experience for participants must include technology skills training, job placement, and strong employer connections and may also include career counseling and other support services such as childcare, transportation, and housing.

Grant applicants must be U.S.-based tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and their partner organizations, which may include workforce agencies, community colleges, labor organizations, and other nonprofit organizations.

Complete grant program guidelines and an eligibility survey for nonprofit organizations are available at the Microsoft Web site.

http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/community-tools/job-skills/Community-Initiative/