Fast Facts

Overview: In 2018, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated funding to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to stimulate public colleges and universities to develop partnerships to provide innovative paid internship opportunities for their students. In 2019, the effort was expanded and enacted into law as the Innovative Internship Fund and Program. In 2020, through a partnership with the Virginia Chamber Foundation, the program was rebranded as the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP).

The primary focus is a state­wide initiative to facilitate the readiness of students, employers and institutions of higher education to participate in internship and other work-based learning opportunities. The focus of this grant competition is to support the readiness of students through implementation of the Mike Rowe Works – Work Ethic Curriculum in each of the nine V-TOP regions of the Commonwealth.

Interested community colleges and higher education centers should submit a three-page (max) letter of interest with a cover sheet conforming to the instructions. SCHEV intends to award one-year grants, with an annual renewal option based on performance, to nine community colleges or higher education centers, one in each of the nine V-TOP regions.

Grantees are expected to:

1. Name an instructor(s) who will participate in 16 hours of in-person training in Virginia led by personnel from Wichita State University Tech Campus in fall 2023
2. Commit to offering the curriculum’s 12 one-hour workshops to cohorts of students in their selected V-TOP region multiple times per year starting no later than spring 2024
3. Receive support from Wichita State University Tech
4. Comply with standard grant administration requirements, such as tracking expenses and submitting progress reports as described in the instructions

Please see full instructions for details.

Informational Webinar

Wed., July 12 from 9:00 to 10:30.

Jennifer Roe, from Wichita State University Tech, will provide information about the Work Ethic Curriculum and SCHEV staff will provide information about the instructions for the Letters of Interest.

Link to join: https://wsutech.zoom.us/j/93501159040

Letters of Interest Due: Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Estimated Start Date: Tuesday, October 2, 2023

Length of Award: 12 months with option to renew annually

Number of Grants: Nine

Award Amount: up to $90,000 per year

Please contact Emily Salmon (emilysalmon@schev.edu) with any questions.