Youth apprenticeship should be a widely accessible option for young people to gain the foundational skills, experience, and credentials needed to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. This week, New America and the members of the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship are excited to invite applications for the PAYA Grant Initiative, which will support states, cities, and regions working to make this vision a reality.
The PAYA Grant Initiative will award four to eight grants (up to approx. $200,000 each) to support partnerships working together to build high-quality youth apprenticeships to meet local economic need. The grants will support partnerships in designing and implementing strategies to:
- launch, expand and strengthen youth apprenticeship programs aligned to the PAYA Principles for High-Quality Youth Apprenticeship;
- advance policy and system alignment to mainstream youth apprenticeship; and,
- improve understanding and awareness of youth apprenticeship to lay a foundation for sustainable expansion.
To accelerate this work, grantees will also receive technical assistance from the PAYA National Partners and will engage as a cohort in cross-site learning activities. Together, the grantee cohort will form a visible national community of innovators at the forefront of the movement to expand participation in high-quality youth apprenticeship programs that produce equitable outcomes for students, employers, and communities.
Please review the PAYA Principles and PAYA Grants FAQ before beginning the application, and feel free to share this email with any youth apprenticeship practitioners who might make good candidates for the initiative. You can also attend a webinar scheduled for Thursday, January 24th to learn more about the initiative's goals and selection process. The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm on March 8th, 2019.