Verizon Foundation Offers $500,000 in Education Grants to Massachusetts Nonprofit Groups

BOSTON --The Verizon Foundation today announced competition for $500,000 in grants for innovative school-to-career programs in Massachusetts.

The EdLink program, now its sixth year, seeks proposals that link classroom instruction and workplace or community-based learning opportunities for students in grades 7-12. Projects may be submitted on behalf of individual classroom teachers, public or private schools or districts, as well as School-to-Career Partnerships established through the Massachusetts Office of School-to-Work.

Applicants are encouraged to collaborate on projects with institutions of higher education, community organizations, nonprofit agencies and employers.

"Verizon significantly supports K-12 education through corporate philanthropy, community relations initiatives and employee volunteerism," said Donna Cupelo, Verizon's region president for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "As the largest private employer in Massachusetts, Verizon realizes how important it is for schools, businesses and communities to help students discover links between the classroom and the workplace. After all, the success of our economy and our company ultimately depends on the effectiveness of our schools."

A total of $500,000 will be awarded in two categories: Partnership Awards of up to $40,000 each and Classroom Awards of up to $10,000 each. To support the state's efforts in the area of school-to-work programs, priority will be given to proposals that enhance:

• Work-based learning connections that rely on real-world learning opportunities and activities and use the Massachusetts Work-based Learning Plan as an evaluation tool;

• Smaller learning community connections that create more personalized learning environments for students and teachers, including school restructuring efforts focused on career pathways, career academies and disciplines within a school, and that seek to increase academic performance and decrease negative behaviors of students;

• Innovative classroom projects that integrate workplace applications and classroom learning activities.

Any Massachusetts public and private schools, public or private colleges, universities, not-for-profit organizations and school-to-career partnerships [qualified 501(c)(3) or 509(a) (1, 2, or 3) organizations] may apply for these awards. Program activity must target students and teachers in grades 7-12. Final proposals are due April 26 and must be submitted through the Verizon Foundation online application process. Complete application instructions and details regarding this award program are included in the Request for Proposals posted at www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, is committed to helping Verizon employees, customers and the communities in which they work and live make progress every day. The foundation supports a variety of programs that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, bridging the digital divide, enriching communities through technology and creating a skilled work force. The foundation promotes partnerships in technology with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, and the economically and socially disadvantaged. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that encourages Verizon employees to volunteer in their communities and provides matching gifts to nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit the foundation's Web site at www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 132.1 million access line equivalents and 29.4 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with more than $67 billion in annual revenues and approximately 247,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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