Verizon Foundation Offers Workforce Development Grants for Nonprofits in Texas

IRVING, Texas - Nonprofit organizations engaged in workforce development initiatives in Texas are invited to compete for $500,000 in grants from Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.

A request for proposal (RFP) issued by Verizon Foundation notes that applications are sought from nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and eligible educational institutions located in areas of Texas where Verizon provides local telephone service. The foundation will award one-year grants, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 each.

"The future economic health of the Lone Star State depends on a skilled and literate workforce," said Steve Banta, Southwest region president for Verizon. "There's a strong need in Texas for people who understand and can work with current and emerging technologies. We're particularly interested in receiving proposals that will assist with job retraining, training for teachers and enable more people to obtain a college degree."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said, "I want to commend Verizon for its willingness to invest in Texas programs providing job retraining, improving teacher preparedness and supporting scholarships for first generation college students."

Grant proposals are due by Oct. 25. They will be judged by a panel led by the Texas Engineering Extension Service and composed of several members of the Texas A&M University System including faculty and administrative leaders.

"Parts of Texas have been hit hard by the downturn in the economy and the timing of Verizon's generous proposal couldn't be better," said Texas Workforce Commission Chair Diane Rath. "Programs supporting job retraining should be especially beneficial over the next 12 months. Communities in Texas served by Verizon should take notice of the potential for these grants and give the company plenty of proposals to consider for funding."

Verizon is committed to supporting initiatives that use technology to help create a skilled workforce, provide opportunities for personal growth for the participants and lead to in long-term, sustainable benefits for the community.

To promote technology and more effectively serve the nonprofit community, Verizon Foundation has made all of its programs available online. All grant applications must be made online at its Web site, www.verizon.com/foundation. On the Web site, applicants should click on the Verizon Works RFP for Texas link and type in the invitation code for this RFP -- 87SCPY86LO -- when logging in.

Educational institutions and other nonprofit organizations with questions about the application process may send Verizon an e-mail to swells@verizon.com. Grant recipients will be announced in December.

Verizon Foundation is committed to helping people and communities 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 on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications

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 135.1 million access line equivalents and 30.3 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and approximately 241,000 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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