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_ 235 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 132. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 regard to improvements in retention, graduation, degree production and other criteria the Council deems appropriate. H. Out of this appropriation, $330,687 the first year and $330,687 $835,047 the second year from the general fund is designated to support research and analysis and the administration of a multi-agency longitudinal data system to improve consumer information and policy recommendations. I.1. As a condition of this appropriation, $12,000,000 the first year and $14,500,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, § 23.1-903.4, Code of Virginia. The funding is designed to expand paid or credit-bearing student internship and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers. In furtherance of the goal of providing all postsecondary students in Virginia with one or more paid internships during their undergraduate course of study, funding shall be used for: (a) institutional grants to enhance engagement with employers related to internship placement and to assist students in securing and successfully completing internships, including students that traditionally do not participate in such programs; (b) matching grants to small and midsize Virginia- based employers to enable increased paid internship participation by small and midsize businesses and nonprofit organizations; (c) promotional expenditures to encourage expansion of internship programs and participation by business and nonprofit organizations in Virginia and to increase recruitment and retention of students; and (d) administrative and other expenditures to accomplish the purposes of the Innovative Internship Fund and Program and this paragraph. I.1. As a condition of this appropriation, $12,000,000 the first year and $8,500,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, § 23.1-903.4, Code of Virginia. The funding is designed to expand paid or credit-bearing student internship and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers. In furtherance of the goal of providing all postsecondary students in Virginia with one or more paid internships during their undergraduate course of study, funding shall be used for: (a) institutional grants to enhance engagement with employers related to internship placement and to assist students in securing and successfully completing internships, including students that traditionally do not participate in such programs; (b) administrative and other expenditures to accomplish the purposes of the Innovative Internship Fund and Program and this paragraph.The Council shall establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) to transition the employer-focused outreach and engagement components of the Program to those entities in accordance with Item 113.T. The Council and VEDP shall consult with the partners identified in Item 113.T in the development of the MOU to facilitate their continuing collaboration. The MOU shall be completed and reported to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than June 30, 2025. 2. Institutional grants shall be awarded to support initiatives that establish or enhance an on-campus internship center or similar one-stop service to assist students and employers with intern placement and that are expected to produce a demonstrated increase in student participation in paid internship programs and work-based learning opportunities. Institutions shall be eligible for grants upon demonstrating that it is a key priority of the institution and its senior academic and administrative leadership to have a coordinated plan to expand internship participation by students, to incorporate internships in curricula, to report completion of internships and courses that include internships on student transcripts, and to remove administrative and financial barriers to internship opportunities. The plan shall include: (i) an implementation timeline, (ii) the allocation of resources and funding strategies to support internships, (iii) the assignment of dedicated personnel to facilitate placement of students in internships and engage with employers, (iv) the identification of how the institution will support students that are less likely to participate in internships and work-based learning opportunities, to be employed in an occupation related to their major upon completion of their certificate or degree, or to earn at or above the average earnings of graduates in their program major; (v) opportunities to align existing student employment opportunities on campus to include best practices of an internship program; and (vi) metrics for measuring, reporting, and regularly reviewing progress on the plan. Institutions that have not developed a plan may be eligible for