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_ 236 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 132. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 planning grants as long as the planning grants are led by senior academic and administrative leadership. In determining the amount of grant awards, the Council shall consider the number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution, the number of students at the institution who participate in internships, and the numerical and percentage increase in internship participation expected to result from the initiative. In addition, the Council shall increase grant awards based upon the following factors: (i) an institution's emphasis on internships that are part of pathways to full-time employment with Virginia-based employers; (ii) the institutional initiative's alignment with specific state or regional programs or partnerships related to economic growth and diversification or workforce development in Virginia; (iii) an institution's strength of commitment as reflected in its reallocation of institutional funds or solicitation of philanthropic support or business partnerships to support the initiative. This funding is intended to be recurring for institutions that demonstrate substantial yearly progress in achieving the objectives of the initiative as measured by the number of internships successfully completed by students. 3. In administering the program authorized in this paragraph, the Council shall (i) engage stakeholders from business and industry, secondary and higher education, economic development, and state agencies and entities that are successfully engaging employers or successfully operating internship programs; (ii) cooperate with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and identified partners in carrying out the authority's responsibilities under Item 113.T for employer-focused activities that expand availability of and access to paid and credit-bearing internships and corresponding pathways leading to full-time Virginia-based employment; (iii) explore strategies in Virginia and elsewhere on successful institutional, regional, statewide or sector-based internship programs; (iv) gather and report consistent data across institutions regarding current institutional internship practices, scale, and outcomes; (v) develop internship readiness educational resources, delivery methods, and outreach and awareness activities for students and institutional career development personnel; and (vi) pursue shared services or other efficiency initiatives, including technological solutions. The Council and VEDP, in consultation with partners, shall establish goals and metrics for internships and work-based learning opportunities for employers, students, and institutions that support an increased number of students and employers participating in internships and work-based learning opportunities while ensuring the quality of the program. Institutions shall set goals and progress measures aligned with the metrics established by the Council and VEDP related to increasing the number of students participating in internships and work-based learning opportunities and shall develop a plan to ensure that existing programs and any new programs developed include internships or a work-based learning opportunity where appropriate. Institutions shall report to the Council annually regarding progress on these goals. Beginning in fiscal year 2027, the Council and VEDP shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations on progress of meeting the goals and metrics, including institutional progress, and expenses incurred for the activities outlined in this item by November 1 of each year. 2. Institutional grants shall be awarded to support initiatives 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 planning grants as long as the planning grants are led by senior academic and administrative leadership. In determining the amount of grant awards, the Council shall consider the number of undergraduate students