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_ 237 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 132. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 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. Matching grants may be provided to small and midsize Virginia-based employers that agree to provide paid internships according to criteria established by the Council in consultation with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement and the Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership. Such criteria shall include: (i) a limitation of eligibility to for-profit business and nonprofit organizations, excluding institutions of higher education, with physical operations and facilities in Virginia and 150 or fewer Virginia-based employees; (ii) certification of employer eligibility by the Council following a training program of reasonable duration and agreement by the employer to reasonable mentoring and reporting obligations; (iii) a limitation of grant awards to reimbursement, not to exceed $7,500 per internship, for a maximum of one-half of wages, including FICA, and workplace subsidies, including transportation, housing, and other internship-related expenses, paid to or for the benefit of a student participating in a qualifying internship; (iv) the minimum and maximum number of hours required to ensure the student gains valuable work experience; (v) a limitation of the qualifying number of internships per employer; and (vi) the maximum timeframe for employers to be eligible to receive the grants. Prioritization of grant awards may consider employers of 50 or fewer employees. Funding may also be used to support staffing agency services related to intern recruitment for employers with 250 or fewer Virginia-based employees who are not otherwise eligible for matching grants under this paragraph. 4. The Council, through the Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership, and in consultation with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement and other stakeholders, shall develop and execute a promotional plan to raise awareness and foster expanded internship programs and participation by business and nonprofit organizations. The plan shall highlight the Commonwealth's goal to provide paid internship opportunities to all postsecondary students and shall provide for public recognition of employers based on their level of participation in internship programs. The plan shall include continued development of regional collaboratives among employers, educational organizations, and other regional stakeholders for the purpose of expanding internships in alignment with regional growth and diversification strategies and state and regional economic and workforce development initiatives. The plan also shall address the objective of encouraging secondary students in Virginia and outside Virginia to attend Virginia-based institutions of higher education and remain in the Commonwealth after completion through paid internships and pathways to full-time Virginia-based employment. 5. 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) explore strategies in Virginia and elsewhere on successful institutional, regional, statewide or sector-based internship programs; (iii) gather data on current institutional internship practices, scale, and outcomes; (iv) develop internship readiness educational resources, delivery methods, and outreach and awareness activities for employer partners, students, and institutional career development personnel; (v) pursue shared services or other efficiency initiatives, including technological solutions; and (vi) create a process to prioritize industry sectors and track key measures of performance in collaboration with the Virginia Office of Education Economics. J. In addition to the exceptions pursuant to § 2.2-3815, the provisions of the section shall