Carol Lowery Business Partnerships & Development Lowe’s Relationship & Grant Program Manager

1. Carol Lowery Business Partnerships & Development Lowe’s Relationship & Grant Program Manager

2. Business Partnerships & Development Partnerships vs. Sponsorships Sponsors come and go… Partners are for life! • Obtain NEW business and industry partners • Strengthen existing partner relationships • Targeted approach

3. Business Partnerships & Development GOAL To create a sustainable layered approach with partners that ENGAGE them at every level of SkillsUSA (local, state and national) AND targets their dollars, manpower, knowledge and/or skills with the programs in our organization that maximizes their ROI.

4. Business Partnerships & Development Build & Strengthen our Partnerships • We work for you! • Supporting the good works! Educational resources, Leadership Training Opportunities, Mega Prizes • $.90 of every dollar from partners goes to mission driven initiatives

5. Business Partnerships & Development Suggestions, ideas, thoughts, needs, concerns… Chris Powell Director of Corporate & Campaign Development Office of Business Partnerships & Development cpowell@skillsusa.org

6. State Directors Thank you for responding! • Requesting information about Lowe’s • ROI ~ dollars spent at Lowe’s, beyond TeamWorks grant funds • Local Lowe’s relationships ~ give Lowe’s corporate the opportunity to recognize their own folks for their outstanding efforts • “It’s the right thing to do!”

7. State Directors Thank you to Lowe’s Gerard Littlejohn Lowe’s Companies 1000 Lowe’s Boulevard Mooresville, NC 28117

8. State Directors What is the best way for me to communicate with you? • Seeking information? • Deadline reminders? State TeamWorks Final Report • Using the appropriate template for final reports

9. Lowe’s Grants 2014

10. 2014 Grant Opportunities • CareerSafe Vouchers • State TeamWorks • Schools In Need

11. CareerSafe Vouchers • Allow students to take an online assessment and earn their OSHA 10-Hour Construction or General Industry safety credentials

12. CareerSafe Vouchers • 6 months to complete once logged into the system • All vouchers are awarded, but many go unused. • For 2014, State Directors will be provided a list of voucher recipients.

13. State TeamWorks 2014 • Applications and process will be the same • Funds distributed based on # teams expected to participate AND actual participation from previous years • If actual participation exceeds original funds distributed , states will receive additional funds to offset cost of State TeamWorks contest • Availability of funds • Final Reports submitted by deadline • Lowe’s has provided prizes in the past, please include this in your thank-you notes!

14. State TeamWorks Final Report • Use the template provided • Answer all questions • Provide 2-6 QUALITY photos • Submit by deadline to remain eligible for future grant funds Any Questions?

15. Schools in Need Schools In Need Grant Program

16. Schools in Need Lowe’s Focus! • To identify schools, classrooms or students who have a very basic need to improve the quality of the student’s educational experience. • Place the dollars in the hands of those who have no other means for obtaining funds. • Indicators • % of students in school eligible for free or reduced lunches • % of students that are Pell Grant recipients

17. State Directors Role • We need your help! • Identify schools • Encourage SkillsUSA Chapter to apply • Lead them to and through the grant application process • High profile opportunity for Lowe’s

18. Grant Funds • Grant awards $2,500 to $25,000 • Lowe’s wants to align with technical trade areas that their business supports • In 2013: 27 chapters in 22 states received grants

19. Three Focus Areas • Classroom improvements • Upgrading or providing tangible tools for learning technical skills • Leadership development opportunities or providing for competition clothing that will give students the opportunity to compete at SkillsUSA events that would otherwise be unattainable. Limited opportunities! .

20. Pay IT – Play IT Forward Those applicants who can outline their plan to “pay it forward”, by planning and implementing a project or event that will allow them to use the tools or skills obtained due to receiving the grant dollars, will stand a greater chance of receiving grant funds.

21. Best Applications • Detail how the outcome will provide a life changing experience for the beneficiaries of the grant dollars! • Involvement by students from application to implementation!

22. Classroom Upgrade/Renovation • Describe what you have now, how it will change, how many students and/or programs will benefit. • What will be the impact on the students now as well as in the future. • How might this upgrade or new classroom provide an opportunity for the students to share this experience or classroom with others?

23. Tools/Equipment/Materials • Tell the age of the existing tools/equipment or why new tools/equipment/materials are needed. • Describe how the upgrade/purchase would impact students or meet industry standards. • How many students will benefit from the upgrade? • How will students use the tools, equipment or materials to implement a service project for their school or community?

24. Leadership Development orCompetition Clothing • Who will benefit? • What has been the past experience in these areas? • How will participating in this event, training or contest impact the students? • How will students use this experience to help other students or grow their local SkillsUSA chapter?

25. Grant Timeline • September 1, 2013 Grant application posted to website • November 1, 2013 Application deadline! • January, 2013 Announce winning grant recipients

26. Selection Process • Applications are reviewed and scored by SkillsUSA selection team • Lowe’s chooses the final winners.

27. Selection Criteria • 60%-70% on basic need and project impact • 30%-40% on application clarity, budget detail, and project planning, development and implementation strategies

28. Basic Need for Greater Impact • Tell your story from the heart! • Support your story with the facts and details. • How can you expand the use of your grant dollars beyond the initial investment? • How can you create a unique learning experience for your students that will engage them in developing leadership or technical skills? • “If we receive these grant dollars, this is what will happen.” • Think Need! Think impact! Think BIG!

29. Write Award Winning Project • Review application • Complete in it’s entirety • Be specific, meaningful and succinct • Think about WHAT you’re going to do for your project and then HOW you’re going to tell your story and plan!

30. Grant Application • The reader should understand what the project/purchase is in the first 2-3 sentences • Include a detailed project description • Look for opportunities to involve local Lowe’s. • Create achievable timelines • Include detailed budget and media plan • Have application reviewed by someone who is not involved in the project • Have application reviewed for correctness and completeness

31. Schools In Need • 2-3 Fall Webinars will be offered in early September • Support applicants in the process!

32. Lowe’s Challenges! • Personnel turnover at local Lowe’s • Lack of knowledge at local level on the existing partnership with SkillsUSA • Lack of time by instructors/teachers to seek out building a relationship My job is to help connect the dots between Lowe’s corporate and the grassroots level.

33. Lowe’s beyond 2014 • Strong relationship • Need to continue to foster our relationship at all levels • Create a model of education for Lowe’s at all levels that best tells the SKillsUSA story

34. Send Thank-you’s Gerard Littlejohn Lowe’s Companies 1000 Lowe’s Boulevard Mooresville, NC 28117

35. SkillsUSA Carol Lowery Lowe’s Relationship & Grant Manager clowery@skillsusa.org Cell 641-512-0504 Office 641-456-4515