Heartland Foundation Awards This Year’s Largest CollaborACTION Grant

Heartland Foundation is awarding a CollaborACTION Grant worth $49,100.00 to a collaborative project between the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and the St. Joseph School District.

The grant will assist the two organizations in working with Edge Factor to create and implement a regional solution to the skills gap in workforce development. The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and St. Joseph School District (SJSD) are working with Edge Factor to build relationships and resources for workforce development, specifically in the industry sectors that matter most in the community. Edge Factor partners with local entities to help communities bridge the gap between business and education and engage audiences in classrooms, homes and events in the area.

Heartland Foundation Resources Coordinator, Dr. Sandra Pettit Weber, said she is excited to see this program be introduced to St. Joseph and SJSD students.

“This is a program that will have a positive influence in St. Joseph and its workforce,” Pettit Weber said. “This platform will create greater awareness of the variety of employment opportunities available in our community.”

Known as “The Netflix for Workforce Development,” Edge Factor’s online platform and signature method of merging storytelling and interactive tools empowers educators and business leaders to inspire students. This program will also reach parents and raise awareness of local career opportunities.

Heartland Foundation’s CollaborACTION grants help support collaborative solutions which are designed to champion new innovations that have the potential to impact education levels, character development and/or workforce skills. The grants are awarded on an annual, competitive basis.

For more information, please contact Heartland Foundation Resources Coordinator, Dr. Sandra Pettit Weber, at Sandra.pettitweber@heartlandfoundation.org or by calling 816-271-7571.

Heartland Foundation is a think ahead organization focused on uplifting the value of lifelong learning and community involvement.

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