National Blue Gives Back:
Partners are national non-profit organizations committed to enhancing the lives of teens through high-quality tech curricula. Curricula should include hands on learning opportunities that lead to skill development and engage teens in experimenting and interacting with the latest technologies to close the digital skills gap.
National organizations will work closely with a number of unique community-based non-profit organizations serving youth in disinvested communities across the country. In partnership with the community-based organizations, national organizations will deliver tech focused programming to youth in each community and create meaningful opportunities for local Best Buy employees to engage as volunteers.
Goals of the Blue Gives Back Grant are:
- Increase youth access to high-quality and tech-focused programming and skills training (prefer in-person delivery format).
- Identify and work closely with 5-8 local programming sites from your existing network of preferred locations. See eligibility criteria for more information.
- Partner with a local Best Buy employee – the Blue Gives Back Champion – to identify volunteer requirements and provide volunteer opportunities to Best Buy employees.
- Develop social capital for program participants (e.g., networking, career panels, etc.).
Blue Gives Back Grant Application is closed.
- New Blue Gives Back Partners will be selected by April 30.
- A list of the 2023 Partner Organizations will be provided in May.
National Career Pathway Partner:
National Partner grantees play an integral role in the Best Buy Teen Tech Center Career Pathways program, delivering industry-relevant and focused curricula. To deliver more accessible and relevant tech skills training, the Career Pathways National Partner program is structured into short-form and long-form.
Short-form National Partner Programs components include:
- Providing at least 6 learning cycles ranging from 3-12 weeks at designated sites over the course of the year.
- Serve youth ages 13-21.
- Programming focused on technical skills development and career awareness.
- Project-based learning opportunities.
- Internship is required.
Long-form National Partner Programs components include:
- One program with a consistent cohort delivered over 4-7 months at 2-5 sites.
- Programming should be delivered at least once per week.
- Serve youth ages 16-21.
- Rigorous programming focused on technical skills training, development, and career exploration.
- Collaboration and alignment with BBTTC on soft skills components (taught by BBTTC staff but connections should be made with National Partner programs)
- Long-form National Partners are required to offer a paid summer internships.
2023 applications are now closed.
A list of Career Pathway Partners will be provided in August.