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Upskilling & Professional Development Grant Application

Upskilling & Professional Development Grants for Women in the Footwear Industry (WIFI)

Two Ten provides grants for skills-focused training, specialized courses leading to professional certifications, and other professional development opportunities such as workshops. This program is aligned with Two Ten's Women in the Footwear Industry (WIFI) community and is currently open to women employed in the U.S. footwear industry. It's easy to apply for a WIFI Grant. Just identify an educational opportunity you're interested in and tell us how it will support your footwear career in your grant application. You will need to provide information on the course or workshop you wish you participate in including a link to the course and syllabus/rubric if available (syllabus/rubrics can be uploaded directly to your application).

UPSKILLING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS FOR WOMEN IN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

Each Upskilling & Professional Development Grant for Women is paid directly to the institution offering the course. Please note that this grant program is NOT to be used towards completing a degree at an institution for higher education*.

Upskilling grants for women will cover the cost of a professional development course deemed relevant to an applicant’s career path.

Grant recipients may qualify for a stipend to assist with child or elderly care during the course study.

Grants are not intended to cover costs related to an undergraduate or graduate degree program or networking events.

Processing payments for courses can take up to 4 weeks. Make sure you have ample time before the start date when choosing your course.

While not required, we encourage you to speak with your supervisor or employer’s HR department regarding what courses and learning opportunities they recommend, ensuring that your participation in the course will align to the career goals you are aiming to reach.

UPSKILLING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT FOR WOMEN ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for a Two Ten Footwear Foundation Upskilling & Professional Development Grant for Women, applicants must:

Be a full or part-time employee in the U.S. footwear industry, or an allied industry
Identify as female
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

WHAT DOCUMENTATION WILL I NEED TO SUBMIT IN THE APPLICATION?

To apply for this program, you must demonstrate that you are currently employed in the U.S. footwear industry by providing:

Proof of current employment (required)
One of the following additional documents:
- Copy of your most recent paystub
- Letter/email from your supervisor or company’s HR department stating your employment status
  - Must include contact information for the company representative verifying your current employment
- Copy of your contract or 1099
Course Syllabus/Rubric: You will be required to submit the syllabus and course description information during the application process, ensuring there is alignment between your current and future career path and the course content.
Government Issued Photo ID

Questions? Email Education@TwoTen.org

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*If you have been employed in the footwear industry for at least the last 24 months, you may be eligible for Two Ten's Scholarship Program. Applications are open between November and due by April 1 each year.

I certify that I have read and understand the Upskilling Grant for Women In Footwear (WIFI) Program eligibility and award requirements.

If you need to review Two Ten Footwear Foundation's guidelines, you can visit: https://twoten.org/our-programs/upskilling-grants/

I agree to the terms listed above.*

Applicant Information

First Name

Middle Initial

Last Name

Suffix

Date of Birth

Please enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format.

Email Address

Mobile Phone Number

Can this number receive text messages?

Alternate Phone Number

Please enter your primary phone number. If this is a mobile number that can receive text messages, we may use it to send important updates.

Home Address

Street Address

Apt / Suite

City

State / Territory

Zip Code

Country

Course Information

Have you identified the course or certification you want/need to complete in order to advance in your career? *

Name of Institution Offering Course

If "Other," please specify:

Course Name

If "Other," please specify:

Link to course description/syllabus

(You may upload the course description/syllabus/rubric towards the end of the application if a website link is not available)

Cost Of Course (USD Currency)

Is this course In-Person or Virtual? 

Is your course self-paced or specifically scheduled dates? 

What is the actual or intended start date of the course/program?

Please enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format.

What is the actual or intended completion date of the course/program?

Please enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format.

Have you discussed this course/program with your supervisor or HR Representative?

Please share the feedback and input they provided to you regarding this course and how to leverage it as a part of your annual growth plan?

Do you intend to? If yes, please share what you intent to discuss and your plans around professional development and career growth. If you do not intend to discuss this with your supervisor or HR Representative, please share why?

Because you are currently unsure which course or program you are seeking to complete with the financial support of the Upskilling & Professional Development Grant, we ask that you complete the rest of the application with your employment and demographic information at this time.

Please refer to our website for some ideas of courses that may be right for you at this time.

We advise that you connect with your direct supervisor or an HR representative to align on your areas of growth and career goals before determining a course that would be best suited to support your professional growth and career path.

If you have questions, please email Education@TwoTen.org.

We also encourage you to join Two Ten Footwear Foundation's Women In the Footwear Industry (WIFI) Community on LinkedIn to connect with other women in footwear who can support you on your career journey.

Your Learning & Career Goals

We would like to learn more about your career goals and understand the challenges you anticipate when participating in the course/program that you are applying for financial support to complete. This will allow Two Ten to better understand how we can support you and if the Upskilling and Professional Development Grant program is the best way to support in building opportunity for you at this time.

How will this course/program contribute to your success in your current role and/or career goals within the footwear industry?

What, if any, difficulties or challenges do you anticipate would get in the way of you being able to successfully complete the course/program?

If you named difficulties or challenges: What are the resources that would support you in successfully completing the course/program? How would these resources support you?

How did you hear about the Two Ten Footwear Foundation Upskilling & Professional Development Grant Program for Women In the Footwear Industry (WIFI)?

If "Other" please specify:

If you receive an Upskilling & Professional Development grant, would you be willing to share updates with Two Ten about your career progress, course experience, and overall program feedback after completion and participate in a follow up conversation?

Employment Information

Current Employer

Employer Address

If you have more than one work site, please provide the address of the location where you work most frequently.

Street Address

Apt / Suite

City

State / Territory

Zip Code

Country

Job Title

Employment Start Date

Please enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format.

What segment of the company are you employed in?

If "Other," please specify:

Please specify your department within the Corporate segment

If "Other," please specify:

How long have you been employed in the footwear industry?

You stated you have been in the industry for less than 24 months total, therefore we are asking how many current and consecutive months you have been employed in the footwear industry.

Employment Status

If "Other," please specify:

Employment End Date

Applicants are eligible for WIFI Grants within six months of separation from the footwear industry

What is your Annual Salary/Estimated Individual Annual Income (USD Currency)

(Numbers Only)

At what stage are you currently in your professional career?

Does your current employer offer financial support for your professional development? 

If Yes: Have you discussed how to utilize this employee benefit with your HR Representative or Supervisor?

Household Information

What does the makeup of your household look like?

If "Other," please specify:

Total number of dependents/people in your household who you care for (e.g., children under 18, aging parents, or adults with disabilities)

Total number of people living in your household, including yourself

Total Household Annual Income (USD Currency)

This amount should reflect total household income for all earners in the household. (Numbers Only)

Please list all household members other than yourself who currently live with you. Include their full name, date of birth, and relationship to you. Do not enter your own information here — you have already provided that in the applicant section. If you have more than one household member, click “Add Another Response” to include each additional person.

Household Member Information

First Name

Last Name

Date of Birth

Please enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format.

Relationship to Applicant

Click 'Add Another Response' to include an additional household member.

Demographics & Additional Information

What gender do you identify with?

If "Other," please specify:

Do you identify as a woman (including cisgender, transgender, and other female-identifying individuals)?

Our Upskilling and Professional Development WIFI Program is dedicated to supporting individuals who identify as women in the footwear industry.

How do you identify racially and ethnically?

How would you describe your racial or ethnic background?

What is the primary language you speak?

If "Other," please specify:

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

If "Other," please specify:

Have you served in the US Armed Forces?

This is not a requirement to receive a WIFI Grant.

If "Other," please specify:

I am currently a member of National Shoe Travelers (NST)?This is not a requirement to receive an Upskilling & Professional Development Grant

What is your NST Membership number?

Upload Documentation

All documents listed below with a red asterisk* must be included prior to submission.

Please upload your documents in one of the following formats: pdf, jpg, jpeg, doc, or docx. The total file size must not exceed 30 MB (per form submission).

If you are unsure where to obtain any of the requested documents, please contact your Human Resources (HR) representative. They should be able to assist you in accessing employment verification, pay stubs, or other supporting documentation required for this application.

Need more time to gather your files? You don’t have to finish all at once.

Click “Save my progress and resume later” at the top or bottom of the page to come back when you’re ready.

Government Issued ID - You must submit a Driver's License, US Passport, or any other US Government Issued Photo ID.

Date of Hire - Submit proof of your Date of Hire. To be eligible for a Professional Development/Upskilling Women In the Footwear Industry (WIFI) Grant from Two Ten Footwear Foundation, you must be currently employed in the footwear industry.

Most Recent Paystubs - You are required to show proof of current employment by submitting your last 1-2 paystubs.

Recent Paystub

Additional Paystub

Supporting Documentation - Upload relevant documentation about the financial hardship for which you are requesting support with in this application.

You may upload the syllabus or any other documents in reference the course for which yo u are applying to receive a grant.

Disclosure

I certify the information provided on and in connection with this form is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I also understand that any false statements or deliberate omissions on this form may subject me to refusal of the application as well as legal actions for fraudulent misrepresentation.

I agree to the terms listed above.

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