By Juliette Jardim
February 1, 2010

Conference of Mayors President Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz announced the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the USCM/Walmart Foundation Green Jobs Training Initiative Pilot Awards Grants at The U.S. Conference of Mayors 78th Annual Winter Meeting on January 22.

The "Pilot Award Program" grants will award three cities sites that deliver innovative proposals for pilot Green Jobs training programs that embody mayoral leadership. The grants will be awarded at the 78th Annual Conference of Mayors in June 2010 in Oklahoma City. Awards consist of $500,000 for a large city, $400,000 for a medium'size city, and $300,000 for a small city. All member mayor cities are be eligible to apply for the Pilot Award grants.

Part I of the proposal for the "Pilot Awards" grants is due February 10. It consists of a cover sheet, executive summary and executive summary chart, budget proposal, and statement from the mayor. From these preliminary applications, an independent panel of judges selected by the Conference of Mayors will determine the finalist programs. Finalists will then be asked to submit up to ten pages in response to the proposal content questions listed in the RFP. The judging panel will then select three winners from the finalists.

The grants will be awarded to non-profit [501(c)(3)] organizations in partnership with a member mayor of The United States Conference of Mayors. For more information, contact Juliette Jardim at jjardim@usmayors.org or 202-861-6715.

Walmart is a member of the Mayors Climate Protection Council, established to support The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Center. The Walmart Foundation is committed to creating a sustainable economy and has funded a number of environmentally friendly initiatives since it created three global environmental goals in 2005: to run on 100 percent renewable energy, create zero waste, and sell products that promote environmental sustainability. For more information on Walmart's environmental programs and practices, visit their website at http://walmartstores.com/Sustainability/.