WI SHRM STATE COUNCIL ANNOUNCES
ENTERPRISING LEADERSHIP GRANT WINNERS
DECEMBER, 2010
The WI SHRM Enterprising Leadership Grant was established in 2008. It awards a chapter or chapters a grant to support a “partnership” with another WI-based organization that promotes communication and collaboration between HR and other business professionals/organizations across the state. It funds initiatives that are innovative and strive to bring business professionals together toward a common cause, led by the HR community.
Up to $5,000 is available for Wisconsin SHRM Chapter(s) to implement an activity or initiative in the area of Enterprising HR Leadership. Criteria include having 1) a partnership with an organization outside the SHRM that has goals/objectives that help advance the HR profession, and 2) a joint planned activity or initiative with that organization that demonstrates Enterprising HR Leadership (Communication, Collaboration and/or Education of/between business professionals).
We are pleased to announce that this year, the grant is being awarded to two WI SHRM Chapters: Oshkosh Area SHRM and Blackhawk HR Association. The $5,000 grant will be divided between the two chapters, each receiving $2,500 each to fund their worthy endeavors. The award is being presented to each chapter at the December State Council Meeting in Madison, WI.
The Oshkosh Area SHRM goal is have all chamber members and SHRM members register their company and their volunteers on WisCareers. This would provide a very robust database for students of what job opportunities are available in the Oshkosh area, and the volunteers available to support the schools. The Oshkosh SHRM Chapter and PIE Council will partner to bring WisCareers to all Chamber Member businesses.
Blackhawk HR Association partnered with the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board (SWWDB), located in Janesville WI.
Our main objective was to offer our services as HR professionals to consult with job seekers in our area, to understand their struggles and frustrations, and to provide them with some additional skills in a very tight and competitive job market. We wanted this endeavor to enhance our “Make a Difference Day”. The day opened with a panel discussion with questions asked from the audience followed by three one-hour roundtable discussions on the topics of: Technology in Today’s Work Search; TMI – Telling too much in the Interview; and How to stand out from the Crowd. Approximately 140 job seekers attended the event.
Funds were used to promote the event, provide handout materials for job seekers, food for everyone at the morning “kick-off”, and recognition gifts for all the volunteers.
All applications we received were worthy of support, so the decision was a difficult one. Each amply demonstrates the council’s objective of advancing the impact of HR across the WI business community and serving WI HR professionals. Please join us in congratulating these two chapters.