The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University has announced a $1 million grant from the Walmart Foundation in support of vocational education for military veterans at colleges and universities in California, New York, North Carolina, and Texas.

Awarded as part of Walmart's $20 million commitment to address veterans' issues, the grant will help create a network of workforce development programs at postsecondary institutions that leverage skills, training, and other efforts to improve the employment situation of former service members. Over the next two weeks, IVMF will host a national virtual listening tour using the Google+ platform to hear from veterans, service organizations, workforce groups, business and industry leaders, and educational institutions what is most needed in each target region to improve veterans' employment prospects. After that, it will host state-level virtual listening tours, which will be open to veterans and organizations that serve them.

After the listening tours are over, IVMF will issue a request for proposals inviting interested programs to apply for grants of up to $100,000, with grants to be awarded at the end of August.

"Training and certifying veterans for careers in the local economy ensures a robust and available workforce, spurs economic development, and builds community resources to serve veterans locally," said IVMF executive director and founder Mike Haynie. "We carefully selected with the Walmart Foundation four states to build these programs in, to demonstrate what works from our experience to date in communities, and to serve the areas with the highest numbers of veterans with significant unemployment, but with opportunities for a skilled workforce. Beginning with these resources, communities are in the best position to leverage local and national philanthropic giving, and to create opportunities that work in their regions."