Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program 84.424J
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- DOL-OESE-34043
- Agency
-
Department of Labor
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $9,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Education
- Eligible applicants
-
- State Governments
- Points of contact
-
- Ivonne Jaime careerpathways@ed.gov (202) 987-1702
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of Labor, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, seeks state-level applicants to build capacity for integrating career exploration into statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs for elementary and secondary students. Eligible applicants must be states with direct gubernatorial application or gubernatorial endorsement of a state educational agency, state workforce development agency, state vocational rehabilitation agency, or consortium of these entities; only one application per state is permitted. Applicants must address two absolute priorities focused on career pathways exploration and workforce readiness integration with real-time labor market needs, and may earn competitive preference points by addressing talent marketplace development. Evaluation will be based on project design quality (30 points), management plan quality (30 points), adequacy of resources (20 points), and project evaluation quality (20 points), with required submission of governor endorsement letters, local educational agency support documentation, and knowledge-sharing plans. The application deadline is June 9, 2026, with intergovernmental review required by August 5, 2026.
Individual awards will range from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 annually, with total program funding of $44,000,000 supporting an estimated 6-15 awards over a 36-month performance period. No cost-sharing or matching requirements apply, though administrative costs are capped at 10 percent of the annual award. Grantees must comply with supplement-not-supplant requirements and federal civil rights laws, and performance will take place within participating states through coordination with local educational agencies and workforce systems statewide.
Synopsis
The Career Pathways Exploration (CPE) program supports efforts to provide elementary and secondary school students with increased career exploration opportunities that allow them to develop, expand, and prioritize the skills and knowledge needed to excel in high-demand fields. To support this goal, the CPE program provides competitive grants to States to build their capacity to integrate career exploration into statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs. The CPE program will help ensure access to opportunities that expose students to real-life workforce realities through a variety of career pathways programs that are aligned with State workforce priorities.In support of returning education to the States, ED believes this program is uniquely suited for State applicants. State applicants, as designated or endorsed by the Governors, are best positioned to coordinate K-12 career exploration initiatives that integrate education, workforce, and economic development systems. The CPE program is designed to allow Governors, in coordination with State agencies and their local educational agencies (LEAs), to align career exploration opportunities for schools with real-time labor market needs to create statewide opportunities for students to explore careers early, scale access to learning and employment records (LERs) and talent marketplaces, and align with local workforce boards and system partners so students can act on the knowledge gained in a meaningful way.State applicants are encouraged to align proposed activities with the State"s Unified or Combined Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) State Plan to ensure coherence with broader workforce development strategies and labor market priorities.This program is being established with funds from the two percent reservation for technical assistance and capacity building under section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 (ESEA), which is intended to support State educational agencies and LEAs in carrying out activities authorized under the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants program in title IV, part A of the ESEA through technical assistance and capacity building. Specifically, the CPE program is intended to help build the capacity of States and LEAs to provide well-rounded educational opportunities, consistent with the description of such opportunities in ESEA section 4107, through initiatives that make career pathways exploration programs broadly available to students. In support of this goal, grantees will share with other States and LEAs how career pathways exploration initiatives can be successfully implemented.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| For Posting - 84.424J CPE FY2026 Application Notice and Instructions 2026_0507.pdf |
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