CTE Dual Credit - The Big Blur Grant Program

CTE Dual Credit - The Big Blur is a Washington state grant initiative administered by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Jobs for the Future. The project advances a "Big Blur" vision that intentionally reduces the traditional boundaries between high school, postsecondary education, and careers so that learners can move more seamlessly through education-to-career pathways. The initiative builds on the state's Career and Technical Education Dual Credit proviso funded by the Washington State Legislature in FY23 and renewed in FY25. Jobs for the Future is the lead project partner and is responsible for major statewide strategy and implementation support activities, while SBCTC, OSPI, colleges, and regional partners collaborate on execution. The purpose of the initiative is to strengthen equitable dual credit and pathway systems in Washington, especially through CTE Dual Credit. The grant is designed to help regions improve access to high-quality, in-demand postsecondary credentials for secondary students, support statewide pathway design, integrate related statewide initiatives, and strengthen regional ecosystems in response to labor market demand. The work is framed not as a narrow local project but as part of a broader systems-change effort. Required project components include participation in a statewide landscape analysis, development of state-level pathway and competency maps, regional asset mapping, and creation of regional strategic action plans. The strategic plan for each participating region is expected to be completed by June 2027. Funding is structured across a three-year project period, with each participating region eligible for up to $150,000 total over the full project. The yearly structure described in the guidelines is up to $25,000 in FY26, up to $100,000 in FY27, and up to $25,000 in FY28. For this 2026-27 grant cycle, applicants must submit a detailed FY27 budget with narrative explanations of planned expenditures. Funds are intended to support project deliverables such as partner coordination, regional strategy alignment, development of an asset map and action plan, and engagement with K-12 and industry partners. Allowable costs must be necessary and reasonable for administration of the initiative and must align with SBCTC and JFF guidance. Budget categories include salaries, wages, and benefits; goods and services; travel; and contracts. Interagency agreements must be treated as services, and travel reimbursements must follow applicable state travel rules. Funds must be expended in the year awarded, and underspent funds may be reallocated among regions by a process facilitated by SBCTC. The grant has important spending restrictions and compliance requirements. Funds are provided to SBCTC from Jobs for the Future and must be maintained in a separate account from other funding sources. The grant must be administered as a cost-reimbursement, as-incurred award, and reimbursement requests are submitted quarterly through OBIS rather than paid in advance. Budget revisions require SBCTC approval if any individual budget cell varies by more than 10 percent. Grant funds may not be used for political campaign activity, non-charitable purposes, or lobbying or propaganda intended to influence legislation. Grantees must maintain accurate fiscal records, preserve documentation, and comply with monitoring, publicity review, records retention, and audit access requirements. All digital content created or funded through the award is released under the Creative Commons Attribution license unless otherwise noted. Eligibility is narrow. Only Washington State Community and Technical Colleges, as defined under RCW 28B.50.030, that were successful applicants in FY26 are eligible for continued funding in FY27 and FY28. The lead college receives the project resources and manages funding that supports partner participation. Each application must identify required regional partners, and named regional partnerships must include the regional educational services district, workforce development council, and a partner community or technical college. Applications are also expected to show effective inclusion of local educational partners, dual credit partners, industry representatives in key industry areas, and student voices. Colleges must assign a primary point person, engage cross-functional representation from across the institution as needed, participate in in-person and virtual meetings, support stakeholder interviews and convenings, and contribute information needed for state reporting. The submission process is handled through the Online Grant Management System. The application became available in OGMS on March 26, 2026, and the completed application, including attachments, is due by April 30, 2026, at 11:55 p.m. SBCTC staff assistance is available until 4:00 p.m. that day. Applicants are advised to draft their responses in a word processing program and then paste them into OGMS to avoid losing work if the system times out. For FY27, colleges are expected to reuse their FY26 application responses and clearly highlight changes in each section so reviewers can identify new information. At minimum, the application must include a signed Assurances document acknowledging the responsibilities of the college and a detailed budget with narrative explanations. SBCTC reviews proposals against the guidelines and reserves the right not to fund any applicant or to impose additional requirements for higher-risk grantees before funds are accepted. The timeline extends beyond application submission. Although the guidelines state a grant start date of July 1, 2027, they also set a final budget revision deadline of June 15, 2027 and a final invoicing deadline of July 15, 2027, so applicants should verify internal administrative timing carefully. Quarterly invoicing deadlines for FY27 expenses are October 31, 2026, January 31, 2027, April 30, 2027, and July 15, 2027, and narrative or supplemental reports are due January 31, 2027 and July 31, 2027 for FY27. Contacts include William Belden, Policy Associate, Workforce Education, at wbelden@sbctc.edu and 360-704-4359, along with additional program and fiscal contacts listed in the guidelines. The program appears to be part of a multi-year continuing structure tied to FY26, FY27, and FY28 funding, so while the current round is an active continuation opportunity for prior successful applicants, future participation remains tied to the initiative's staged annual funding sequence and eligibility conditions.

Highlight all changes from the FY26 application clearly so reviewers can identify new information quickly; name all required regional partners in the application; show a data-informed strategy tied to high-wage and high-demand industries; make the budget narrative specific and aligned to deliverables; demonstrate full engagement with JFF-led activities including pathway mapping, asset mapping, and strategic planning