Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program 84.424J

The Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program is a new federal discretionary grant initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education under Assistance Listing Number 84.424J. The program was established under section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and is designed to help States strengthen statewide career exploration and workforce readiness systems for elementary and secondary students. The initiative focuses on helping States integrate career pathways exploration into existing education and workforce systems so students gain earlier exposure to careers, labor market trends, work-based learning opportunities, and postsecondary planning. The Department emphasizes that Governors and State-level agencies are best positioned to coordinate statewide career exploration efforts that align K-12 systems, workforce development priorities, and economic development strategies. The program supports projects that provide students with meaningful exposure to workforce realities through career pathways programming aligned with State workforce priorities. Activities may include career advising, development of workforce-aligned programs, work-based learning opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships, support for industry-recognized credentials, expansion of pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs, and creation of talent marketplace systems that connect students, employers, and educational institutions through interoperable skills and credential data systems. The grant also encourages States to align projects with their Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Plans and to coordinate across educational agencies, workforce development agencies, vocational rehabilitation agencies, local educational agencies, and other workforce partners. Funding for the program is estimated at $44 million for fiscal year 2026, with individual awards expected to range from $1 million to $3 million annually for project periods of up to 36 months. The Department anticipates making between 6 and 15 awards depending on funding availability and application quality. Administrative costs for grantees may not exceed 10 percent of the annual award amount. The program does not require cost sharing or matching contributions. Applicants may issue subgrants to local educational agencies to carry out approved project activities, but subgrantees are prohibited from further subgranting. Grant funds must supplement rather than supplant existing non-federal funding and must solely benefit elementary and secondary school students and their communities. Eligibility is limited to States as defined in federal statute. Applications may be submitted directly by a Governor or by a Governor-designated State educational agency, State workforce development agency, State vocational rehabilitation agency, or a consortium of those entities. Only one application per State is permitted. Applications submitted by entities other than the Governor must include a signed gubernatorial designation or endorsement letter. Consortium applicants must describe interagency coordination processes and each participating entity’s role. Applicants are also required to explain how they will share project design information, implementation lessons, and public-facing results with other States and local educational agencies. Applications are due June 9, 2026, following an opening date of May 7, 2026. The deadline for intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372 is August 5, 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and require active registrations in both SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Required application components include the SF-424, SF-424A budget forms, project abstract, project narrative, budget narrative, resumes for key personnel, lobbying disclosures, and related certifications. The Department recommends limiting the project narrative to 15 pages excluding appendices and supplemental materials. Applicants are also encouraged to review the 2025 Common Instructions for Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs and may access a pre-application presentation through the program website. Applications will be reviewed according to four primary selection criteria totaling 100 points: quality of project design, quality of the management plan, adequacy of resources, and quality of project evaluation or evidence-building. Reviewers will evaluate whether proposed goals and outcomes are measurable, ambitious, sustainable, and aligned with the grant’s objectives. Applicants must also propose project-specific performance measures, baseline data, and performance targets for annual reporting. Competitive preference points are available for projects that incorporate AI-enabled learner wallets, learning and employment records, and talent marketplace infrastructure. The Department notes that continuation funding depends on satisfactory progress toward objectives, compliance with grant conditions, and adherence to applicable federal civil rights and nondiscrimination requirements. Program contact information identifies Ivonne Jaime as the program representative and provides the email CareerPathways@ed.gov and phone number (202) 987-1702 for inquiries regarding the competition.

Clearly align project activities with statewide workforce priorities and measurable career readiness outcomes; demonstrate sustainability beyond the grant period; provide strong management timelines and interagency coordination plans; include detailed evidence-building and performance measurement strategies; explicitly address both absolute priorities and clearly identify any competitive preference priority in the abstract and narrative