Pathways with Purpose Through Career-Connected Learning

Now Accepting Applications 

The U.S. Chamber Foundation, with support from the Pathways and Workforce Funder Collaborative, is seeking an employer-led consortia to lead regional or statewide collaborations with State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to create meaningful alignment between K–12 education and industry workforce needs. 

About the Grant

Selected consortia will receive $295,000 to $365,000 over one year to develop and implement scalable, employer-driven strategies that bridge the gap between education and workforce needs. In addition to funding, grantees will receive comprehensive technical assistance, dedicated coaching, and access to the U.S. Chamber Foundation's extensive network of resources and expertise. 

A comprehensive overview of the RFP is available in the "Pathways with Purpose RFP Overview."

Focus Areas 

All grantees will be expected to address two core topics: 

• Aligning Curriculum and Credentials to Labor Market Needs — Using data-driven, industry-led approaches to align career pathway programming with in-demand jobs and credentials of value. 

• Experiencing the World of Work (Work-Based Learning) — Expanding access to quality work-based learning experiences such as internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, and other career immersion opportunities co-designed with employers. 

Applicants may also propose additional innovative strategies that extend or enhance these core areas. 

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is open to employer-led organizations—such as chambers of commerce, industry associations, employer coalitions, economic development organizations, and other industry intermediaries—that partner with one or more SEAs and/or LEAs.  

Applicants must demonstrate active employer leadership and identify one or more employer champions.  

The U.S. Chamber Foundation anticipates selecting approximately four to five consortia.

Examples of eligible anchor organizations include: 

• A chamber of commerce 
• A statewide or regional industry- or sector-based association 
• An employer coalition or collaborative 
• An economic development organization  
• An industry intermediary working on behalf of multiple employers 
• Other employer-led entities  

All eligible entities must demonstrate a formal partnership with SEAs and/or LEAs.

Requirements of Grant Funding Support

Key Dates

Selection Process

Proposals will be evaluated on organizational capacity, employer leadership and engagement, partnership quality, feasibility and quality of the action plan, potential scale and impact, and sustainability and scalability. The U.S. Chamber Foundation reserves the right to ensure diversity among the cohort in terms of geography, industry sector, and strategy. 

Expected Outputs and Outcomes

We encourage you to innovate. Though this grant period is just one year in duration, system-level improvements made in partnership with employers should lead to a measurable increase in the number of learners making confident decisions about careers, participating in quality WBL, and effectively navigating pathways that prepare them for successful transition to meaningful and gainful employment (i.e., a quality job with family-sustaining wages). However, we encourage innovation and flexibility. Break the mold. Push boundaries. But ensure that success is measured, captured, and reportable.  

In your application, the U.S. Chamber Foundation asks that you propose performance measures that best fit your proposed innovations or scaled efforts. We expect that applicants minimally address the following three proposed outputs and describe how they intend to measure them. For each output listed below, applicants should propose at least two measures. Applicants are welcome to suggest alternative outputs and measures that are more consistent with their plans or that are in addition to those suggested below.

Project Timeline

The Pathways & Workforce Funder Collaborative is coalition of over 50 K-12, postsecondary, and workforce funders working to expand access to high-quality career pathways for youth.