Catalyze Announces $4 Million in Grants to Connect Young People to Career Exploration

The fifth round of the Catalyze Challenge will fund 14 innovative career-connected learning projects underway across the country.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Catalyze announced the 14 Grantees selected for its fifth round of the Catalyze Challenge, marking the next stage of a nationwide effort to expand access to high-quality career-connected learning for young people.

Through Round 5, Catalyze is investing nearly $4 million to help organizations put their bold ideas for career-connected learning into action. Grantees were selected through a competitive process that began with more than 500 applications from across the country and included a multi-phase review by educators, employers, funders, past grantees and field leaders. The process included an incubation phase that awarded 31 organizations a $10,000 grant along with three months of technical assistance from national experts to refine and strengthen the idea. 

The 14 Grantees selected for full implementation funding of up to $300,000 represent innovative approaches across two focus areas: career exploration for young adolescents and meaningful work-based learning through employer partnerships. Grantees will continue to receive technical assistance over the school year to implement, test and strengthen their models while generating lessons that can inform the broader career-connected learning field.

"We're excited to support this cohort as they grow impactful employer partnerships and build strong organizational infrastructure to turn the spark of innovation into transformational change for young people," said Dr. Michelle Cheang, Catalyze Director. "We look forward to seeing these ideas come to life through meaningful career-connected learning experiences that reflect where the world of work is headed."

Catalyze Challenge Round 5 Grantees

• Cambiar Education
• CAST, Inc.
• Education Strategy Group
• LEAD Training
• Louisiana Academy of Production
• Moxie Public Schools
• Muscogee County School District, CTAE Department
• NABA, Inc. (National Association of Black Accountants)
• Niswonger Foundation
• Nurses Middle College Nashville
• Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship, Inc.
• Scoutlier
• SparkNC
• YouthBeat

The Round 5 portfolio reflects a diverse range of approaches to career-connected learning, from integrating career exploration into core academics and developing technology-enabled experiences to creating employer-designed learning opportunities and strengthening regional career pathways. Across the portfolio, Grantees are designing learner-centered approaches with the potential to be sustained, replicated and adapted in other communities.

All Round 5 Grantees are invited to join the Catalyze Community of Practice, a learning community made up of more than 100 organizations.

About Catalyze

Catalyze is a collaborative funding initiative to accelerate innovation in career-connected learning, helping young people explore, prepare for and pursue meaningful careers. Since 2021, Catalyze has awarded over $22 million through the Catalyze Challenge and has built a community of practice of more than 100 funded organizations. Learn more at www.catalyzechallenge.org.

SOURCE Catalyze