Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (Round 6)

The Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (Round 6), released under Funding Opportunity Number FOA-ETA-26-40 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, aims to bolster the capacity of community colleges nationwide to deliver high-quality, short-term training programs eligible for the newly authorized Workforce Pell Grants. With approximately $65 million available in funding and a potential for an additional $65 million pending appropriations, the grant will support 6–10 awards. It prioritizes large-scale, statewide community college consortia and encourages partnerships across state education and workforce systems to enable the creation, expansion, and tracking of effective short-term career pathway programs. The primary objective of SCC6 is to promote access to industry-driven, short-term training programs that lead to employment in in-demand sectors. Eligible programs must meet Workforce Pell criteria—lasting between 8 and 15 weeks, and 150 to 600 clock hours—and must demonstrate strong job placement and completion rates. Grant-funded programs must be stackable and portable, articulating into credit-bearing pathways that support upward mobility. Core program goals include employer engagement to ensure alignment with industry needs, integration of training into broader career pathways, and development of interoperable state-level data systems to monitor outcomes effectively. Eligibility for this funding is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education that primarily offer associate degrees. Applicants must form a consortium consisting of at least 50 percent of a state’s community colleges, and applications must be led by a community college. Additionally, all applicants must include a state or district-level coordinating institution, a minimum of three employers per target industry sector, and at least one workforce development system partner, such as a state workforce agency or local board. The Department will award only one grant per state and all institutions must be accredited at the time of application submission and throughout the grant period. Applications are due by 11:59 PM ET on May 20, 2026, and must be submitted via Grants.gov. A pre-recorded applicant webcast will be available on March 4, 2026, for viewing on the Department of Labor website, though watching is optional. Required application components include the SF-424 form, SF-424A budget form with narrative, a project narrative, and multiple attachments such as state official letters of support, letters of commitment from partners, a third-party evaluation procurement plan, and a project work plan. Only one application per lead institution is permitted, and incomplete submissions will not proceed to merit review. Proposals will be evaluated on six major criteria: statement of need, expected outcomes, project design, organizational and fiscal capacity, past performance, and budget justification. Projects must show clear alignment with SCC6’s three core elements: industry-driven strategies with employer value, worker mobility through career pathways, and workforce system integration. Grant funds may be used for curriculum development, faculty training, equipment purchases, minor alterations to facilities, and evaluation costs (up to 5 percent of the budget). However, tuition and fees for participants are not allowable expenses. The grant period is four years, beginning on September 1, 2026, and includes start-up, implementation, and evaluation phases. Awardees are expected to begin enrolling participants by month 12. Grantees must also procure a third-party evaluator by month 6 and submit an interim and final developmental evaluation report. All programs developed or enhanced must aim for inclusion on state Eligible Training Provider Lists (ETPL) and meet reporting requirements for credential attainment, employment outcomes, and student completion rates. All materials created with grant funds must be openly licensed and shared on public platforms for broader use and adaptation.

Highlight data integration strategy, employer role in curriculum, and Workforce Pell alignment across pathways.