Catalyze Challenge Opens Submissions for Next Round of Competition

“How can we spark young people’s journey to economic opportunity by better connecting education and career?” This question lies at the very heart of the Catalyze Challenge, powered by Skild.

The Catalyze Challenge offers grants to design, pilot, and expand learning models that support young people in achieving lifelong success. The Challenge's Accelerate Award (programs ready for piloting or expansion) grants up to $500,000 to models ready to serve students; the Ignite Award (early stage ideas) grants up to $50,000 for planning and research.

We’re thrilled to announce that submissions for this important challenge program are now open!

Apply for the Accelerate program and you’ll focus on career identity development and planning:

• Engage students in deepening self-knowledge of aptitudes and preferences

• Offer students agency in exploring diverse career pathways

• Support learners in strengthening career navigation and/or essential skills

Or post-high school pathways:

• Integrate “earn while you learn” models to address financial pressures

• Introduce a novel approach to sharing resources between applicants (e.g. staff, data, credits, accountability)

• Support students in earning one or more employer-valued credentials, with a preference for stackable credentials

Apply for the Ignite program and you’ll focus on moonshot education-to-career ideas. The boldest emerging models will help to reimagine how young people are prepared for their careers. Ignite funds can be used to advance early-stage concepts through planning, research, development, testing, or design.

Click here to apply for the Catalyze Challenge.