The funding, administered through the department's Employment and Training Administration, marks the sixth round of Strengthening Community College Training Grants. Individual awards will reach up to approximately $11 million, with grants available to statewide community college systems or consortia of institutions nationwide.
A central focus of this round is preparing programs for eligibility under Workforce Pell Grants, a newly authorized federal financial aid program for students enrolled in high-quality, short-term workforce training. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act authorized Workforce Pell Grants to extend federal financial aid access beyond traditional degree programs to shorter credential pathways.
The department said it will prioritize applicants working to develop integrated, learner-centered state-level data systems that align workforce training with industry demand. Funded programs must be portable and stackable along career pathways while meeting hiring requirements in high-demand sectors.
"The Department of Labor continues to deliver on President Trump's mission to upskill and reskill our workforce to revitalize American industry," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. "I'm excited to offer community colleges the opportunity to engage with the public workforce system and increase the availability of programs seeking eligibility for Workforce Pell Grants."
The announcement complements recent departmental guidance on integrating workforce and education systems, as well as the U.S. Department of Education's efforts to scale talent marketplaces under America's Talent Strategy.
