This targeted grant is intended to enhance a regional system of support for high schools and high school students to engage in career immersion learning opportunities for career readiness. Programming should support school districts to expose students to a variety of career opportunities based on labor market research and allow for targeted workforce and career skills development, career counseling, and elements of experiential and work-based learning.
Support school districts to incorporate employer engaged career exploration and work-based learning into coursework and curriculum
Increase the number of students placed in work-based learning immersion experiences (e.g., internships, whether paid or for school credit , pre-apprenticeships, career capstones, etc.) and youth employment aligned to student interest and planning, including where schools have implemented MyCAP, documented and aligned in student MyCAP.
Increase the number of employers partnering with districts/schools to provide career development opportunities to all students. A deliberate focus should be on WBL opportunities in high wage, high demand and other fields identified as growth areas that will provide family sustaining wages in the Commonwealth.
Support the efforts of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Executive Office of Education (EOE) and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) to improve equity and access to career development education opportunities for underserved student populations. (Including underserved racial/ethnic populations, low-income students, English learners and students with disabilities as well as students from cities and towns with high youth unemployment)
Support school and districts’ efforts to increase MyCAP implementation for all students with priority for districts in DESE’s Accelerating Achievement Initiative.
Provide at least one annual regional convening open to all schools in the region that provides school and district staff with updated regional workforce data, reflection on regional work-based learning opportunities, opportunity to learn of resources and best practices related to providing high quality career immersion activities.
Recipients will also engage in a process to evaluate Connecting Activities funding throughout summer and fall 2026 to inform FY28 funding.
This grant is targeted to the 16 MassHire Workforce Boards :
State 7027-0019
The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
A total of approximately $6,321,118 is projected to be available.
This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.
Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.
Funds may not be used for the purchase of equipment, furniture, computers/technology etc. without the previous approval of DESE staff to show specific need for the fulfillment of program objectives. Fund use may include:
Applicants may include indirect cost rates to recover certain business-related expenses necessary to support the proposed services. Please note that indirect costs count as administrative costs.
Upon Approval (No Earlier than 7/1/2026)* – 6/30/2027
*The grant start date is the date on which DESE receives a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP’s Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to the submission of a substantially approvable application. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.
Office of College, Career, and Technical Education
Joseph Wyman
(413) 314-6712
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 5:00 PM
Proposals must be received at the Department by 5 PM Eastern on the date due.
The FY27 0428 Connecting Activities Grant must be submitted in GEM$.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)
Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off. All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms.
The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.
Last Updated: May 21, 2026