Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2027: MyCAP, Middle School Career Connected Learning, and High School Work-based Learning

Fund Codes: 0598/0413/0424

Purpose:

The MyCAP Planning and Implementation, Middle School Career Connected Learning, and Work-based Learning Grants provide supplementary support to districts/schools who are working to improve the college, career, and civic readiness for all students.

Applicants may choose to apply for one or more options in this RFP. The purpose of each option is:

Option 1: 0598 MyCAP Planning and Implementation: The purpose of this competitive grant opportunity is to provide supplementary support to school districts with high schools interested in entering the planning phase of My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP) or school districts that are currently engaged in the early stages of whole school implementation of MyCAP in high schools. The MyCAP process requires schools to convene a multi-role team to create a scope and sequence in the three domains identified as necessary for college, career, and civic readiness — personal/social/mental health, career development, and academic and future planning — for every grade to guide the implementation of MyCAP. This grant will provide planning team members the supplementary support necessary to attend professional development, to hold team meetings outside-of-school hours to create a scope and sequence for every grade, or to support the MyCAP team as they begin implementation of the scope and sequence and allow for continuation of team meetings outside of school hours, attend additional trainings, purchase curriculum that supports MyCAP.

Option 2: 0424 Middle School Career Connected Learning: The purpose of this competitive grant is to support middle schools as they design learning opportunities that integrate academic learning, personal, social, and emotional development and career development with real-world applications.
Middle school career connected learning is a whole school effort focused on building self-awareness, exploring diverse career options, and developing essential skills. This includes understanding personal strengths, skills, and interests, learning about different jobs and careers to align strengths, skills, and interests and practicing foundational skills like teamwork and communication that will become key employability skills.
Academic, technical, and experiential learning happens across the school in classrooms and core content instruction, in advisory, through comprehensive school counseling, through intentional career development activities (i.e., career speakers), and/or during extracurricular experiences.
Career connected learning is foundational to the MyCAP process. The state highly recommends using these funds for the development of a MyCAP middle school scope and sequence . However, for this grant, schools may choose to begin with development of a career connected learning process that aligns with the state career development model .

Option 3: 0413 Work-based Learning
This competitive grant is available to schools focused on building systems and strategically aligning resources to expand work-based learning opportunities for their students. This grant is intended to support the implementation of MEFA Pathway as the new statewide work-based learning database.

This group's work will lead the state in the development of:

  • models and resources for implementing MEFAPathway as the statewide student portal for Work-based Learning Plans and statewide work-based learning data collection including for purposes of Perkins V, Connecting Activities, and Youthworks;
  • Models and resources for Work-based learning plans as part of MyCAP implementation;
  • models and resources for strategic use of Connecting Activities, YouthWorks, and related resources to expand students access to work-based learning opportunities and bring work-based learning opportunities to all secondary students;
  • opportunities to integrate Youthworks and Connecting activities planning and reporting tools; and
  • Recommendations for alignment of DESE career development model and YouthWorks employment engagement standards.

Schools will convene in a community of practice with their Workforce Board, MEFA Pathway, CommCorp, and DESE teams throughout the duration of the grant.

When applying for multiple options, districts should demonstrate alignment and integration across proposed activities.

Priorities:

Applications may choose to apply for one or more options in this RFP. Priorities for each option are:

Option 1: 0598 MyCAP Planning and Implementation:

  • Grant applicants must identify a team that at a minimum includes four members representing a cross-section of professional roles e.g., administrator, school counselor, general education teacher, special education teacher, shop teacher, coach. Student representation is also encouraged. The team will create a scope and sequence that will address the three domains of college, career and civic readiness in each year of middle and/or high school and includes the identification of learning objectives, lessons, activities and resources available to meet those objectives, and the artifacts that will be captured in the individual student MyCAP. The focus of the work should be on creating a scope and sequence that demonstrates a whole school commitment to engage and empower students in planning for postsecondary success based on their individual interests, strengths, and skills, implementing the scope and sequence, and providing professional development opportunities for whole school buy-in.
  • Funding will support the team’s work by: (a) allow a team made up of diverse roles to meet outside of school hours for the creation of a middle or secondary school scope and sequence; (b) pay for substitutes while team members attend in-person trainings; (c) design and/or begin the implementation plan for the rollout of MyCAP; (c) identify 2 metrics for assessment of student success.

Option 2: 0424 Middle School Career Connected Learning: Priorities include:

  • Designing a MyCAP middle school scope and sequence for middle school grades 6–8;
  • Creating a spectrum of career connected lessons and activities that align to the state career development model;
  • Intentional connection to the local high school MyCAP process;
  • Demonstration of intentional middle school activities that are aligned to the Middle School Exploration Policy; and
  • Schools in chronically underperforming status.

Option 3: 0413 Work-based Learning

Option 3 Priorities: Priority consideration will be given to districts that have:

  • Have implemented or are committed to implementing MEFA Pathway for work-based learning plans;
  • Have engaged in Connecting Activities and implemented YouthWorks;
  • Have an active partnership with a MassHire Workforce Board and a demonstrated history of effectively managing both programs;
  • Schools or districts who have been identified as chronically underperforming; and
  • Districts should partner with YouthWorks programs that have an established relationship with schools in their areas.

Priority will be given to districts and schools in the strategic transformation region.

Eligibility:

Option 1: 0598 MyCAP Planning and Implementation

  • All Massachusetts public school districts, including charter schools, regionals school districts, collaboratives, approved special education schools and other LEAs serving students in grades 9–12.

Option 2: 0424 Middle School Career Connected Learning:

  • All Massachusetts public school districts, including charter schools, regionals school districts, collaboratives, approved special education schools and other LEAs serving students in grades 6–8.

Option 3: 0413 Work-based Learning

  • All Massachusetts public school districts, including charter schools, are eligible to apply on behalf of their schools. Applicants must include a letter of support from their Workforce Board.
Funding Type:

FC 0598 MyCAP Planning and Implementation: 7027-0020
FC 0424 Middle School Career Connected Learning: 7035 0001
FC 0413 Work Based Learning: Federal 7043 8000 / CFDA 84.048

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.

Funding:

Option 1: MyCAP Approximately $850,000
Districts may apply for $7,000 per high school with a district cap of (8) high schools for $56,000.

Option 2: Middle School Career Connected Learning: Approximately $500,000
Districts may apply for $15,000 per middle school with a cap of (5) schools $75,000.

Option 3: Work Based Learning: Approximately $500,000

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.

Fund Use:

Option 1: MyCAP Planning and Implementation:

Funds may be used for:

  • Stipends;
  • Substitute teachers for team members attending PD opportunities;
  • Consultant fees; and
  • Coaching Fees.

Funds may not be used for:

  • Purchase of technology- hardware, software, licenses for online learning portals, college and career planning platforms or the purchase of training for staff for online career platforms;
  • Transportation to off-site events i.e., college visits, workplace visits, team building activities;
  • Purchase of supplies/materials i.e., student planners, posters, markers, folders; and
  • Purchase of snacks or food for staff, students, activities that may be part of the scope and sequence.

Option 2: Middle School Career Connected Learning

Funds may be used for:

  • Stipends and costs related to a team approach for developing a career connected learning model OR MyCAP; and
  • Stipends and costs associated with PD for middle school staff.

Funds may not be used for:

  • Transportation;
  • Food;
  • Technology including laptops/chromebooks, college and career planning/career development platforms as well as training or PD for said platforms; and
  • Software or online subscriptions.

Option 3: Work Based Learning
Funds must be used in alignment with the purpose and priorities outlined and as described in a budget, budget narrative and required program information that is submitted to the Office of College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE).

Allowable Expenses:

  • Stipends for staff to meet outside or normal contractual hours;
  • Contracts with Workforce Board for implementation support;
  • Contracts/Stipends for Professional Development to provide training and support for school educators and staff; and
  • Mileage and expenses related to planning and implementation meetings.

Non Allowable Expenses:

  • Equipment;
  • Technology (including software subscriptions);
  • Salaries;
  • Furniture/Office equipment;
  • Incentives; and
  • Student transportation or programming.
Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 6/30/2027

Program Unit:

Office for College, Career and Technical Education

Contact:

FC 0598 and FC 0424 Lisa Harney
FC 0413 Joseph Wyman

Date Due:

Friday, July 25, 2026

Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on the date due.

DESE Competitive Grant Submission Policy

Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP.

All responses must be submitted through proper steps and received by the due date/time listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not received on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submission Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity.

Additional Information:

Questions should be submitted via email before July 15th. All questions and responses will be posted on the DESE website MyCAP page on July 17th.

Submission Instructions:

The FY27 0598 MyCAP, 0413 Middle School Exploration, and 0424 Work-based Learning grants will be submitted in our GEM$ system.

New organizations that do not have an established LEA with DESE skip to Step 3.

Step 1: Establish and assign proper roles before the grant due date/time. 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.

Step 2: Submit the grant through all LEA steps in GEM$. There are three LEA steps a competitive grant must be submitted through by the due date and time to be considered for funding:

  • Grantwriter Submitted
  • LEA Fiscal Representative Approved
  • LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved

Competitive grant applications are considered submitted once the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP. Please plan accordingly.

The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.

Step 3: (If applicable) New organizations request temporary organization access. New organizations are entities that have not been established as an LEA in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization established in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.

Temporary Access will need to be created by DESE before you can then assign the proper roles and submit the grant as outlined in Steps 1 and 2.

Failure to provide DESE with GEM$ Temp Organization Access Request at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.

Last Updated: June 22, 2026

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