The Employment Development Department (EDD), in coordination with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), announces the availability of up to $10 million in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Governor’s Discretionary funds for the Regional Coordination Project.
Donor Name: California Employment Development Department
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/16/2026
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The RCP PY 2025-2026 grant will be awarded to support the creation, expansion, or adaptation of industry-recognized certificate programs, including stackable credentials, apprenticeship programs, and credit-bearing short-term certificates that demonstrate strong labor market outcomes, with the goal of ensuring long-term viability and alignment with workforce development priorities and the California Master Plan for Career Education (CMPCE), fostering a more integrated and robust workforce and education system. This initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between local workforce boards and community colleges and adult schools through regional partnerships for equitable access to high-quality jobs and long-term systems change.
This initiative will accelerate the implementation of the CMPCE and drive systemic change. This solicitation facilitates the creation, expansion, or adaptation of industry-recognized certificate programs, including stackable credentials, apprenticeship programs, and credit-bearing short-term certificates that demonstrate strong labor market outcomes, with the goal of ensuring long-term viability and alignment with workforce development priorities and the CMPCE, fostering a more integrated and robust workforce and education system.
Project Goals and Objectives
Develop sustainable regional partnership(s) between local boards, community colleges, and/or adult education, where workforce boards lead industry engagement to inform program design, and education partners deliver stackable, industry-aligned credential programs supported by financial aid and wrap-around services provided by workforce boards. This approach ensures pathways to family-sustaining wages and long-term economic mobility. Applicants will create sustainable partnerships, implement and deliver program services, and provide replicable models that will drive systems change.
- Strengthen Regional Partnerships – Build or expand collaborations among workforce boards, community colleges, adult education providers, county social services, and employers to align resources and strategies.
- Deliver Industry-Aligned Credential Programs – Implement stackable, industry-recognized credential programs that meet regional labor market needs and are listed on the ETPL and/or cohort training contracts, ensuring quality and compliance.
- Advance Innovation in Access and Delivery – Integrate Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) as an example of innovation to accelerate credential attainment and reduce barriers for adult learners.
- Provide Wrap-Around Services as a Core Strategy – Offer transportation, childcare, digital literacy, stipends, and case management to remove barriers and improve retention and completion.
Funding Information
- Applicants may apply for $750,000 to $1 million to serve a single population or multiple populations.
- The period of performance (POP) for projects funded under this SFP will be between 18 and 24 months, with an anticipated start date of June 1, 2026.
Target Populations
- Funds will be used to design, develop, and implement projects that accelerate pathways to employment for adult learners. Applicants will identify their own target population(s) and demonstrate an understanding of the population(s) they plan to serve in their region. They must also build partnerships with education and training providers through existing or new programs that align with high-demand occupations and address the skill gaps within their selected population(s).
- Applicants should include a thorough description of the target population and their current barriers to achieving high-quality employment with at least one citation (i.e., census data, labor market information). Applicants are encouraged to provide multiple, reputable sources.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants are Local Workforce Development Areas (Local Areas) or Workforce Development Boards. The Local Area Administrators will oversee the WIOA services in their areas as assigned by the Governor. Only the organizations listed on the EDD LWDA Directory list are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.
For more information, visit EDD.
