The Pathways Impact Fund’s Grantmaking Approach

Grant Opportunities

Investing in regional pathways leaders.

The Pathways Impact Fund launched its first round of investments following a closed request for proposals (RFP) in fall 2025. In February 2026, the Fund announced grants to five regional intermediaries.

An open RFP process will launch in summer 2026. Details about the process will be shared when they are available. 

To be eligible for a Pathways Impact Fund grant, organizations must:

• Operate as a regional or state intermediary, such as a nonprofit, collaborative, fiscal sponsor or public-private partnership.
• Convene cross-sector partners across K–12, postsecondary education, workforce systems, employers and government.
• Demonstrate student impact and a commitment to serving all students.
• Maintain formal governance and strategy, including clear organizational leadership and partnership agreements.
• Scale pathways to reach students, with the capacity to serve 1,700–2,500 new students over three years (preference for 5,000+).
• Create enabling conditions for success, such as strong regional vision, aligned partners, supportive policy and employer engagement.
• Use cross-sector data systems to link K-12, postsecondary and workforce outcomes and support continuous improvement.