The Pathways Impact Fund’s Grantmaking Approach

Grant Opportunities

Investing in regional pathways leaders.

The Pathways Impact Fund catalyzed by StriveTogether is pleased to be offering a new funding opportunity for regional intermediary organizations committed to advancing purposeful pathways for students. This initiative is grounded in a long-term vision to ensure every young person can access and succeed in high-quality career pathways that lead to economic mobility and a fulfilling future.

The Fund will award $900,000–$1.5 million over three years to regional intermediary organizations working to scale the components of purposeful pathways, leading to direct student impact. Grantees will join a national learning network, receive tailored support and engage in a community of practice.

View answers to frequently asked questions

Current funding opportunity in progress, letters of interest now closed

The deadline to submit a letter of interest for this round of funding has passed. Organizations who are invited to submit a full application will be notified directly via email in early August.

Full process and timeline

All applicants will first engage in a brief screener to confirm eligibility and minimum readiness, and then submit a Letter of Interest (LOI)

We’re looking for:

System infrastructure beyond a single program

Coherent delivery of all three pathway components at meaningful scale

A credible orientation toward growth

Responses should be factual and concise. Deep planning detail belongs in phase two.

In the second phase, organizations who are invited to advance after LOI review will submit full proposals. We’ll assess for organizational depth, scale plan and long-term capacity.

We’re looking for:

A detailed, evidence-based three-year scale plan

Demonstrated organizational capacity across six capability areas

Baseline data and a realistic budget for the grant period

This phase is for invited applicants only, and includes narrative questions, a structured three-year plan template, baseline data table and required financial documentation.

Eligibility Criteria:

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

Operate as a place-based regional or state intermediary (nonprofit, collaborative, public-private partnership, workforce board, postsecondary institution, or similar) that is directly embedded in and accountable to the communities they serve. Note: national intermediaries supporting regions from a distance are not eligible.

Actively convene cross-sector partners across K–12, postsecondary, workforce, employers, and government, and lead coordination across sectors around a shared regional vision for pathways.

Have formal governance documentation with core pathways partners (such as a regional strategic plan or charter) and established partnership agreements.

Currently support implementation of all three purposeful pathways core programmatic components: accelerated coursework, career-connected learning, and high-quality advising, with K–12 district partners.

Have a credible plan to scale pathways to new students over three years.

Learn about the Fund’s inaugural grantees, announced in February 2026.

The Pathways Impact Fund’s Grantmaking Approach

Current funding opportunity in progress, letters of interest now closed

Full process and timeline

Eligibility Criteria:

Term Name

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Current funding opportunity in progress, letters of interest now closed

Full process and timeline

Phase One: Screener and Letter of Interest (LOI) | Due July 10

Phase Two: Full Application (invitation only) | Due August 28

Eligibility Criteria:

Building purposeful pathways for students starts by taking action together.