Sierra K-16 Round 3 Funding Opportunity

Sierra K-16 Round 3 Funding Opportunity

The Sierra K16 Collaborative has opened Round 3 of Sierra K16 funds to expand programs in Career Pathways. The major priorities are to increase equity and invest in public K-16 schools, including adult education, and ensure work-based learning opportunities throughout the 7 counties of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne. Priority Career Pathways that have already received investment are Healthcare, Computer Engineering, and Education. Partner collaboration is a requirement of any project of the Sierra K16 Collaborative. The following will be taken into consideration for Sierra K16 Round 3 funding:

Priority Projects for Consideration

1) Equitable geographic reach across all communities in the 7 county Sierra Region. 2) Equitable and expansive opportunities to students of all K-16 grade levels across the 7 county Sierra region to engage in the Career Pathways. 3) Current projects that have spent (or will have spent) their current project budgets by June 30, 2026 but are requesting additional funds to continue or expand the projects through June 30, 2028. 4) New projects that may begin work on a new Career Pathway or continue work on an Existing Pathway that have not already received Sierra K-16 funding. 5) New projects that may begin work on a new Career Pathway or continue work on an Existing Pathway that have already received Sierra K-16 funding but have not or will not have spent their current project budgets by June 30, 2026.

Required Project Alignment

• Create sufficient opportunities for Work Based Learning
• Address inequities with the goal of elimination in access, participation, and completion of pathways
• Improve infrastructure (non-construction) to support training in the pathways
• Increase access to clear, well-aligned, stackable courses in the designated pathway
• Agree to share data in a comprehensive data collection and outcome sharing system
• Collaborate with at least one partner each from the K-16 system and from Industry, as evidenced by a letter of support

Application Timeline