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"Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge" is currently closed and not accepting applications.
Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge is sponsored by Department of Education - Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. The purpose of the Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge (Challenge) is to strengthen connections among learners and earners, education and training providers, and employers by fostering the development of integrated Talent Marketplaces (34 CFR Part 75).
These digital, interconnected systems, maintained by an eligible recipient designated by the Governor, will support the recognition and use of learning, skills, and credentials across the education-to-employment continuum.
By advancing interoperable Talent Marketplaces that make learning count wherever it occurs, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) seeks to expand access to high-quality career pathways, increase labor force participation, and strengthen state and regional economies through skills-based hiring and lifelong learning.
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Submissions Due: April 30, 2026 Making All Learning Count Advancing interoperable Talent Marketplaces that make learning count wherever it occurs. The Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, is a $15 million prize competition to strengthen the connections between learners, education and training providers, and employers by fostering the development of integrated Talent Marketplaces.
Sign-Up for Info Sessions Session 1: About the Challenge Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 2 pm ET Session 2: Building an Integrated Talent Marketplace Rescheduled date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 2 pm ET Session 3: Setting Your Team Up for Success Rescheduled date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 2 pm ET Four-month submission period. Up to 10 semi-finalists selected. Submission period: Jan.
13, 2026; 8:00AM ET – Apr. 30, 2026; 8:00PM ET Semi-finalist announcement: May 2026 Four-month submission period. Up to 10 semi-finalists selected.
Submissions Due: Apr. 30, 2026 at 8 pm ET Semi-finalist announcement: May 2026 Semi-finalists receive six months of tailored technical assistance to incubate their action plans and participate in a community of practice. Finalist announcement: Jan.
2027 Semi-finalists receive six months of tailored technical assistance to incubate their action plans and participate in a community of practice. Finalist announcement: Jan. 2027 A fifteen-month acceleration period during which up to 10 finalists deploy, scale, and measure the impact of their systems with support from intensified technical assistance.
Eligible Entrant / Team Lead A Talent Marketplace is a public digital system maintained by a State Workforce Agency that helps connect people’s skills and credentials to education and job opportunities. It brings together learning and employment records (LERs), a credential registry, and tools that translate jobs and credentials into clear, skill-based information.
Using artificial intelligence, the system allows individuals and employers to securely share, understand, and use skills and achievements to support training and career advancement. See Official Rules, Terms and Conditions for full definition. Official Rules, Terms and Conditions
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Refer to the website cto-challenge.com and the Official Rules, Terms and Conditions. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $15,000,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
The published deadline was May 1, 2026, which has passed. Check the official notice for any future application windows before investing time in a proposal.
Yes — Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge is offered by Department of Education - Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education and this listing comes from Challenge.gov, an official U.S. federal source. Federal applications generally require registrations (for example SAM.gov or an agency submission portal), so allow extra lead time.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
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