Education and Labor Departments Launch Joint Talent Search Grants

The U.S. Departments of Education and Labor have opened the first competitive grant cycle under their new postsecondary education partnership, launching the FY2026 Talent Search competition on March 17. Applications are due May 1, 2026, and the program marks a significant structural shift in how federal workforce education grants are administered.

What Changed in Talent Search

Talent Search, part of the longstanding Federal TRIO Programs, helps students — particularly first-generation and low-income students — navigate pathways to postsecondary education and training. The program itself is not new. What is new: the Department of Labor will now co-administer it, managing grant funds through DOL's GrantSolutions platform and providing technical assistance.

This is the first concrete result of the administration's broader effort to position the Labor Department as "the central hub for America's postsecondary education and workforce development programs." The partnership aligns programs authorized under the Higher Education Act across both agencies, creating what officials describe as a more coordinated federal approach.

For the first time, the competition explicitly includes Registered Apprenticeships as a postsecondary pathway — reflecting the administration's emphasis on alternatives to traditional four-year degrees.

Competition Priorities Signal Policy Direction

The FY2026 competition is built around three priorities: Expanding Education Choice, Returning Education to the States, and Expanding Access to Talent Marketplaces. These reflect the administration's broader education agenda, which emphasizes state flexibility and workforce-aligned training over traditional federal program structures.

Organizations currently running Talent Search programs should note that the shift to DOL's GrantSolutions platform means new administrative requirements and a different grants management workflow. Past grantees cannot assume continuity — this is a fully competitive cycle.

How to Apply

Eligible organizations — typically colleges, universities, and community-based nonprofits with experience serving disadvantaged students — must submit complete proposals electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 1, 2026. The full notice is published in the Federal Register.

Organizations considering an application should review the new priority areas carefully, as alignment with workforce development and apprenticeship pathways will likely carry weight in review. For coverage of federal education funding developments, visit grantedai.com.