Catalyze Birmingham Announces Second Round of Funding for Innovative Education-to-Career Initiatives
Catalyze Birmingham has launched its second round of grant funding, designed to support nonprofit organizations in the greater Birmingham area that bridge the gap between education and career. Applications will be accepted June 28 through August 16.
Submissions should be novel approaches, new applications of existing methods, or new implementation models that significantly improve outcomes for learners compared to current solutions. Ideal Catalyze Birmingham applicants are those who break the cycle of traditional practices and introduce innovative career-connected learning opportunities in greater Birmingham. Catalyze Birmingham round two grant awards will range from $50,000 to $250,000 with $1.1 million collective funding available for this round.
In March 2024, Catalyze Birmingham Challenge awarded five awards totaling $720,000 to organizations presenting outstanding innovative proposals. Winners of the grants were selected from a pool of more than 70 applications. The winning organizations stood out in their bold efforts to create career-connected learning experiences through employer and community partnerships. The first five winners of the Challenge were United Ability, STREAM Innovation, Inc., Mechanical Craft Training Institute (MCTI), Oak Tree Ministries and Spring Valley School.
Catalyze Birmingham is the first regional grant program under the national Catalyze Challenge, which has awarded $13 million in grant funding to date and funded transformative ideas such as Hopeworks and Hack the Hood, among others.
“The remarkable successes of the first Catalyze Birmingham Challenge, which surpassed our application goals and highlighted five inaugural grantees with transformative, learner-centered models, showcase the power of Birmingham's regional coalition," said Dr. Michelle Cheang, director of Catalyze. "We are thrilled to build on this momentum with the second round of funding, further bridging the gap between learning and employment and driving meaningful change."
Catalyze Birmingham Challenge Specialist, Carlisha Harris, is excited to launch this new phase of funding and looks forward to a robust pool of applicants. “As a regional initiative, it is important to have applicants from each of the seven counties to ensure that the benefits of the funded innovative ideas reach all communities. Serving all seven counties guarantees that everyone can partake in and benefit from the advancements and opportunities created through this program,” Harris said.
In addition to the national Catalyze Challenge and the Walton Family Foundation, Catalyze Birmingham is made possible by the City of Birmingham Department of Youth Services, Prosper, the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation, Protective Life Corporation, Regions Foundation, The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Alabama Power, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Innovate Alabama, Altec/Styslinger Foundation and EmpowerED Birmingham.
