Early Insights on Catalyze Challenge Applicants and Winners, Rounds 1-2
Through the Challenge, Catalyze has collected and analyzed a large applicant and winner data set. This memo synthesizes a few key learnings relevant to the JFF Horizons summit, including insights on the state of career-connected learning in the U.S. today
Catalyze is a grant fund that finances, learns from, and shares insight on career-connected learning (CCL), with an emphasis on groundbreaking models that serve young people from historically underserved groups.
The Catalyze Challenge, a cornerstone of this initiative, sources and seeds innovative approaches designed for learners in grades 6-14 that bridge education and employment and provide access to long-term career success and economic opportunity. The Catalyze Challenge is supported by a group of philanthropic funders committed to advancing innovative career-connected learning for young people. In its inaugural round in the Fall of 2021, the Catalyze Challenge awarded over $4 million to 15 solutions, reaching learners across more than 15 states. The Challenge is now in the process of selecting a second cohort of innovators to support. These grantees will be announced in late summer 2022.
Through the Challenge, Catalyze has collected and analyzed a large applicant and winner data set. This memo synthesizes a few key learnings relevant to the JFF Horizons summit, including insights on the state of career-connected learning in the U.S. today. In line with the announcement of the second cohort of winners in August 2022, Catalyze will share more detailed insight in its initial impact report