The Students and Young Adults Equity Workforce Career Awareness and Training Grant, offered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), is designed to support organizations in increasing youth and young adult engagement in climate-critical career pathways. The grant responds to the state's urgent need to grow its clean energy workforce by 34%—adding over 34,000 workers by 2030—to meet its climate goals. Many of these jobs offer competitive wages and career growth, yet awareness among young people remains low.

The program offers up to $600,000 in funding to individual organizations or partnerships delivering career awareness and/or training programs that target students and young adults in Massachusetts. The initiative prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce by funding programs that address barriers to access and create long-term career opportunities in clean energy.

Applicants can propose programming under four eligible “strands”:

Strand A: Clean Energy Career Awareness, Exploration, Navigation, and Preparedness

Strand B: Career Pathway Training

Strand C: Career Awareness Events

Strand D: Planning and Capacity Building for future programs

Eligible applicants include community-based nonprofits, public and private educational institutions (middle schools, high schools, vocational schools, post-secondary schools), workforce development entities, Massachusetts Workforce Investment Boards, career centers, clean energy businesses, trade associations, unions, and tribes. Applicants may apply individually or as part of a partnership, though only one lead applicant must be designated. Fiscal sponsorship is permitted for groups unable to directly receive or manage funds.

The application deadline is May 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. All required materials must be submitted via email to rfpworkforce@masscec.com with the grant title in the subject line. The RFP was released on March 14, 2025, and MassCEC has hosted a pre-application webinar (March 31, 2025) and scheduled multiple office hours through early May to support applicants. Awards will be announced in Summer 2025, with follow-up interviews occurring within a month of submission.

Application materials include an authorized applicant signature form, project narrative, budget and timeline, and sample agreement documents. All materials are available through MassCEC’s website. Projects must align with MassCEC’s goals of building a diverse, inclusive, and skilled clean energy workforce across the Commonwealth.

For questions, applicants may contact rfpworkforce@masscec.com. More details and documents can be accessed via the MassCEC website.