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Challenge Details

About the Challenge

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.

Eligibility

An eligible entrant to the Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge is the Governor of the State (20 U.S.C. 2302(24) or 29 CFR 38.4(aa)). The eligible entrant (Governor of the State) must commit to working collaboratively and ensuring the inclusion of the State’s Perkins agency, AEFLA agency, State Workforce Agencies and the State Workforce Board. 

The Governor’s office shall indicate in their initial submission the eligible recipient of prize funds from either A or B below:

An eligible agency as defined under section 3(18) of Perkins; a consortium of eligible agencies; or the following eligible entities as defined under section 3(19)(iv) of Perkins V: a. Indian Tribe, b. Tribal organization, or c. Tribal education agency.

An eligible agency, as defined in section 203(3) of Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

Timeline

Jan-April 2026

Pre-Phase

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

Pre-Phase Prize Pool

$1,000,000

Jun-Nov 2026

Phase 1

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

Phase 1 Prize Pool

$4,000,000

Jan 2027-Mar 2028

Phase 2

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.

Phase 2 Prize Pool

$10,000,000

Build Your Team

Selection Criteria

Pre-phase

Submissions will be grouped into two categories based on entrant’s self-designations, i.e. Novice (Create a new Talent Marketplace) or Scaler (Enhance an existing Talent Marketplace). The Pre-Phase contains five selection criteria, each worth up to 20 points, for a total of 100 points possible per submission
  • IMPACT: The extent to which the submission demonstrates an innovative approach to building or expanding a Talent Marketplace that includes a Credential Registry ( 34 CFR Part 75) and leverages Learning and Employment Records (LERs) to (1) enable stakeholders to transform, transcribe, and transact learning achievements as machine-readable, actionable, and industry-recognized competency statements, and (2) connect individuals directly with skills-based job descriptions used by AI, making it easier for individuals to match their verified skills with available opportunities and for employers to identify qualified talent based on demonstrated competencies.
  • PARTNERSHIPS: The extent to which the entrant has engaged with and provided written commitments from business and industry partners (particularly for high-skill, high-wage, as defined by individual States, or in-demand occupations, as defined by WIOA), the State Governor, State’s Perkins agency and AEFLA agency, the State Workforce Board, and education and training providers.
  • DATA: The extent to which the submission demonstrates measurable outcomes, baseline metrics, data collection methods, and inputs-outputs-outcomes, e.g., increased rates of labor force participation and postsecondary attainment; increased employee retention; increased rates of usage of the talent marketplace among employers, students, jobseekers, and education and training providers; and enhanced wage outcomes for participants.
  • STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: The extent to which the proposed activities will involve a broad cross-section of stakeholders – including but not limited to students, employers, jobseekers, education and training providers – with a focus on increasing levels of student labor force participation, strengthening employer connections, supporting jobseekers, and improving pathways to employments and postsecondary attainment for all students.
  • SUSTAINABILITY: The extent to which the entrant planned and appropriated resources to implement, sustain, and scale the Talent Marketplace.

Phase 1

Phase 1 contains six selection criteria, each worth up to 20 points, for a total of 120 points per submission
  • IMPACT: The extent to which the submission demonstrates an innovative approach to building or expanding a Talent Marketplace that includes a Credential Registry ( 34 CFR Part 75) and leverages Learning and Employment Records (LERs) to (1) enable stakeholders to transform, transcribe, and transact learning achievements as machine-readable, actionable, and industry-recognized competency statements, and (2) connect individuals directly with skills-based job descriptions used by AI, making it easier for individuals to match their verified skills with available opportunities and for employers to identify qualified talent based on demonstrated competencies.
  • PARTNERSHIPS: The extent to which the entrant has engaged with and provided written commitments from business and industry partners (particularly for high-skill, high-wage, as defined by individual States, or in-demand occupations, as defined by WIOA), the State Governor, State’s Perkins agency and AEFLA agency, the State Workforce Board, and education and training providers.
  • DATA: The extent to which the submission demonstrates measurable outcomes, baseline metrics, data collection methods, and inputs-outputs-outcomes, e.g., increased rates of labor force participation and postsecondary attainment; increased employee retention; increased rates of usage of the talent marketplace among employers, students, jobseekers, and education and training providers; and enhanced wage outcomes for participants.
  • STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: The extent to which the activities have involved a broad cross-section of stakeholders – including but not limited to students, employers, jobseekers, education and training providers, and state and local officials – with a focus on increasing levels of student labor force participation, strengthening employer connections, supporting jobseekers, and improving pathways to employments and postsecondary attainment for all students
  • INTEROPERABILITY: The extent to which the activities show how the proposed Talent Marketplace can exchange data securely and seamlessly with other LER systems, state longitudinal data systems, and employer or credentialing platforms.
  • SUSTAINABILITY: The extent to which the entrant planned and appropriated resources to implement, sustain, and scale the Talent Marketplace.

Phase 2

Phase 2 contains six selection criteria, each worth up to 20 points, for a total of 120 points per submission

  • IMPACT: The extent to which the submission demonstrates an innovative approach to building or expanding a Talent Marketplace that includes a Credential Registry ( 34 CFR Part 75) and leverages Learning and Employment Records (LERs) to (1) enable stakeholders to transform, transcribe, and transact learning achievements as machine-readable, actionable, and industry-recognized competency statements, and (2) connect individuals directly with skills-based job descriptions used by AI, making it easier for individuals to match their verified skills with available opportunities and for employers to identify qualified talent based on demonstrated competencies.
  • PARTNERSHIPS: The extent to which the entrant has engaged with and provided written commitments from business and industry partners (particularly for high-skill, high-wage, as defined by individual States, or in-demand occupations, as defined by WIOA), the State Governor, State’s Perkins agency and AEFLA agency, the State Workforce Board, and education and training providers.
  • DATA: The extent to which the submission demonstrates measurable outcomes, baseline metrics, data collection methods, and inputs-outputs-outcomes, e.g., increased rates of labor force participation and postsecondary attainment; increased employee retention; increased rates of usage of the talent marketplace among employers, students, jobseekers, and education and training providers; and enhanced wage outcomes for participants.
  • STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: The extent to which the activities have involved a broad cross-section of stakeholders – including but not limited to students, employers, jobseekers, government officials, and education and training providers – with a focus on increasing levels of student labor force participation, strengthening employer connections, supporting jobseekers, and improving pathways to employment and postsecondary attainment for all students
  • INTEROPERABILITY: The extent to which the activities show how the proposed Talent Marketplace can exchange data securely and seamlessly with other LER systems, state longitudinal data systems, and employer or credentialing platforms.
  • SUSTAINABILITY: The extent to which the entrant planned and appropriated resources to implement, sustain, and scale the Talent Marketplace.

Prizes

Total prize pool: $15,000,000

Pre-Phase

$1,000,000

Up to 10 entrants will be selected as semi-finalists and will be eligible to receive $100,000 each. If fewer than 10 semi-finalists are selected, the Phase 1 Prize Pool may be divided equally among the semi-finalists.

Phase 1 

 $4,000,000

Up to 10 semi-finalists who fully participate in Phase 1, submit the required report, and receive a score of 80 or higher will be eligible to receive $400,000 each. If fewer than 10 semi-finalists meet these requirements, the Phase 1 Prize Pool may be divided equally among the finalists.

Phase 2 

 $10,000,000

Up to 10 finalists who fully participate in Phase 2, submit the required report, and receive a score of 80 or higher will be eligible to receive $1,000,000 each. If fewer than 10 finalists complete, the Phase 2 Prize Pool may be divided equally among the finalists.