Open Funding Opportunities

The U.S. Department of Labor released a Request for Proposal (RFP) announcement to seek the services of multiple offerors to grow Registered Apprenticeships (RA or RAs) in new and high growth industries and occupations through rapid development of programs and quality technical industry expertise. The following breakdown outlines the industry:

• RA is new and/or emerging (not traditionally scaled): Agriculture, Energy (including nuclear energy), Defense Industrial Base (including Aerospace/Aviation, Shipbuilding/Maritime, etc.), Education, and Financial and Insurance;
• RA is existing and in in-demand/critical sectors (established): Healthcare, Telecommunications; Cybersecurity, and Advanced Manufacturing.

Additionally, the Department is interested in exploring a non-industry specific Intermediary with capabilities to support multiple industries— including, but not limited to: Public Services, Information Technology, Professional Services, Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, and Accommodation and Food Services— that are established, new, and/or emerging and not otherwise covered by the above industry list.

The key goals for this award are to:

• Expand sector based outreach and recruitment to increase awareness of the value of Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs among employers, industry associations, education partners, workforce systems, and other key stakeholders.
• Accelerate the development of registration ready apprenticeship programs by advancing RA Accelerator models, providing technical assistance to employers, and facilitating processes that speed the creation of high-quality RA standards.
• Grow degreed Registered Apprenticeship pathways by strengthening partnerships with post‑secondary institutions, integrating RA programs with degree pathways, and supporting the articulation of apprenticeship learning into post‑secondary credit.
• Implement business driven, sector based strategies that mobilize industry experts and stakeholders to address barriers, share best practices, and drive the expansion of RA programs in targeted industries.
• Promote innovation and long-term sustainability across the RA ecosystem by developing new curricula and occupational frameworks, supplying subject matter expertise, and leveraging partnerships to replicate, expand, and sustain high quality RA programs beyond the life of the contract.

For more information, please refer to the following resources:

• Request for Proposal (RFP) (closing date is May 1st, 2026, at 3:00pm EDT)

The U.S. Department of Labor released a Request for Proposal (RFP) announcement to advance Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills development through Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs, both through the expansion of RA programs in AI-related occupations and the integration of AI education in RA programs across a broad range of industries. The key goals for this award are to:

1. Increase AI Literacy through RA by increasing AI skills development within all RA industries and occupations, and developing and identifying free AI resources, tools, training modules, and curricula that RA sponsors can include in their work process schedules across all industries;
2. Expand RA programs in "AI-centric" occupations by supporting the development and expansion of RA programs for roles that directly use, build, or manage AI technologies as a core function of their daily responsibility; and
3. Expand RA programs in AI infrastructure occupations by supporting the development and expansion of RA programs for industries/occupations (e.g., construction, semiconductors, telecommunications, etc.) that build and maintain the infrastructure (i.e. AI data centers) that enables AI systems.

For more information, please refer to the following resources:

• Request for Proposal (RFP) (closing date is April 17th, 2026, at 3:00pm EDT)

The U.S. Department of Labor announces the availability of up to $145 million to support a Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program as a vehicle for expanding the National Apprenticeship System. The Department will award up to five cooperative agreements with a four-year period of performance, focused on rapidly scaling and expanding newly developed Registered Apprenticeship programs and substantially growing existing Registered Apprenticeship programs across industries by offering incentive payments to program sponsors.

The Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program will prioritize incentivizing the expansion and growth of high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs on a national scale, specifically in industries with a firmly established Registered Apprenticeship program infrastructure.

The targeted industries include:

• Shipbuilding and Defense Industrial Base
• Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductor, and Nuclear Energy Infrastructure
• Information Technology
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• Telecommunication

Additional information about the industries above is contained in the FOA. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the FOA in its entirety.

Applications are now being accepted. Refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for full details, including eligibility, application instructions, performance requirements, incentive payment structure, and scoring criteria.

For more information, please refer to the following resources:

• Press Release
• Funding Opportunity Announcement (closing date is 4/3/2026)
  • Amendment 1 (updated on 3/16/2026)
• 2026 DOL Application Guide
• Pre-Applicant Webcast Recording