U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Announce First Grant Competition Under Postsecondary Education Partnership
March 17, 2026
Today, the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) issued the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 competition for the Talent Search Program, a grant aimed at helping students pursue high-quality postsecondary education or training, including Registered Apprenticeships. The awards will be issued on DOL’s GrantSolutions, a grants management platform. These actions further align the postsecondary and workforce education programs of ED and DOL and will position DOL as the central hub for America’s postsecondary education and workforce development programs.
Today’s announcement kicks off ED’s FY 2026 grant competition for the Federal TRIO Programs, with additional competitions to follow later this spring and summer. This step follows ED’s staff detail earlier this year, as the agencies work together to better coordinate Federal postsecondary and workforce education programs.
“As the nation faces a shortage of more than 700,000 skilled workers, the Trump Administration is transforming the Federal government’s approach to workforce development,” said Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Dr. David Barker. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Labor to streamline postsecondary and workforce education programs to better serve students, institutions of higher education, and grantees.”
