Description
The South Carolina General Assembly has provided funds to the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) through a legislative proviso (H. 5126 General Appropriations Bill, Proviso 1A.27) for one year to award grants on a competitive basis to private-sector statewide trade associations that provide nationally certified programs in career and technical education representing the automotive, construction, engineering, healthcare, mechanical contracting/construction, and hospitality and tourism career clusters. The purpose of this program is to support instructor/student training and student testing in industry clusters to increase the state’s skilled workforce. The SCDE administers the program through its Office of Career Readiness (OCR).
Program Office
Office of Career Readiness
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are private-sector statewide trade associations or educational foundations that fall under IRS code 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) that provide nationally certified programs in career and technical education representing the automotive, construction, engineering, healthcare, mechanical contracting/construction, and hospitality and tourism career clusters. Applicants may partner with trade organizations, corporations, or others to develop strong programs that provide direct support to students to further industry-specific career and technical education programs.
Total Funding Available
$800,000
Funding Detail
The SCDE will award at least one grant of a minimum of $150,000, exclusively for career and technical education (CTE), in at least four of the specified career clusters. Additional awards will depend on the quality of applications.
Project Term
September 16, 2026, to June 30, 2027
Application Due Date
July 31, 2026
Technical Assistance Session
The SCDE’s Office of Career Readiness presented a pre-application technical assistance webinar on July 14, 2026. Email
tldorsey@ed.sc.gov to access the recording.
Documents
Request for Proposals (DOCX, 934kb - 7/9/2026)
Online Application
Budget Narrative Template (XLSX, 18.4kb - 7/9/2026)
Program Web Page
Career and Technical Education
