$150,000 available to help strengthen K-12 educator and local manufacturing partnerships

Application deadline for regional partnership grant funding is July 10

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) is encouraging school districts, with support from local automotive manufacturers, to apply for a share of $150,000 in funding to develop, coordinate and manage regional partnerships that help connect classroom learning to real-world applications.

The Skills in Sync Regional Partnership Pilot Program will provide funding to help regional stakeholders — including K-12 educators, employers, post-secondary education providers and workforce or community organizations — join, build or expand partnerships that will implement employer-informed manufacturing programs within the schools. The deadline to apply for the pilot grant is Friday, July 10, 2026.

“Supporting Michigan’s auto industry through transition and building a resilient future requires us to proactively develop programs that ensure our future workforce has exposure to jobs that are growing,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “Strong partnerships between schools and manufacturers create valuable opportunities for students to explore rewarding careers and gain the skills employers need. The Skills in Sync initiative strengthens those connections, increasing awareness, access and readiness for high-quality career pathways while helping students build a foundation for long-term success.”

Up to three grants will be awarded through a competitive Request for Proposals process. Grants will be awarded in regions where schools have implemented manufacturing programs but have not yet built deep partnerships for ongoing collaboration with the local manufacturing ecosystem.

Lead applicants must be an intermediate school district (ISD), a local education agency (LEA), a public-school academy (PSA), a 501(c)3 community-based organization serving an ISD, LEA or PSA, or Tribes and tribal community organizations.

“Skills in Sync strengthens K–12 career and technical education and manufacturing-related pipelines and supports educators – including teachers, school and district leaders, counselors, curriculum directors, career readiness staff and others,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, Deputy Director of LEO's Office of Employment and Training. “Ultimately, this initiative will help local communities build robust K-12-manufacturing partnerships across the state – leading to increased awareness of in-demand careers for future generations of Michigan workers.”

“Investments in STEM education paired with direct industry exposure are critical to helping students make informed decisions, build confidence, and see themselves in advanced manufacturing careers,” said Megan Schrauben, Executive Director of MiSTEM. “By investing in early career exposure, Michigan is investing in our future workforce.”

The grant period of performance will span two school years, beginning August 17, 2026, and concluding August 15, 2028. The complete list of applicant requirements is included in the Request for Proposals information and application document.

“In addition to supporting the grant recipients, we will be closely engaged with the awardees to document their process and best practices to inform the new Skills in Sync partnership playbook we plan to develop to support partnerships statewide,” said MI Auto Workforce Hub Director Amanda Lawrence.

Applications for funding are due by Friday, July 10, 2026, at 5 p.m. EDT. An informational webinar will take place on Tuesday, June 16 at 1 p.m. EDT. Awards will be announced in August.

To view the Skills in Sync Regional Partnership Pilot Program Request for Proposals document, webinar information, and learn more about LEO’s mobility workforce initiatives, visit Michigan.gov/AutoWorkforceHub.

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