Gov. Lee & THEC announce $41 million in GIVE Grants for partnerships at 20 TBR colleges to enhance career & technical education

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission today announced that regional partnerships based at 20 community and technical colleges across the state are recipients of the third round of grants awarded through the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) program, which prioritizes learning opportunities in rural counties and enhances career and technical education statewide.

The GIVE program is designed to address skills gaps in Tennessee's workforce by supporting the development of career pathways that connect secondary education, postsecondary institutions, and local employers. This third round of GIVE grants will allocate $41 million to foster regional partnerships between Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), community colleges and local industries.  The funding will support 23 projects statewide, through partnerships based at 20 different community colleges and TCATs. The 23 projects will impact 47 counties, including 6 economically distressed and 13 at-risk counties.

“The state with the workers will win every time, and that’s why workforce development has been one of my top priorities since day one,” said Gov. Lee. “As a result, companies are choosing to invest and expand in our state, creating greater opportunity and quality of life for all Tennesseans.”

Since creating GIVE, Gov. Lee’s first legislative priority, the state has invested $91.5 million into the program to support rural workforce development through technical education. The first and second rounds of GIVE funding in 2019 and 2021 served an estimated 15,500 students. Tennessee has made notable progress in rural workforce development which has resulted in securing over 41,500 new jobs and nearly $19 billion in capital investment in rural counties since 2019.

Grants of up to $2 million each are awarded through the GIVE program to collaborative efforts that create or expand academic programs, develop work-based learning experiences, or provide industry-recognized certifications in areas of high demand. This initiative not only aims to meet the current needs of employers but also to stimulate economic growth by ensuring that Tennessee’s education system is aligned with workforce requirements.

"The GIVE grants represent a significant step forward in our mission to bridge the skills gap in Tennessee's workforce," said Steven Gentile, THEC Executive Director. "By fostering collaboration between educational institutions and local industries, we are not only creating pathways for students in rural and at-risk counties but also ensuring that our state remains competitive in a rapidly evolving job market. This investment underscores Tennessee’s commitment to aligning education with the needs of today's employers, driving both economic growth and opportunity across our state."

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings said, “The programs and projects funded by this latest round of GIVE Grants will create many new opportunities for Tennesseans to learn career-building skills to compete and advance in today’s technology-based economy, benefitting their families across generations and building strong communities. Our system’s succinct mission statement is Student Success and Workforce Development and our community and technical colleges are the front-line providers of academic, career, and technical education. We’re grateful to Governor Lee and the General Assembly for recognizing the need to bridge the skills gap and establishing the GIVE program to help close it.”

Find more information on the GIVE initiative here, and the list of third-round GIVE projects and recipients below.