Career Launch Grant
Forecasted
Career Launch Grant supports Colorado students through nonprofit-led scholarships and career connections that reduce education debt, advance credential completion, and build pathways to gainful employment.
Funder: Colorado Department of Higher Education (COSI)
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1.5 million available in the 2026–2027 cycle; no minimum or maximum request; two-year grants
Summary: Matching grants support community scholarships and career connections for financially eligible Colorado students pursuing postsecondary credentials.
Key Information: Organizations must match the entire award 1:1 with new scholarship dollars and be prepared to pay costs before reimbursement.
Description
Career Launch is administered by the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI), a program of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. It funds nonprofit-led community scholarships that reduce education debt, close significant gaps in students’ cost of attendance, and support postsecondary credential completion. State funding is paired with new community contributions to expand scholarship resources rather than replace existing federal, state, local, or non-federal support.
The program connects scholarships with career services and opportunities leading to gainful employment and a livable wage. It prioritizes credentials supporting Colorado’s Top Jobs, while also allowing other high-demand pathways and regional workforce needs. Its broader goal is to build a workforce with the skills, knowledge, adaptability, and diversity to sustain Colorado’s economic growth.
