Climate-Critical Workforce Training, Equipment & Infrastructure Grants

The Challenge: Train Massachusetts Residents for Clean Energy Workforce Opportunities

By 2030, the Massachusetts clean energy workforce will need to grow by 34%, or more than 34,000 workers, to meet the state’s climate goals. To fill gaps in the workforce for climate-critical sectors, clean energy and climate tech employers need assistance in providing high-quality training and support for residents across the Commonwealth.

About Climate-Critical Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure Grants

Climate-Critical Workforce Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure Grants increase access to modern, relevant training equipment and infrastructure and provide up to $800,000 across one to two years in direct funding and technical assistance support to organizations that can build and scale career pathways and upskilling that help Massachusetts residents access and advance in climate-critical priority occupations. Applicants may apply for one or more of the following strands:

Strand A: Career Pathway Training Leading to Employment in Climate-Critical Priority Occupations
Strand B: Climate-Critical Upskilling for Incumbent Workers
Strand C: Equipment Infrastructure and Training Ecosystem Support
Strand D: Capacity for Climate- Critical Educators and Trainers

Successful applicants will propose projects that demonstrate a high level of employer engagement and leverage of existing workforce development systems, and lead to high-quality careers in climate-critical occupations.

Applicants applying to multiple strands must submit a separate application for each strand.

Open

Award Potential

Career Pathway Training: $800,000
Climate-Critical Upskilling: $600,000
Equipment, Infrastructure and Training Ecosystem Support: $750,000
Capacity for Climate-Critical Educators and Trainers: $400,000

Application Deadline

December 10, 2025
February 18, 2026
May 1, 2026

Apply

Questions? Contact

Funding Schedule

Climate Critical Grants are awarded on an annual basis. Applicants not currently ready for program implementation should consider Strand C of the Equity Workforce Training Implementation Grants to prepare for implementation funding.

Process Step	Timing
Release of RFP	October 17, 2025
Questions due to MassCEC via WFDtraining@masscec.com	April 2, 2026
Questions with answers posted to MassCEC website	Updated monthly on 2nd Tuesday through April 14, 2026
Pre-application webinar	October 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Pre-application office hours	See Dates and Times
Proposals due	Deadlines: December 10, 2025 by 11:59 pm February 18, 2026 by 11:59 pm May 1, 2026 by 11:59 pm
Interviews of applicants (as needed)	TBD
Notification of award	Applications submitted by December 10, 2025, will be notified March 2026 Applications submitted by February 18, 2026, will be notified May 2026 Applications submitted by May 1, 2026, will be notified August 2026

Who's Eligible

Single organizations or partnerships are eligible to apply. Partnerships are strongly encouraged and may be looked upon more favorably to the extent that they can provide a range of expertise and experience to deliver a comprehensive proposal. One party should take on the role of Lead Applicant.

The following entities are eligible to serve as a Lead Applicant:

Community-Based Entities (often referred to as Community Based Organizations) such as community action partnerships, environmental justice organizations, neighborhood revitalization organizations, advocacy groups, affordable housing providers, affordable housing developers, and non-profits.
Post-secondary educational institutions, K-12 School Districts, Comprehensive and Vocational High Schools, Middle Schools, and Vocational Schools offering a Career Technical Initiative evening program.
For-Profit entities such as for-profit training companies, trade associations, unions or other coalitions of businesses, clean energy installers, energy efficiency or home performance contractors, financial institutions, or other clean energy practitioners.
Workforce Development Organizations, both Non-Profit and For-Profit.
MassHire Workforce Investment Boards and Career Centers.

Applicants are also eligible to apply for MassCEC’s other workforce development grants and programs, as long as those applications seek support for separate and distinct efforts from those described in this application.

For full eligibility requirements and other Program details, please refer to the Climate-Critical Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure Grant Request for Proposals (RFP).

Apply

Application Process

This solicitation has four strands, which are described in the RFP below. Strand A and Strand B have common application materials. Strand C and Strand D have specific application materials, provided below.

Proposals should be emailed to WFDTraining@masscec.com by 11:59 PM on the deadline date with "Climate-Critical Workforce Training, Equipment and Infrastructure Grant Application" in the subject line.

RFP Climate Critical Training Equipment and Infrastructure Grant FY26

Application Materials

Send completed application to WFDTraining@masscec.com

Pre-Application Office Hours

MassCEC hosts a series of office hours (one-hour blocks) to answer questions about all open Workforce Development grant opportunities. Join anytime during the one-hour block!

Pre-Application Webinars

MassCEC will hold a pre-application webinar for the 2026 Equity Training and Climate Critical funding opportunities on October 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM.

Which Program is Right for Us?

MassCEC has two open solicitations that provide funding and technical assistance to develop and scale workforce training programs for climate-critical occupations: 1) Climate-Critical Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure (this page), and 2) Equity Workforce Training and Implementation Grants. While both solicitations support training programs, The Equity Training Implementation Grants look to support individuals from priority populations with career pathway training or exploration while Climate-Critical Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure Grants look to support Massachusetts based residents with career pathway training or incumbent workers with upskilling. See the table below to decide which funding opportunity suits your program goals.

	Climate-Critical Workforce Training	Equity Workforce Training
Funding Amount per Award	$800,000	Up to $1.2 million
Deadlines	December 10, 2025 by 11:59 pm February 18, 2026 by 11:59 pm May 1, 2026 by 11:59 pm	December 10, 2025 by 11:59 pm February 18, 2026 by 11:59 pm May 1, 2026 by 11:59 pm
Programmatic Goals	Support Massachusetts residents with career pathway training or incumbent workers with upskilling	Support individuals from priority populations with career pathway training or exploration
Match Requirement (Equipment and Infrastructure only)	Not Required	Not Applicable
Target Population	EJ Neighborhood, Federally Recognized and State Acknowledge Tribes, Fossil Fuel Workers, Low/moderate income Populations, Massachusetts Residents	EJ Neighborhood, Federally Recognized and State Acknowledge Tribes, Fossil Fuel Workers, Low/moderate income Populations

Other Resources

MassCEC will look favorably on applications that propose data-driven approaches and leverage pre-existing resources from the robust workforce development and clean energy sectors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Applicants are advised to use Powering the Future: A Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessment along with the following additional resources to inform their applications:

Labor Statistics

US Bureau of Labor Statistics

MA Department of Economic Research Labor Market Information

MIT Living Wage Calculator

Clean Energy Sector

MassCEC Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessment

MassCEC Clean Energy Industry Report

MassCEC Clean Energy Careers Training and Education Directory

Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050

Mass Save Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Workforce Development Needs Assessment

Workforce Development

MassHire Regional Workforce Skills Planning Initiative

MassHire State Workforce Board

MA Division of Apprentice Standards

The Boston Foundation SkilWorks Project Catapult on next generation workforce development

Commonwealth Corporation Available Funding Opportunities

Frequently Asked Questions

Submit questions to WFDTraining@masscec.com. Updated 16.OCT.2025.

Budgets

1. Is there a template for an organizational budget?

There is no template for an organizational budget. You should provide a high-level overview of your organizational operating budget, including projected revenue, expenses, and toplevel categories.

Application Frequency and Eligibility

2. How often can my organization apply for funding?

An organization may apply for funding as often as it chooses. However, each application must describe a separate and distinct project.

3. Can my organization apply for multiple strands of funding in one Request for Proposals (RFP)?

An organization may apply for multiple strands of funding in one Request for Proposals (RFP). However, each strand requires the submission of a separate application packet and each application must describe a separate and distinct program.

FAQs continues...

RFP Strand Differences

4. What is the difference between Career Pathway Training, Upskilling, Equipment and Infrastructure Support, and Educator and Trainer Capacity?

Career Pathway Training (Strand A) prepares new workers to enter climate-critical occupations. Upskilling (Strand B) supports current workers who need advanced training to move into higher-skill roles. Equipment and Infrastructure Support (Strand C) funds major equipment, facilities, or system-wide improvements needed to deliver training. Educator and Trainer Capacity (Strand D) builds the workforce of instructors and trainers in climatecritical fields. Organizations should apply for Strand C when they primarily need equipment or infrastructure and for Strand D when they primarily need to expand instructor capacity.

Partnerships

5. Are Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) required at application?

Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are not required as part of the application submission. MOUs can be developed during the grant period to formalize partner commitments.

6. Do Letters of Support (LoS) have a standard format?

Letters of Support (LoS) do not have a required format for Climate-Critical Training applications, but they must be submitted on company letterhead.

Geographic Scope

7. Do participants and organizations need to be based in Massachusetts?

Participants and organizations must be based in Massachusetts to be eligible for funding. The Lead Applicant must be based in Massachusetts, although out-of-state partners are permitted if the funding directly benefits Massachusetts residents and organizations.

Technical Assistance

8. What Technical Assistance (TA) support does MassCEC provide?

MassCEC provides Technical Assistance (TA) that includes check-ins with staff and consultants, ongoing email support, recurring Roundtables, best practice briefings (BPBs), and two in-person convenings each year. Roundtables offer grantees the opportunity to share lessons learned and challenges, while BPBs provide structured guidance on program operations and compliance.

Application Process

9. What are the deadlines?

Proposal deadlines are November 14, 2025, January 30, 2026, and April 3, 2026. Earlier submissions will be reviewed and awarded first, and funding will remain available until it is fully expended.

10.What documentation is required if my organization recently became a nonprofit?

If your organization recently became a nonprofit, you should submit proof of tax status or proof of eligibility to receive funds. Finalized documentation must be in place before contracting.

11.What level of detail is required in the budget?

The level of detail required in the budget is as specific as possible. Applicants should provide detailed cost information for each line item as applicable.