Students and Young Adults Career Awareness and Training

5.    If an organization previously received a planning grant from MassCEC and intends to apply again, does the proposed project need to be different?

a.    Current planning grantees are encouraged to apply to the implementation grant with their more comprehensive plans for implementation.

6.   What documentation is required if an organization has recently become a nonprofit?

a.    You’ll need to provide documentation showing that your organization exists and is eligible to receive funds—for example, something that establishes your tax status. Full documentation doesn’t need to be finalized at the time of application, but it must be in place before contracting and payment can occur.

7.    Is a subcontractor for another organization that received a grant, but I am not responsible for their metrics. Does this count as receiving prior MassCEC funding?

a.    Yes, please list on the application that you have received MassCEC funding as a sub-contractor on an existing grant. You can explain that you do not have access to the program’s metrics.

8.    Are employers committed to hiring entry-level employees? If so, is there a current list of these employers by region?

a.    MassCEC does not have a list of employers who are committed to hiring entry-level employers. Lead applicants should consider if this would be an access of the employer partners.  

9.    Can funds be used to provide stipends to students participating in internships that may reduce their ability to work after school?

a.    Yes, Stipends for the program or internships that are part of the program are an allowable cost.  

10.    Are materials or tools developed through the grant required to be publicly accessible?

a.    Yes. Any materials, resources, or tools developed with this funding are considered public information and must be made publicly available.

11.    Can we qualify if the high schools we work with are not located exclusively in Environmental Justice (EJ) neighborhoods?

a.    Yes. While EJ communities are a priority, schools are not required to serve only students from EJ neighborhoods in order to qualify.

12.    Can we use a full year for planning in an implementation grant application?

a.    A full-year planning timeline would be more appropriate for a Capacity or Planning Grant. Implementation Grants should not include more than six months of planning.

13.    How specific does the budget need to be? Can we include a general line item for consultant work or exploratory activities like interviewing candidates?

a.    Budgets should be as specific as possible. Uncertain or speculative costs may weaken your proposal. For example, if you’re unsure whether you’ll hire a consultant or how much it might cost, that line item may not be considered valid. We recommend identifying consultants in advance and including their expected costs in your application.

14.    If a consultant turns out not to be the right fit, can we shift funds to staff time instead?

a.    It’s better to solidify your plans before applying. Most successful applications name specific consultants and outline related costs. This strengthens both your planning and implementation capacity.

15.    Are we allowed to purchase equipment with the grant funds?

a.    Yes. Grant funds may be used to purchase materials or equipment that directly support work-based or learning-based experiences within the proposed program. Requests for materials or equipment should clearly explain their purpose and relevance to the program, providing documentation of alternative products and providers that were researched, as well as two additional price quotes. If you are proposing larger equipment purchases, please consider whether the Climate Critical Training Program may be more a more appropriate funding source. 

16.    Can Strand A or B funds be used to renovate or improve a classroom to support hands-on learning in clean energy career programs?

a.    Costs related to equipment and materials can be included in the budget if they are directly related to the clean energy career readiness program. For example, if you were outfitting a classroom with the equipment needed in order to teach the construction course in the clean energy career readiness program, that could be part of the budget. Other renovation costs could potentially be included if they were part of a subcontractor budget and required in order to run the program.

17.    Can grant funds be used to issue a sub-award to an out-of-state partner, such as a university?

a.    Sub-awards are not permitted under this RFP. However, you may allocate funds to subcontractors for specific work completed as part of the project. Additionally, we encourage applicants to consider leveraging in-state expertise as these areas are part of the evaluation criteria for proposals.

18.    For subcontractors, consultants, or partners, is there a particular template, language, or length that your office recommends for letters of support?

a.    There are no requirements for letters of support. The subcontractor, consultants, and partners will require a budget tab if they receive more than $10,000 of the grant.

19.    Is there an anticipated start date (if funded) that we can incorporate into our project planning?

a.    Contracts are typically signed and executed between 4-6 months after application. Project planning should incorporate this timeline into their planned start date.

20.    In metrics reporting, are completion rate and wage required metrics? We plan to use other forms of measurement.

a.    You are welcome to tailor your metrics to fit your program. We will ask you to define what “completion” means in the context of your specific program and how you will measure participant success.

21.    Does the funding need to be evenly distributed across each year of a multi-year grant?

a.    No, the total funding amount can be allocated flexibly over the grant period—it does not need to be evenly split between each year.

22.    What qualifies as a clear "offramp" under Strand A?

a.    For Strand A, offramps can include outcomes like enrolling in college or choosing a related major—they’re more education-focused. In contrast, Strand B emphasizes career exploration, job navigation, and placement as primary offramps.

23.    Can we receive an upfront payment?

a.    In general, no; for cost-reimbursement grants, payments are made after expenses are incurred. 

24.    We don’t have a physical office in Massachusetts but operate nationwide. Are organizations without a Massachusetts office eligible for funding?

a.    Yes, we have funded national organizations in the past. However, it’s important that your program includes Massachusetts-based staff or partners, especially for providing wraparound services.

25.    What if we have participants in our program who are over the age of 24?

a.    This funding may only be used to support participants who are under the age of 24. Any participants who are age 24 or older must be supported through other funding sources and may not be included in costs charged to this grant. Applicants should refer to Attachment 6 of the RFP for additional eligibility details.

26.     The RFP states that Career Awareness curriculum developed that covers topics covered by MassCEC’s  developed curriculum and resources is not eligible for funding. Can you provide more specifics around what curriculum development costs qualify?

a.    Applicants should ensure that any curriculum proposed under this grant is not duplicative of MassCEC’s existing Clean Energy Career Awareness Curriculum. If your program builds upon or is informed by this curriculum, applicants should clearly explain how their proposed activities expand, adapt, or enhance that content, including the rationale for the expansion and its relevance to the target population or program design. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate familiarity with the MassCEC curriculum and identify specific gaps, growth areas, or opportunities that their proposal seeks to address.

27.    Can I use multiple MassCEC grants to fund the same program or initiative, including awards from different RFPs?

a.    No. MassCEC will not award multiple streams of funding through different RFPs to support the same program or initiative. Each MassCEC award must fund a distinct program or a clearly differentiated scope of work.

28.    What is the difference between the priority deadline and final deadline? 

a.    Applications submitted by the priority deadline of January 15, 2026 will be reviewed after that date. Applicants may continue to submit applications on a rolling basis until the final deadline of April 10, 2026 and all applications submitted by the final deadline will be considered for funding under this RFP.