NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has announced the recipients of the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) grant program. This initiative focuses on enhancing career and technical education, with a particular emphasis on rural counties. Since 2019, Tennessee’s efforts in rural workforce development have led to the creation of over 41,500 new jobs and nearly $19 billion in capital investments in these areas.
The third round of GIVE grants will distribute $41 million to foster regional partnerships among Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), community colleges, and local industries. “The state with the workers will win every time, and that’s why rural 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.”
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Since its inception, the GIVE program has received $50 million in state investment to support rural workforce development through technical education. The first two rounds of GIVE funding in 2019 and 2021 benefited approximately 15,500 students. The third round will support 23 projects across Tennessee, impacting 47 counties, including six economically distressed and 13 at-risk counties.
For more information on the GIVE initiative, visit here. Below is a complete list of GIVE projects and recipients:
| Grantee | Project Title | Grant Award |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland State Community College | ACT Now: Apprenticeships in Careers and Trades | $450,000.00 |
| Dyersburg State Community College | Building Success in the Northwest | $2,000,000.00 |
| Motlow State Community College | Bridges 2 Credentials | $2,000,000.00 |
| Motlow State Community College | Culinary Workforce Innovation and Student Success Harnessed (WIS2H) | $2,000,000.00 |
| Nashville State Community College | Surge to Success | $2,000,000.00 |
| Northeast State Community College | Building Economies through Skilled Trades (BEST) | $1,920,985.00 |
| Pellissippi State Community College | Aviation Maintenance Technology College to Career Collaborative (ATMC3) | $1,999,497.00 |
| Roane State Community College | Leveraging Regional Workforce Partnerships to Create Secondary to Postsecondary Pathways for Nuclear Technology at Roane State | $450,000.00 |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | Southwest Entertainment Production Collaborative (SPEC) | $1,500,000.00 |
| TCAT Hartsville | Expanding CTE and WBL Pathways for Student Success through Automation, Healthcare and Transportation | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Hohenwald | South Central Partnerships Leading to Career Opportunities | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Jacksboro | PATH – Providing Appalachian Training in Healthcare | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Knoxville | Nuclear Science Pathway | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Knoxville | Industry 4.0 Apprenticeship Pathway – Anderson County | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT McMinnville | Workforce Impact and Flexible Innovation | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Memphis | Hospitality Integrated Training Network: Forging Tomorrow’s Hospitality Leaders; From Classrooms to Careers in Greater Memphis (HOSPITRAIN) | $1,904,761.90 |
| TCAT Morristown | Five Rivers Partnership for Future Ready Pathways 3.0 | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Nashville | Pathways to Accelerated Career Experiences (PACE) | $1,845,162.72 |
| TCAT Northwest | Advancing the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Rural West Tennessee | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Oneida | Focus on Industry Readiness for Student Training (FIRST) | $2,000,000.00 |
| TCAT Pulaski | Doubling Down on Dual Enrollment | $1,263,276.00 |
| Walter State Community College | Growing Regional Opportunities for Workforce – Funding Investment for Regional Stem (GROW FIRST) | $1,999,794.96 |
| Walters State Community College | Creating Tech Pathways for Success | $1,999,882.38 |
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