Four-year U.S. Department of Education investment will strengthen career-connected learning, postsecondary pathways and workforce development across 10 rural communities
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — CAPS Network has been awarded a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education through the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) Grant Program to launch the Heartland Rural Talent Accelerator, a four-year initiative designed to expand opportunities for students and strengthen talent pipelines in rural communities across the Midwest.
The initiative will bring together 10 rural CAPS communities across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, connecting K–12 education, employers, postsecondary institutions, workforce organizations and community partners.
“We could not be more excited to deepen and expand our work alongside rural communities across the Midwest,” said Corey Mohn, President and Executive Director of CAPS Network. “Rural communities are full of talented young people, innovative educators, committed employers and leaders who care deeply about their future. This investment gives us the opportunity to build on those strengths, creating more ways for students to discover what they are capable of, connect with meaningful opportunities close to home, and see themselves as part of the future of their communities.”
Building the Heartland Rural Talent Accelerator
The Heartland Rural Talent Accelerator will serve existing CAPS affiliates in Jesup and MOC-Floyd Valley, Iowa; McPherson, Pittsburg and South Brown County, Kansas; Branson, Maryville, Plattsburg and Sedalia, Missouri; and Fairfield, Nebraska. Rather than creating a separate program, the initiative will strengthen profession-based learning, employer relationships and community partnerships already underway in these communities.
Through the grant, participating communities will expand career-connected and profession-based learning, work-based learning experiences, employer-sponsored projects, mentorships and internships, postsecondary planning and advising, credential and apprenticeship pathways, and professional learning for educators and community partners. The work will also strengthen collaboration among schools, employers, colleges and universities, workforce organizations and economic development partners to build sustainable rural talent development systems.
Importantly, $1 million of the award will go directly to rural communities to support local implementation. Funding can support career-connected learning, employer engagement, work-based learning, postsecondary exploration, educator professional learning and other strategies tailored to community needs.
Building on a Foundation of Rural Partnership
The federal award represents a significant next chapter in CAPS Network’s commitment to rural communities and builds directly on its multi-year partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation.
Together, the Patterson Family Foundation and CAPS Network have worked to expand profession-based learning across rural Kansas, strengthening employer partnerships, career-connected learning opportunities and local implementation capacity. The Heartland Rural Talent Accelerator will carry lessons from that work into a broader four-state effort.
“The Patterson Family Foundation has been an important partner in helping us bring CAPS to rural communities,” Mohn said. “Their investment allowed us to listen, learn and build alongside rural educators and community leaders. This federal investment gives us an extraordinary opportunity to carry those lessons forward.”
The project is supported by a broad coalition of education, workforce and community partners, including Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Missouri Southern State University, the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. The proposal also received support from Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.
Investing in Rural Talent—and Rural Communities
At its core, the Heartland Rural Talent Accelerator is built around a simple premise: rural communities already possess tremendous talent. The opportunity is to strengthen the connections, experiences and pathways that allow young people to envision and build their futures.
“This is about more than a grant and a four-year project,” Mohn said. “It is about what becomes possible when a community truly goes where students lead, providing them with experiences, relationships and opportunities that help them see who they can become. We are incredibly grateful for this investment and eager to get to work alongside our rural partners across the Heartland.”
About CAPS Network
The CAPS Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and global community of educators and partners advancing profession-based learning. The Network connects and supports affiliate programs to share best practices, troubleshoot challenges, and celebrate as new innovations emerge that provide students with authentic experiences that drive self discovery.
