Catalyze Pittsburgh: Investing $1.5 Million in Bold Ideas for Tomorrow’s Careers

Catalyze Pittsburgh launches $1.5 million Catalyze Pittsburgh Challenge to support innovative, career-connected learning initiatives in emerging industries and occupations for young people across six Southwestern PA counties.

Catalyze unites with local workforce leader Partner4Work and the Richard King Mellon Foundation to bridge the gap between youths’ career interests and emerging industries’ and occupations’ workforce needs.

Pittsburgh (Aug. 18, 2026) – Organizations in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Washington, and Westmoreland counties may begin preparing innovative ideas for Catalyze Pittsburgh, which is launching the Catalyze Pittsburgh Challenge to introduce young people ages 11-18 to fulfilling pathways connecting their passions to their future career success in emerging industries and occupations. 

Catalyze Pittsburgh is working in partnership with Catalyze, a nationwide collaborative funding initiative that has invested over $19 million to accelerate innovation in career-connected learning for young people through the Catalyze Challenge. The national Catalyze effort is supported by Britebound, the Charles Koch Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation.

According to Catalyze Executive Director Michelle Cheang, “Some of the strongest ideas emerge when communities have the opportunity to design around their own learners, employers and economies. Through the Catalyze Pittsburgh Challenge, we’re excited to invest in locally-led innovation, learn alongside these communities and share what we learn with the broader career-connected learning field.”

Catalyze Pittsburgh will fund innovations to ensure that youth from financially constrained families or who are in challenging situations can prepare for careers in emerging industries or occupations. 

Catalyze Pittsburgh has received commitments of $1.5 million to date, and this funding will be awarded in two rounds in 2026 and 2027 to organizations with innovative, career-connected learning ideas for students ages 11-18 years. 

Local workforce leader Partner4Work is anchoring and operating Catalyze Pittsburgh. “For young people to see themselves in the future of work, they first need meaningful exposure to the careers shaping that future,” said Rob Cherry, CEO of Partner4Work. “Catalyze Pittsburgh is about introducing students to emerging industries earlier, helping them connect their interests and talents to real career pathways, and preparing the next generation of workers to meet the needs of our region’s growing industries.”

Emerging industries are in the early stages of development and grounded in new technologies that could replace older ones. Emerging occupations are new or existing roles that are changing significantly as these innovations reshape how work is performed and the skills employers require. Employment in emerging industries and occupations offer strong entry-level wages, career possibilities, and pathways to economic mobility for young people in our region. 

“Pittsburgh’s emerging industries and occupations hold significant opportunities for young people to embark on pathways to lifelong prosperity,” said Sam Reiman, Director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. “The Catalyze Pittsburgh initiative is about connecting young people with those opportunities early in their career journeys, so they have greater opportunities to see and seize their best pathways and their most promising futures.”

Interested applicants can visit Catalyze Pittsburgh now to review the Application Guide. The application portal will be open from September 22, 2026 until October 30, 2026. Applicants should pitch early-stage ideas and not programs currently underway. Applications will be evaluated on categories such as Innovation, Alignment with Emerging Industries or Emerging Occupations, and Impact.

In addition to Catalyze and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Catalyze Pittsburgh is made possible by Partner4Work. Visit the Partner4Work website to learn more or reach out to CatalyzePittsburgh@partner4work.org with questions.

About Catalyze

Catalyze is a collaborative funding initiative to accelerate innovation in career-connected learning, helping young people explore, prepare for, and pursue meaningful careers. Since 2021, Catalyze has awarded over $19 million through the Catalyze Challenge and has built a Community of Practice of more than 100 funded organizations. Learn more at www.catalyzechallenge.org.