The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is awarding $15 million to 21 organizations across the state to increase access to comprehensive resources that help students make more informed decisions about their options after graduation.

"Indiana’s Career Coaching Grant reflects our commitment to helping students explore future career options and consider what makes the most sense for their future after high school graduation,” said Governor Mike Braun. “This investment empowers students to grow their skills and talents, fill the gap in high-demand, good paying jobs, and step into a future where they can thrive and our state can prosper.”

The Chamber was awarded $350,000. “We are excited to continue and strengthen the infrastructure we’ve built as a previous recipient of the grant. We’ve successfully implemented our career coaching fellowship and educator externship programs, in addition to curating digital resources to shed light on opportunities beyond high school,” said Kate Lee, executive director of education and workforce with the Chamber. In 2025, the Chamber served 31 career coaching fellows from 13 schools, delivering 10 immersive experiences in partnership with employers, higher education and military. Forty-nine educators participated in our Educator Externship Program—featuring 45 business hosts—resulting in 315 new activities connecting students to careers.

To align the system of career coaching and navigation, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 365 – 2025 , which tasks IDOE with granting $15 million to eligible entities through the career coaching grant fund. The 2025 legislative session was a tight budget year, and like many program areas, funding for the Career Coaching Grant is lower than in previous years. To maximize the current funding, the 21 selected entities ensure the largest number of counties receive support. In addition to less available funding, this cycle also saw a 37 percent increase in applicants compared to the previous round, with more than $45 million in total funding requests.

“Our primary purpose in K-12 education is to ensure every student graduates prepared for what’s next,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “This includes ensuring students have the knowledge and skills necessary for future success, and also, helping students to see the range of possibilities that exist for their future.”

Grantees were selected based on (1) their ability to deliver innovative, high-quality career coaching not currently available at the schools they plan to serve and/or (2) their demonstration of promising, measurable impact on schools and students. Other grant recipients in the area include: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor ($500,000), Horizon Educational Alliance ($745,000), Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana ($755,000) and the Northern Indiana Educational Service Center ($1,730,000). The current grant period will conclude on June 30, 2027.