Texas Border Business
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott announced 15 grants totaling more than $4.7 million to Texas public community colleges and technical schools. The grants, administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), support educational programs that lead to in-demand, high-earning occupations.
“Texas students deserve clear pathways to high-paying careers,” said Governor Abbott. “These grants give community colleges and technical schools the resources they need to prepare students for in-demand jobs in healthcare, technology and construction. These programs deliver the skills that help Texans succeed and keep our economy the strongest in America.”
The grants, provided through the Texas Invests in Meaningful Employment (TIME) and Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Pathways Design & Planningcompetitions, fund career and technical education programs and the development of innovative new courses of study that track closely to workforce needs. The grants assist students to quickly upskill or reskill for jobs that offer a strong career pathway and return on investment.
By aligning educational credentials with in-demand occupations, Texas is strategically strengthening its economy and building a strong talent pool to fill highly-skilled, financially rewarding jobs in sectors such as healthcare, technology and construction.
“Thanks to robust funding for workforce initiatives, these grants administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board support students into viable pathways toward rewarding careers,” said Higher Education Commissioner Wynn Rosser. “Not only do they make a difference to students, but they keep college programs vibrant and relevant while fortifying the economies of urban and rural communities across Texas.”
In 2025, Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 1786 into law, directing the THECB, Texas Education Agency and Texas Workforce Commission to work alongside industry and public two-year colleges to develop, fund and expand secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs, including dual-credit programs, to align with job demand.
The TIME and TRUE Pathways grants help fulfill these goals by supporting the development of new or expansion of existing career and technical education programs that offer credentials of value that closely match workforce needs.
TIME awards grant recipients:
- Texas State Technical College: $179,900
- Alamo Community College District: $500,000
- Amarillo College: $500,000
- Cisco College: $497,800
- Hill College: $500,000
- Navarro College: $429,800
- Northeast Texas Community College: $500,000
- San Jacinto Community College: $392,500
TRUE Pathways grant recipients:
- South Texas College: $152,640
- Texas State TechLamar State College-Port Arthur: $153,000
- McLennan Community College: $188,900
- North Central Texas College: $167,740
- Panola College: $196,000
- Tarrant County College District: $200,000
- Texas State Technical College: $186,000
Governor Abbott and the Texas Legislature established the TRUE Grant Program in 2021 to expand short-duration, high-value, industry-aligned credential programs.
Learn more about these grant programs at Texas Invests in Meaningful Employment (TIME) Grant 2026-2028 and TRUE Pathways Design and Planning Grant 2026-2027 – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Learn more about THECB’s grant opportunities at Institutional Grant Opportunities – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
