Advance Together: Community participants
Community participants
Note: The application period for the second round (2025–28) of Advance Together will open in September 2024.
Pilot round: 2021–23
Four community partnerships were selected for the pilot round of Advance Together. They represent a diversity of communities—urban, suburban and rural—from across the state. Each partnership connects leaders from education, business, nonprofits, government and the community. All are committed to working together to build a brighter future for everyone in Texas.
Over three years, each partnership received $300,000 in external funding to implement their plans to address education and workforce challenges in their community, as well as training and coaching to increase the impact of their programs.
Education Partnership of the Permian Basin seeks to improve educational outcomes for all students in the Permian Basin, starting with at-risk youth.
- Partners: Education Partnership of the Permian Basin, United Way of Midland, ACCESS for SUCCESS, Star Tech Group, Midland ISD, Ector County ISD, Midland College, University of Texas Permian Basin, Region 18 ESC, Odessa College
Big Country Manufacturing Alliance is focused on increasing employment in middle-skill, high-wage manufacturing careers in West Central Texas, especially in rural areas.
- Partners: Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas, Region 14 Education Service Center (ESC), Ludlum Measurements, Inc., R. E. Dye Manufacturing, BWJ Metalworks L.L.C., Rentech Boiler Systems, USG Corp., Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development Municipal Development District, RAM Inc., Abilene Industrial Foundation
Family Pathways 2-Gen Coalition is helping Austin-area parents improve educational skills and become economically stable while addressing their children’s developmental needs.
- Partners: United Way for Greater Austin, Austin Community College, Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Child Inc., Housing Authority of the City of Austin, University of Texas – Ray Marshall Center, City of Austin Office of Economic Development, Travis County Health & Human Services
Deep East Texas College and Career Alliance seeks to improve career pathways for low socioeconomic students of color in Deep East Texas through college or industry-based certifications.
- Partners: Jasper ISD, Burkeville ISD, Kirbyville ISD, Newton ISD, Spurger ISD, Woodville ISD, Jasper Higher Education Foundation, Jasper County EDC, Workforce Solutions Deep East Texas, Lamar Institute of Technology