The grant will also support Montana colleges to align short-term credentials with the new, federal Workforce Pell program.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 11, 2025) — Education Design Lab (the Lab) is excited to announce the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation has awarded nearly $2.5 million over the next two years to support the Lab’s efforts to design, implement, and scale pathways that equip New Majority Learner-Earners in Montana with the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing skills-based economy.
The funding builds on the foundation’s previous investment in Montana’s “Year-to-Career” (Y2C) initiative, a collaborative, first-of-its-kind effort between the Lab, the Montana University System (MUS), Montana’s Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), and community colleges.
In Phase I, community college leaders, industry partners, and learners used the Lab’s human-centered design framework to build 11 micro-pathways — flexible, stackable credentials that can be achieved in about one year — for careers in healthcare, the trades, and education. These micro-pathways put learners on the path to an associate degree, to immediate employment in a high-demand field, and in some cases both. More insights and outcomes from Y2C are summarized in this impact brief, Building Capacity for Innovation Across Montana’s Community College System, which was supported through a grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.
“The micro-pathway development work with Education Design Lab has been transformative for Montana University System campuses,” said Dr. Angela McLean, Director of American Indian and Minority Achievement and K-12 Partnerships, Montana University System, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. “The Lab’s designers help bridge key gaps for our colleges and employers to serve students and fill workforce needs. We are thankful for the strong partnership with the MUS and look forward to Phase II of this important work with campuses and employers across the state.”
“The Lab’s role as a convener of educators and employers is a needed catalyst to explore how we meet Montana’s job demands for today and tomorrow,” said Jon Bennion, Executive Director of the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. “This micro-pathway approach quickly opens career avenues to students who are interested in getting in the workforce within months, not years. The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is thrilled to continue funding the Lab’s important work.”
Why it matters
“The Lab’s partnership with Montana’s colleges is about unlocking possibilities for learners and communities across the state,” said Dr. Lisa Larson, CEO of Education Design Lab. “Together, we are designing micro-pathways that honor the strengths of the colleges while opening doors to high-demand careers that offer family-sustaining wages. In places where distance, cost, and life responsibilities often block traditional college paths, these credentials open doors to opportunities that fit real lives and immediate needs.”
The grant will also support the colleges to align their courses with the requirements of the new Workforce Pell program, the first-ever federal funding stream specifically designed to cover the costs of short-term training programs.
What’s next
One of the most significant milestones in the Y2C initiative came when Salish Kootenai College became the first tribal college in the country to design and launch micro-pathways with the Lab. Building on this momentum, three additional tribal colleges have joined Phase II of this initiative, which aims to expand the college-to-career pipeline across the state.
“For Phase II, we’ve identified three strategic priorities prompted from the challenges and opportunities we observed in Phase I,” said Dr. Minzi Thomas, a senior education designer leading the Lab’s work in Montana. “Priorities include the design of dual enrollment pathways and additional programs in skilled trades and behavioral health; a statewide marketing campaign to raise awareness for short-term credentials while increasing access; and a tribal college design sprint to identify the skills and credentials that best support economic mobility in the cultural contexts of tribal communities.”
About the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation
The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is the principal philanthropic arm of the Washington Companies and the Washington family. Established in 1988, the Foundation invests in people to improve the quality of their lives, with grantmaking focused on education, health and human services, arts and culture, and community service. Since its founding, the Foundation has provided more than $499 million in grants and scholarships to organizations and students, with a focus on underserved and rural communities. Learn more at dpwfoundation.org
About the Montana University System
The Montana University System (MUS) is the state’s system of public colleges and universities, which together serve more than 40,000 students statewide. Under the direction of the Montana Board of Regents, the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (“OCHE”) provides strategic direction and coordinates the overall structure, function, and budget of Montana’s dynamic collection of post-secondary institutions. This includes leading public research and doctoral-level institutions and comprehensive 4-year and 2-year colleges and universities.
About Education Design Lab
Education Design Lab (the Lab) is a national nonprofit and intermediary with a mission to co-design an inclusive, skills-based learn+work system that facilitates upward economic mobility and closes opportunity gaps for the New Majority Learner-Earner. To date, the Lab’s Community College Growth Engine has engaged more than 130 colleges, which have designed 300+ micro-pathways to high-demand careers since 2020.
GO DEEPER: The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is just one of the Lab’s current list of funders.
