Texas Talent Connection

What Texas Talent Connection does

Texas Talent Connection is a workforce development grant program administered by the Texas Workforce Investment Council on behalf of the Office of the Governor of Texas (Greg Abbott). It is funded by Wagner-Peyser 7(b) federal funds, which are statutorily allocated to each state's governor annually for exemplary workforce training and job placement initiatives. The program does not develop or sell a commercial product; it distributes grant funding to eligible applicants that include local workforce development boards, employers and employer organizations, institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, local school districts, and not-for-profit community-based organizations across Texas. Funded projects must lead to measurable outcomes in job placement, wage increases, and job retention, with additional priority given to projects serving workforce populations with special needs and to innovative or efficient service delivery models.

Grants are awarded through a competitive annual application cycle administered by the Texas Workforce Investment Council, with ongoing contract management handled by the Texas Workforce Commission. The program applies a tiered per-grantee funding cap structure: up to $350,000 in Year 1, $250,000 in Year 2, and $200,000 in Year 3, with annual reapplication required and no guarantee of continued award. There is no proprietary technology, software platform, or AI/ML capability associated with the program; it functions as a governmental grant administration and outreach operation rather than a technology or commercial services business. The program's distribution model is institutional — promoted through the Office of the Governor and the Texas Workforce Investment Council to the eligible applicant ecosystem — and its operating geography is strictly limited to Texas.

Name

Texas Talent Connection

Legal name

Texas Talent Connection Grant Program

Website

https://gov.texas.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Texas Talent Connection is a Texas state government workforce development grant program, funded by Wagner-Peyser 7(b) federal funds, that awards competitive annual grants of up to $350,000 to local workforce boards, employers, higher education institutions, and non-profits for job placement and training projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Grants

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC), Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO), Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

Keywords

• Workforce development grants
• Government funding programs
• Job training funding
• Employment services grants
• Wagner-Peyser funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others

Core offering

Texas Talent Connection is a workforce development grant program that awards Wagner-Peyser 7(b) federal funds to eligible Texas-based organizations for exemplary workforce training projects. The grants support job placement, increased wages, job retention, and innovative workforce service delivery for populations with special needs, with annual funding caps of $350,000 (year 1), $250,000 (year 2), and $200,000 (year 3).

Product overview

Texas Talent Connection is a grant program (not a software product) funded by Wagner-Peyser 7(b) federal funds. The program provides grants to eligible partnerships including local workforce boards, employers, institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, local school districts, and not-for-profit community-based organizations for workforce training and job placement services. Funding is limited to $350,000 per year for year 1 applicants, $250,000 for year 2, and $200,000 for year 3.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Texas Talent Connection Grant Program A workforce development grant program administered by the Texas Workforce Investment Council under the Office of the Governor that funds innovative workforce training projects for eligible Texas-based entities including local workforce boards, employers, institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, local school districts, and not-for-profit community-based organizations. Grants support job placement, increased wages, job retention, and services for workforce populations with special needs.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Local Workforce BoardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible applicants for Texas Talent Connection grants. These boards administer workforce development programs at the local level and can apply for funding to support innovative workforce training projects that lead to job placement and increased wages.
• Employers and Employer OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible applicants that can apply for Texas Talent Connection grants to support workforce training initiatives aimed at job placement, wage increases, and job retention for workers.
• Institutions of Higher EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible applicants including colleges and universities that can apply for workforce training grants to develop programs leading to job placement and increased wages for students and community members.
• Faith-Based OrganizationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible applicants for Texas Talent Connection grants that can deliver workforce services and training programs through innovative approaches to reach underserved populations.
• Local School DistrictssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible applicants that can apply for workforce training grants to support career and technical education programs leading to job placement and wage increases for students.
• Not-for-Profit Community-Based OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible applicants for Texas Talent Connection grants that can deliver workforce services efficiently and innovatively to serve workforce populations with special needs.
• Texas Workforce CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContract manager for existing Texas Talent Connection awards. The Texas Workforce Investment Council facilitates grant programs while the Commission handles ongoing award management and contract administration.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• California Employment Development Department (EDD): California's state workforce agency administers similar Wagner-Peyser funded employment and training services to those funded by Texas Talent Connection, but operates under a different state government outside Texas.
• New York State Department of Labor: New York's state labor agency runs workforce development and job placement programs funded by comparable federal Wagner-Peyser resources, making it a regional peer for Texas Talent Connection's mandate.

Others

• National Skills Coalition: National Skills Coalition advocates for federal and state workforce and skills training policy, with a focus on employer-led partnerships and sector strategies that closely mirror the Texas Talent Connection program design.
• U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration: ETA administers the Wagner-Peyser 7(b) funding that flows to Texas Talent Connection and runs the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs that overlap with the grant's workforce training mandate.
• Jobs for the Future: Jobs for the Future is a national nonprofit focused on workforce development and skills training, particularly for underserved populations, making it a thematic peer in driving workforce training outcomes similar to Texas Talent Connection's mission.
• WorkforceGPS: WorkforceGPS is a workforce development technical assistance portal supported by the U.S. Department of Labor, providing resources and training content that supplements the on-the-ground services funded by Texas Talent Connection.

Direct peers

• American Job Centers: Federally funded American Job Centers provide job placement, workforce training, and employment services across the country, with a mission profile that overlaps Texas Talent Connection's job placement and training outcomes.
• Texas Workforce Commission: TWC is the state agency that administers the Texas Talent Connection contracts and oversees Texas workforce development programs, making it the most direct operational peer for the grant program.
• Workforce Solutions (Texas Workforce Development Boards): Local Workforce Development Boards across Texas are eligible applicants and primary delivery vehicles for Texas Talent Connection-funded projects, making them direct peer intermediaries in the same program pipeline.
• CareerOneStop: CareerOneStop is the U.S. Department of Labor's flagship employment and training portal, offering job search, training, and workforce services funded in part by Wagner-Peyser Act resources comparable to those funding Texas Talent Connection.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/govabbottpress
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqTttg2CGGqDmMYR1S0q5Hw
• Facebookfacebook.com/TexasGovernor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/office-of-the-governor-state-of-texas
• Instagraminstagram.com/govabbott

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Texas Talent Connection