Established in 2022, the Launch initiative is a national college and career pathways initiative that strives for every learner to have access to and succeed in high-quality pathways.

To tackle this challenge head-on, five leading career pathways organizations — Advance CTE, Education Strategy Group, ExcelinEd, Jobs for the Future (JFF), and New America — joined forces with six national funders —- the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Carnegie Corporation, Joyce Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation to execute this initiative. 

Launch site teams represent leaders from across 14 states, including state education and workforce agencies, K-12 districts, postsecondary institutions, policymakers, and other intermediary partners. Launch will harness the expertise of the five national partners and participating state and local leaders to elevate the levers that drive systems change and help state and local  sites create equitable, sustainable systems that are built to last.