Building Statewide Success Through Short-Term Credentials

As state leaders in business and higher education look for more effective ways to align educational pathways with evolving workforce demands, short-term credentials have emerged as a major area of growth. A 2024 report by HCM Strategists found that states are now investing more than $5.6 billion in short-term credentialing efforts across 70 initiatives in 32 states.

Despite this growing investment, many states still lack critical insights into how these credentials align with labor market needs, how they support long-term student success, and how they contribute to state economic goals.

Introducing: FutureReady States

In July 2025, Lumina Foundation launched FutureReady States—a national initiative aimed at ensuring that short-term credentials deliver real economic value for working adults and state economies.

As one of just five organizations funded to take on this work, BHEF is providing technical assistance and capacity-building support to help select states:

Review and assess current policies, practices, and investments in short-term credentials
Set clear, state-specific goals
Develop integrated strategies—combining policy, practice, and data—to expand access to high-value, industry-aligned credentials

BHEF Partners with Texas, New Jersey, and Connecticut

BHEF joins this effort as the only grantee explicitly committed to integrating employer voices into every phase of this work. Building on our deep state-level expertise, we will help design and implement effective education and workforce strategies in:

Texas, a leader in outcomes-driven, workforce-aligned education policy and funding, where BHEF will focus on supporting strategies in response to the state’s outcomes-based community college funding formula and newly refined Credentials of Value framework and methodology. Working alongside key partners, Texas Success Center and the Texas Association of Community Colleges, BHEF will help local colleges find ways to align institutional programs, policies, and reporting practices to ensure students receive credentials that prepare them for high-demand careers that lead to upward mobility.
New Jersey, where lead partners at the New Jersey Council of County Colleges will work with BHEF to evaluate current credential investments, create an action plan to improve how state investments can benefit students, and identify data strategies to track student outcomes. Together, this state team will ensure that New Jersey has clear, ambitious goals and strategies to increase learner attainment of high-quality non-degree credentials and achieve further economic or educational milestones that lead to long-term prosperity.
Connecticut, where BHEF will focus on unifying the state’s approach to defining, scaling, and increasing data transparency of credentials of value. Spearheaded by key partners within the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy, this team will seek to make Connecticut a top-talent destination through the creation of a comprehensive state plan.

Though this project, we seek to help states harness the full potential of short-term credentials to meet workforce demands, strengthen local communities, and improve economic outcomes for residents.

Announcement & Resources

Key Staff

Carrie Samson, Director

Jennifer Thornton, SVP & Chief Programs Officer