The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved a package of agreements that will put three community programs under the same initiative to support what city leaders call the cradle-to-career pipeline.

In his third inauguration address earlier this year, Mayor Randall Woodfin said a top priority of his administration would be supporting the city’s young people from birth to the moment they enter the workforce. That could mean pre-K education programs, mental health services for middle schoolers or trade apprenticeships for high schoolers nearing graduation.

The measures approved Tuesday will put the three programs under the Reinvest Birmingham initiative. The initiative will use $20 million in federal grant money to support the persistently distressed neighborhoods of North Birmingham, Northside, Pratt and Smithfield. The grants originate from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Distressed Area Recompete program.

Under the first agreement approved Tuesday, the Birmingham-based nonprofit Childcare Resources Inc. will work to expand access to affordable child care and help new entrepreneurs start child care businesses. The efforts will be funded by $644,784 from the Recompete program.

The second agreement is a partnership with Birmingham Promise in which the city will provide $400,000 from Recompete to expand Jackson-Olin High School’s work-based learning and apprenticeship program. According to city staff, Tuesday’s vote will expand student internships and add 200 work-based learning opportunities for students.

“I’m excited to see this kind of investment for our young people on the west side,” said Councilor Sonja Smith, who represents the district. “By expanding these work-based learning programs and internship opportunities at Jackson-Olin, we are providing hundreds of students with hands-on STEM experience and clear pathways to future careers. This is the kind of investment that can change lives and open new doors for young people as they enter the workforce.”

The third agreement approved Tuesday will give the Women’s Foundation of Alabama $2.2 million in Recompete grants to expand access to affordable child care “by connecting child care providers with training, technical assistance and financial resources to start, maintain, and grow sustainable child care programs,” according to the council’s agenda.

City officials say the grant money will serve 10 existing businesses and 15 new businesses through the child care accelerator program.

City leaders also say they have integrated the Reinvest Birmingham plan with a $50 million Choice Neighborhoods grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. By aligning housing redevelopment with workforce training, officials said, the city aims to ensure that physical neighborhood improvements happen in tandem with economic opportunities for the people living there.