The article discusses state support for universities implementing lifelong education programs for adults in 2019 under the federal project «New Opportunities for Everyone». The aim of research was to identify the pattern of synergies between the outcomes of universities’ participation in the project and conditions for the development of the lifelong education system in regions. We compared the data on the scale of lifelong education and of the project’s funding with the socio-economic indicators of the Russian regions. The study showed that state subsidies for higher education institutions encourage them to further increase the scale of adult education by raising co-funding from the real sector of the economy. To develop lifelong education and raise non-public funds, universities are actively using their previously acquired experience of interacting with employers. Universities that develop programs of additional vocational training most actively are those that are least focused on research activities. At the same time, universities’ willingness to participate in the federal project shows their interest in attracting new student audience. Our correlation analysis has revealed a relationship between the results of the federal project and socio-economic indicators of Russian regions. The article offers recommendations for enhancing the efficiency of the federal project and for stimulating the development of lifelong learning system at universities with a focus on the needs of regional economies.