Federal Cancellations of Upward Bound Grants Signal Broader Threat to College Access Programs
May 30, 2025
Council for Opportunity in Education Condemns President Trump’s Proposal to Eliminate Federal TRIO Programs
May 2, 2025
Trump Administration Reverses Federal Grant Funding Freeze Amid Legal Challenges
January 30, 2025
Immediate Action Steps in Response to Federal Funding Freeze
January 28, 2025
Building a Strong Foundation for TRIO in the 119th Congress
January 17, 2025
Congress Averts Shutdown by Passing a Continuing Resolution for Funding Until December
October 2, 2024
Senate Committee Approves $20M Increase for TRIO Programs: Here’s How to Keep the Momentum
August 1, 2024
House Appropriations Subcommittee proposes 11% cut to LHHS budget; Slashes Federal Work Study and SEOG by 50%
June 26, 2024
House Appropriations Committee Threatens Harsh Cuts to LHHS Funding
May 22, 2024
Congress Averts Shutdown, Levels Funding for TRIO and GEAR UP Programs in FY24
March 23, 2024
President Biden Releases FY25 Budget Request to Congress
March 11, 2024
Congress Marches Towards Spring Finale for FY24 Appropriations
January 25, 2024
FY24 Funding Fight Paused Until Early 2024
November 30, 2023
House Elects U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (LA-4) as Speaker, Promise to Move FY24 Appropriations Bills Quickly Follows
October 31, 2023
FY24 Appropriations Process Stunted; Shutdown on the Horizon
September 25, 2023
House Subcommittee Level Funds TRIO in Bill That Cuts Overall FY24 Funding by 28%
July 18, 2023
TRIO SLATES
Educational opportunity outreach programs motivating and supporting students nationwide
Turn Your Member of Congress into a TRIO Champion
Equip your TRIO program with everything you need to turn a routine campus visit into a powerful advocacy opportunity.
Whether you’re inviting a freshman Representative home for First-Gen Celebration Day, rallying your local coalition, or hosting a key Appropriations Committee member, this guide turns every campus tour into an advocacy victory.
Inside this must-have resource, you’ll find:
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Visit Planning Blueprint: From coordinating with your institution’s government relations office to locking in the legislator’s schedule, our checklist ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
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Invitation Templates & Schedulers’ Contacts: Send a polished, professional invitation—complete with sample letters and guidance on how to engage the congressional scheduler.
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Day-Of Agenda & Engagement Tips: Craft an agenda that maximizes your Member’s time, from student testimonials and leadership remarks to hands-on demonstrations of TRIO in action.
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Branding & Visuals: Outfit students in TRIO swag, create welcome banners, and stage photo-ops that will make headlines.
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Media & Follow-Up Toolkit: Publicize the visit—download our ready-to-use press release and social media post templates, then keep the momentum going with thank-you letters, media clips, and periodic updates.
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Real-World Spotlights: See how programs from Alaska to Nevada have leveraged visits to secure champions on key congressional committees.
advocacy toolkit
Take Action Now!
The key to TRIO’s success in creating over 6 million first-generation college graduates has been the strength of our community’s advocacy. Be part of our collective effort to fight for more funding to expand access to these life-changing services and programs. Contact your House Representatives and Senators today and tell them that TRIO WORKS!
Contacts List
Let’s remind your Members of Congress that TRIO works!
Use the contact information for all congressional education staffers and schedulers by state and district.
Sample One-Pager
Now is the time to let your students and their stories shine!
Use this sample resource to share the successes of your students and programs with Members of Congress.
HELPFUL LINKS
COE offers resources to aid your TRIO advocacy.
- Schedulers and Education Legislative Assistants for All Members of Congress
- Find Your Member of Congress — House.gov (ZIP Code Lookup) or GovTrack.us (with Maps)
- Sample Program One-Pager
- Sample TRIO State Fact Book
trio map
The United States needs to boost both its academic and economic competitiveness globally.
More than 800,000 low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities — from sixth grade through college graduation — are served by over 3,100 programs nationally.
TRIO Caucus
Congressional Champions of TRIO
The Congressional TRIO Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress supportive of the Federal TRIO Programs and higher education access for low-income, first-generation, and disabled students.
TRIO Alumni
Here’s how you can get involved
Take action and tell your Member of Congress how TRIO works! The Take Action Now page will allow you to send a message on current TRIO issues in Congress. Use the toolkit below to stay in constant contact with Congress at each point in the appropriations process.
Support Us
If you are a student support services professional, thank you. You are an unsung hero for all the good that you do, and surely you know by now that COE has your back.
Partner
Through strategic collaborations, we work to strengthen quality, opportunity and access to education for all American students — the next generation of global leaders.
Join Us
Join more than 1,000 colleges and community agencies committed to postsecondary opportunity for low-income, first-generation students, students with disabilities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the Pacific Islands, and Puerto Rico!