News & Impact/Advocacy Update/

Federal Cancellations of Upward Bound Grants Signal Broader Threat to College Access Programs

May 30, 2025 — by Kimberly Jones

Earlier today, Upward Bound programs across the country began receiving their long-anticipated continuation award notifications from the U.S. Department of Education. But alongside welcome news of funding extensions, at least three programs with June 1 start dates were met with a deeply troubling surprise: official letters of cancellation.

Earlier today, continuation award notifications for Upward Bound projects with June 1 start dates began to go out. However, we have also received troubling news: at least three projects with June 1 start dates have been given cancellation letters from the Department of Education. The justification for these cancellations is that, in the view of the current administration, these grants “violate the letter or purpose of Federal civil rights law; conflict with the Department’s policy of prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education; undermine the well-being of the students these programs are intended to help; or constitute an inappropriate use of federal funds.”

We expect similar cancellations to be issued not only for additional Upward Bound grants but across all TRIO grant programs. We also anticipate that this reasoning may impact the results of the Student Support Services grant competition.

This alarming development underscores the need for immediate and coordinated action. Therefore, COE leadership invites you to join us on Wednesday, June 4, at 5:00 p.m. ET for a Government Relations Community Update for the entire TRIO community. During this critical update on Wednesday, we will share the latest information from the field, discuss the implications for all TRIO programs, and outline the steps COE is taking towards the continuity of services for students.

Your participation is important. Now more than ever, a unified TRIO voice is essential.

Get in Touch

Questions? Contact COE Vice President for Public Policy Diane Shust.

Diane Shust

Vice President, Public Policy [email protected]

Owen Toomey

Director, Congressional Affairs [email protected]soci

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