News & Impact/Advocacy Update/

Senate Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill to Sustain TRIO Funding at $1.2 Billion for FY 2026

July 31, 2025 — by Kimberly Jones

While there are many more steps until the appropriations process for FY26 is complete, this is a monumental first step that bodes well for our future.

Today, by a vote of 26-3, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (“LHHS”) Appropriations bill. This bipartisan measure sustains TRIO funding at $1.2 billion for the 2026-2027 program year.

The legislation also provides level-funding for several other higher education programs, including GEAR UP (funded at $330 million), Federal Work-Study (funded at $1.2 billion), Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants ($910 million), and CCAMPIS (funded at $75 million). The bill also maintains the maximum Pell Grant award of $7,395.

In addition to maintaining funds to support TRIO in FY26, the legislation also includes report language that instructs the Department to (1) fund each of the individual TRIO programs at current levels, (2) “ensure that the notices inviting applications for new awards for the Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers grant competitions are published no later than December 1, 2025” and (3)  “take steps necessary to issue grant award notifications for all TRIO programs (both new and non-competing continuation award notices) no later than June 30, 2026.”

In this climate, in which the Administration has called for the elimination of TRIO, both this funding level and the accompanying report language are tremendous victories that are directly attributable to the outstanding advocacy by our community. While there are many more steps until the appropriations process for FY26 is complete, this is a monumental first step that bodes well for our future.

Throughout the month of August, your legislators will be in their home states and Districts. We must take advantage of this opportunity to get in front of them (at townhalls, through program site visits, etc.) as they will begin work to finalize the appropriations process when they return to DC this fall. Please see our Congressional Outreach Packet and Summer Advocacy Blueprint for information about how you can engage with your Members of Congress in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, if your Senator is a Member of the Appropriations Committee, please be sure to contact their offices as soon as possible to express your thanks for their work in fighting to protect and defend TRIO students and programs.

All members of our community are encouraged to continue to reach out to their Members of Congress – in both the House and the Senate – to urge them secure an immediate release of the Grant Award Notifications for the remaining TRIO programs to avoid any interruption of services to our students. Find contact information for the staff within your legislators’ offices here.

Get in Touch

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

Diane Shust

Vice President, Public Policy [email protected]

Vacant

Director, Congressional Affairs

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