ED Awards TRIO Grants to Hundreds of Colleges

The Department of Education announced more than $186 million in TRIO Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers grants, even though the Federal TRIO programs were moved to the Department of Labor in an Interagency Agreement, easing concerns that the administration might redirect funding away from existing college-access programs. Colleges and universities represent more than 80% of recipients announced so far. The Department has until the end of September to announce additional awards. While advocates welcomed the continuation of hundreds of programs, they noted that changes to the competitions have reduced the number of awards and directed some larger grants to states and workforce-focused initiatives, leaving uncertainty for previous grantees that have not yet received funding.