More than 170 organizations—including colleges, education advocates, civil rights groups, unions, and businesses—urge Congress to fully fund the Pell Grant program and reject any proposed eligibility cuts, emphasizing that over seven million students depend on these grants to afford college. With the Congressional Budget Office projecting a $2.7 billion funding shortfall by the end of FY25 and $10.3 billion by FY26, the coalition calls for new mandatory funding to cover the gap without harming student access. They stress that cutting eligibility would raise costs for families, lower enrollment and graduation rates, and ultimately harm the economy. Maintaining and strengthening Pell Grants, they argue, is a smart, targeted investment in the workforce, economic growth, and educational opportunity.
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