Protecting and Strengthening the Pell Grant: Advocacy Resources

The Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget appropriations process is underway, and we’re in a critical window for advocacy to address the Pell Grant shortfall. The House of Representatives has already approved its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. While we don't yet know when to expect a Senate bill, we do know that the decisions Congress makes in the coming weeks will shape the future of the Pell Grant and the 7.2 million students who rely on it annually.

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is urging Congress to fully fund the Pell Grant in FY27 to address the program's projected funding shortfall and protect students from cuts to aid or eligibility. This web page includes resources to help NCAN members and policy advocates engage with lawmakers and make the case for protecting and strengthening the Pell Grant.

Advocating for Pell is simple:

Schedule meetings with your federal policymakers (virtually or in person, if possible).
Conduct meetings to educate policymakers and their staff about the need to fully fund Pell and restore the award’s purchasing power.
Share your advocacy efforts and meeting notes with NCAN so we can track our collective reach and impact.

Together, we can ensure Congress understands the vital role Pell Grants play in expanding college access, affordability, and student success.

Recent News: House Appropriations Committee Advances FY27 LHHS Appropriations Bill

On June 5, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) voted to advance its FY27 LHHS appropriations bill, which was approved by the full House Appropriations Committee on June 9, on a party-line vote. The bill provides more than $15 billion in mandatory spending to address the Pell Grant shortfall and increases the maximum award by $50. The catch? The House pays for the shortfall by eliminating subsidized federal student loans – a move that NCAN estimates will add $5,000 in debt for each borrower.

The House bill is the first volley in what is sure to be a lengthy process to finalize the federal FY27 budget. We need your support to ensure the final bill addresses the Pell Grant shortfall, strengthens the purchasing power of the award, and protects students from harmful cuts to other critical sources of federal aid.

Why Your Voice Matters

Every day, NCAN members see how Pell Grants help students enroll in and complete postsecondary education and training. Members of Congress need to hear directly from organizations serving students in their states and districts, especially as appropriators and education committee leaders negotiate FY27 funding priorities.

Meet With Your Members of Congress

Everything you need to plan, prepare for, and conduct effective meetings with policymakers is linked below.

Hill Contacts: Reach out to NCAN’s Policy Team to get the contacts of the education staffers in the offices of your Members of Congress (contact Louisa Woodhouse at [email protected]).
Email Template: You can use this email template for Hill outreach – and be sure to customize as needed.
Meeting Tracker: Please use this shared sheet to document your outreach and Hill meetings.

Talking Points and Research Materials

Talking Points and Advocacy Materials

Use these Pell Grant talking points to prepare for conversations with policymakers.
You can also share NCAN’s Policy Priorities one-pager as a leave-behind resource following your Hill meetings.

Data and Research

As you prepare for meetings with policymakers, we recommend using data points from the following resources:

NCAN’s recent Pell Grant analysis: Use the Tableau map to explore how many students receive Pell in your state and district, and how they would benefit if Pell kept pace with inflation!
NCAN’s Economic Value of Postsecondary Education state profiles: Check out the state profiles to see how your state economy benefits when residents complete higher education.
NCAN’s College Affordability state profiles: Explore data from NCAN’s annual Affordability Gap analysis.

Key States and Committees for Pell Advocacy

In the coming weeks and months, NCAN is focused on outreach the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and especially Republican Members of Congress, as they hold the majority in both chambers. We’re particularly seeking advocacy support from members and students in the following states, where elected officials play a key role in shaping federal higher education funding:

Alabama
Georgia
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Mississippi
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
West Virginia

Recent Pell Updates

House GOP FY27 Spending Bill Approved by Committee (June 10, 2026)
House FY27 Spending Bill Invests in Pell But Takes Axe to Loans (June 4, 2026)
Reimagining Access and Opportunity Through Pell-Eligible Voices (April 16, 2026)
Pell to President (April 15, 2026)
Trump Budget Holds Pell Steady - But Years of Flat Funding Has Already Cost Students (April 3, 2026)
NCAN Statement on Pell Grant Funding and the President’s FY 2027 Budget (April 3, 2026)
Congress Wisely Expanded Pell Grants, Now Funding Must Keep Up (March 16, 2026)
New CBO Projection Sets up Pell Grant Funding Battle (February 13, 2026)
CBO Predicts Pell Surplus Will Be Depleted This Year (February 10, 2025)

How Big an Economic Boost do Pell Grants Provide Your State and Congressional District?

Questions?

Reach out to Louisa Woodhouse, Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy, at [email protected].