Hi community college leader, Don't miss upcoming deadlines, the June 4 ED webinar, and major changes coming to student financial aid.
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June 1, 2026
Leading the News this Week
Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Pre-Application Webinar
The U.S. Department of Education will host a Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Pre-Application Webinar on Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 1:30–3:30 p.m. ET. The session will provide an overview of eligibility requirements, application procedures, competitive priorities, and strategies for developing a strong proposal for the FY26 SIP competition. Community colleges interested in pursuing SIP funding are strongly encouraged to attend.
ACCT strongly encourages all eligible community colleges -- including Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) -- to apply for SIP.
Access webinar information here.
Read on for more news this week.
News in Higher Education
New Grant Competition Open for Student Success
The U.S. Department of Education has opened the Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) competition, making $45 million available to support evidence-based strategies that improve student outcomes and postsecondary completion rates. As the final FY26 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) competition, PSSG provides community colleges with an opportunity to secure federal funding for innovative student success initiatives. Colleges interested in applying should act quickly due to the short application window. Applications are due June 29, 2026.
New Blog - Grant Opportunity for Eligible Community Colleges: The Strengthening Institutions Program
A new ACCT blog by Amanda Fuchs Miller, President of Seventh Street Strategies, highlights key information community colleges should know about the FY26 Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) competition. The Department of Education has opened the competition and eligible institutions have until June 23, 2026 to apply.
The blog explains eligibility requirements, allowable uses of funding, competitive preference priorities, and recent changes that have significantly increased available funding for the program. Colleges may receive additional points for projects focused on workforce development, Workforce Pell-eligible programs, or artificial intelligence initiatives, while rural-serving institutions may also have a competitive advantage. With awards expected to average approximately $3 million for individual grants and $4 million for cooperative grants over five years, SIP represents one of the largest federal funding opportunities currently available to community colleges.
New Blog: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Grant Programs
ACCT also published a second blog today by Amanda Fuchs Miller highlighting several Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) grant opportunities available to community colleges this year. Together, these programs provide more than $100 million in funding to support student success, workforce development, basic needs programs, veteran services, rural education initiatives, and open educational resources.
Amanda notes that many of this year's competitions prioritize work-based learning, career readiness, Workforce Pell-aligned programs, partnerships with state agencies and workforce boards, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education. Key opportunities include the Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) Program ($45 million), Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) Grant Program ($45 million), Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program ($10 million), Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program ($9 million), and Open Textbook Pilot Program ($7 million). Most applications are due June 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET, while the Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) deadline is June 29, 2026.
White House Proposes Greater Political Oversight of Federal Grants
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released proposed regulations outlining how federal agencies would implement President Trump's directive to place political appointees in a more direct role overseeing federal grantmaking decisions. The proposal would establish new procedures for reviewing grant awards and priorities across federal agencies. The proposed rules also eliminate a previously discussed effort to cap indirect cost rates on federal grants.
The proposal could affect how federal grant priorities are set and how funding decisions are reviewed across agencies. Comments are due July 13, 2026.
Major Changes Coming to Federal Student Aid
Beginning July 1, significant changes to the federal student financial aid system are scheduled to take effect. The updates will impact loan repayment options, borrowing limits, Workforce Pell implementation, and new accountability measures for institutions. The Department of Education continues to release guidance and technical assistance resources to support colleges through the transition.
To help colleges prepare, the Department of Education is hosting a series of webinars and office hours throughout June and July, covering topics such as Workforce Pell, loan repayment changes, accountability requirements, and new reporting expectations. Institutions are encouraged to review available guidance and participate in these sessions as implementation approaches.
ED Webinars on One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The Department of Education will host webinars and office hour sessions to provide information and assistance on new higher education law going into effect this year. These will each be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern:
- Wednesday, June 3 - Loan Repayment Plans and Other Loan Changes
- Wednesday, June 20 - Loan Limits and Reductions
- Wednesday, June 24 - Workforce Pell: Program Eligibility, Awarding, and Accountability
- Wednesday, July 8 - STATS and Earnings Accountability: Reporting, Metric Calculation, and Appeals
The Department will hold participation on a first-come, first-serve basis for 10,000 attendees per session. No registration is required.
There will also be individual hour-long sessions to serve as office hours:
Recordings of both the webinar and virtual office hours will be available through the FSA Training Center.
Grant Opportunities
Please review the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education's Community College webpage for other grants community colleges are eligible for. These below are the top highlights:
Strengthening Institutions Program
The Office of Postsecondary Education opened the FY 2026 Strengthening Institutions Program competition to help eligible institutions improve academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability for institutions with a large share of low-income students and low expenditures per student. To be eligible, institutions must have completed the eligibility application by April 23. The final eligibility list will be released in "late May." The SIP competition itself will provide nearly $366 million, providing an estimated 600 grants of $3-$5 million for five years each. Congress enacted $102,070,000 for SIP in FY26.
The Department of Education (ED) deems that Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) programs are unconstitutional. ED appears to be using a one-time congressional flexibility to move funds from MSI programs to SIP, although it is currently unclear how much funding will be drawn from each MSI program.
ACCT strongly encourages all eligible community colleges -- including MSIs-- to apply for SIP
This year, applicants may earn up to five points from one of these competitive preference priorities:
- Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness,
- Developing high-quality short-term programs that meet Workforce Pell Grant requirements, or
- Advancing Artificial Intelligence in Education.
Applicants may also earn 0 or 10 points for serving a rural population.
The deadline to apply is June 23, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office of Postsecondary Education released released $10 million for the Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program competition. ED expects to make 10 awards ranging from $1 million to $5 million to support programs that address students’ basic needs and improve postsecondary success outcomes. This year's competitive preference provides 0 or 10 points to state agencies or Native American tribes. Thus, community colleges may wish to partner with these entities to increase their chances of winning funds. The deadline to apply is June 23, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program
The Office of Postsecondary Education announced $45 million is available for the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program. The purpose of this grant is to "improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion among rural students through development of career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations in the region." The Department of Education expects to make 300 awards through this initiative. Entities identified, designated, or endorsed by a Governor or chief State education official to implement the project can earn 0 or 10 points for this year's competitive preference priority. The deadline to apply is June 23, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program
The Office of Postsecondary Education announced $9 million is available for the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program. The aim of this grant is to encourage institutions of higher education to develop model programs to support veteran student success. The Department of Education expects to make 4 awards through this initiative. Projects that promote workforce development programs, offer career and college advising, and/or provide opportunities for students to use financial tools to compare the costs and benefits of career opportunities can earn up to 10 points for this year's competitive preference priority. The deadline to apply is June 23, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education (TGIY) Program
The Office of Postsecondary Education announced $5 million are available for the FY 2026 Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education (TGIY) Program competition. The Department of Education expects to make four awards through this initiative, which supports programs helping gang-involved youth transition into higher education opportunities. Applicants can earn 0 or 10 points for this year's competitive preference priority: "Projects or proposals that will be carried out by entities identified, designated, or endorsed by a Governor or chief State education official for purposes of implementing the project or proposal." The deadline to apply is June 23, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Open Textbook Pilot Program
The Office of Postsecondary Education announced $7 million is available for the Open Textbook Pilot Program. The goal of this program is to support recipients with projects that "create new open textbooks and expand the use of open textbooks and course materials in courses that are part of a degree-granting program, particularly those with high enrollments. This pilot program emphasizes the development of projects that demonstrate the greatest potential to achieve the highest level of savings for students through sustainable, expanded use of open textbooks in high-enrollment courses or in programs that prepare individuals for in-demand fields." The Department of Education expects to make four awards through this initiative. Projects carried out by state higher education agencies can earn 0 or 10 points for this year's competitive preference priority, and proposals that advance artificial intelligence can earn up to 10 points. The deadline to apply is June 23, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released this year’s competition for Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS). This year, ED expects to make 148 awards between $150,000 to $1,000,000 for four-year grants to colleges with at least $250,000 in Pell Grant funding to support child care for parenting low-income students. Here is an FAQ from ED. The deadline to apply is May 29, 2026.
High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)
New federal grant opportunities have opened for institutions serving migrant and underserved student populations. The Department of Education has opened competitions for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), both of which provide academic and support services to migrant and seasonal farmworker students pursuing postsecondary education. The deadline to submit an application for HEP and CAMP is June 12, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
Postsecondary Student Success Grants (PSSG)
PSSG provides a total of $45 million this year in grants to evidence-based strategies to increase student persistence and college completion. Community colleges have won many of the grants in the first several rounds of the competition. Learn more here. The deadline is June 29, 2026.
AI Upskill Accelerator Pilot grant opportunity
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a grant aimed at strengthening workforce development and artificial intelligence training initiatives. Higher education advocates note these programs could provide important funding opportunities for community colleges seeking to expand student support services and workforce training programs. The deadline to submit an application is July 10, 2026, 4:59 PM ET via the EDGE submission portal.
- June 3, 11 AM to 12:30 PM ET - ED Webinar: Loan Repayment Plans and Other Loan Changes
- June 4, 2026, 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET - ED Webinar on SIP program
- June 5, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 5, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
- June 8, 2026, 3–4 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 12, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 12, 11:59 PM ET HEP Grant Application Closes
- June 12, 11:59 PM ET CAMP Grant Application Closes
- June 16, 2026, 3–4 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 18, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 20, 11 AM to 12:30 PM ET - ED Webinar: Loan Limits and Reductions
- June 22, 2026, 3–4 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 23, 11:59 PM ET
- Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP)
- Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program
- Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program
- Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program
- Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education (TGIY) Program
- Open Textbook Pilot Program
- June 24, 11 AM to 12:30 PM ET - ED Webinar: Workforce Pell: Program Eligibility, Awarding, and Accountability
- June 26, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- June 30, 2026, 3–4 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- July 8, 11 AM to 12:30 PM ET - ED Webinar: STATS and Earnings Accountability: Reporting, Metric Calculation, and Appeals
- July 2, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- July 6, 2026, 3–4 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- July 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET - ED Office Hours
- July 10, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
- July 10, 4:59 PM ET AI Upskill Accelerator Pilot Program Application Closes
- August 7, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
- September 4, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
- October 2, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
- October 21-24 ACCT Leadership Congress
- November 6, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
- December 4, 1-2 PM ET LAW Live
Outreach Efforts
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ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW:
Would you Like a Federal Update Session for Your Team?
Both this new presidential administration and new Congress have brought with them a flurry of developments in the federal landscape that can make keeping up a monumental task. ACCT's Government Relations team is here to help by offering a 45-minute to an-hour federal update session to community college leadership teams who are ACCT members. To request a session, fill out this form and please email publicpolicy@acct.org with any questions.
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