August 12, 2025

Leading the News this Week

Thursday of last week, President Donald Trump signed the executive order titled Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking. This executive order aims to reorganize the grant-making process across federal agencies so that they and recipients meet the administration's goals and avoid duplicative efforts. Moreover, this executive order stated its intention to broaden the pool of recipients instead of awarding the same select awardees. Continue to the next section for additional information.

News in Higher Education

WEBINAR HAPPENING TOMORROW: Navigating the Federal Grant Landscape

Please join us on Aug 13th, 2:30 PM- 4 PM ET  for the third and final session of our three-part Advocacy Training series. In this webinar, Seventh Street Strategies will share information based on their first-hand knowledge of the federal grant system at the U.S. Department of Education. Topics will include tools, tips, and tricks for federal grant applications as well as an overview of the rapidly changing approach to federal grants under the current administration. Click here to register and click here for additional information on this webinar series.

Please note that this series is for ACCT members only. Sessions will be interactive and will not be recorded. 

Latest Executive Order: Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

On August 7, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the executive order titled Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking. This order:

• Lists instructions for creating a process for reviewing new funding opportunity announcements and reviewing discretionary grants to ensure that they are consistent with agency priorities and national interest.
• The review funding opportunity announcements and related forms are written in plain language to minimize “the need for legal or technical expertise in drafting an application.”
• Features interagency coordination to prevent redundancy.
• Implements a pause on announcing new funding opportunities without prior approval from the senior appointee who is responsible for creating the process to review such new funding opportunities.

Grant proposals must advance the President’s priorities, and the award cannot be used to promote, subsidize, or facilitate:

• Racial preferences
• The notion that biological sex is a chosen characteristic
• Illegal immigration
• Initiatives that compromise public safety
• Anti-American values

Senate Labor HHS Appropriations Bill At a Glance

On July 31st, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up and reported the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill. Overall, the Senate LHHS appropriations bill seeks to level fund most of the higher education programs. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee proposed to reduce the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) by 4.5 percent ($5 million) while increasing the Post Secondary Student Success Grant by $5 million (11 percent increase). Click here to view the Senate plan at a glance.

ICYMI: Webinar on Title III Grant Funding Opportunities in FY 25

Last week ACCT hosted Dr. Chris McCaghren, Acting Assistant Secretary from the Office of Postsecondary Education for an overview of the recently opened Title III grant competitions (more information on these grants in the next section) geared towards building institutional strength and promoting student success.

The webinar provided opportunities for community colleges to learn about new priorities for the competitions and best practices when completing the application. We encourage new and returning applicants to attend.

The deadline for the open Title III Grants is August 13th.

Click here for the recording of this webinar.

Grant Opportunities

Please review the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education's Community College webpage for new grants community colleges are eligible for.

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Program 

The AANAPISI Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education to enable them to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students. Institutions may use these grants to plan, develop, or implement activities that strengthen the institution's services, leading to student success. The closing date for this grant is August 13. Click here ​​​​​for additional information.

Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH) Program, Part A 

The ANNH Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education to enable them to improve and expand their capacity to serve Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students. Institutions may use these grants to plan, develop, or implement activities that strengthen the institution. The closing date for this grant is August 13. Click here ​​​​​for additional information.

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program 

The NASNTI Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education to enable them to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals. Institutions may use the grants to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native American and low-income students. The closing date for this grant is August 13. Click here ​​​​​​for additional information.

Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) into Higher Education 

The purpose of the TPSID program is to support model demonstration programs that promote the successful transition of students with intellectual disabilities into higher education and to enable institutions of higher education (IHEs), or consortia of IHEs, to create or expand high-quality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. The closing date for this grant is August 13. Click here for additional information.

• Aug 13th, 2:30 PM ET - 4:00 PM ET: Navigating the Federal Grant Landscape
• Aug 13th: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program, Part A Grant Deadline
• Aug 13th: Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program Grant Deadline
• Aug 13th: Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant Deadline
• Aug 13th: Transition Programs for Students With Intellectual Disabilities Into Higher Education Grant Deadline
• Sep 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• October 22 - 25: ACCT Leadership Congress

Outreach Efforts

Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?

We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. 

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.

Have a Question?

Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges.

If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy

Spread the Word.

Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) Alert network. To join, simply register here. 

For more community college news from inside the beltway, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, or like us Facebook.