NEC Continues to Urge Congress to Increase Pell Grant
The New England Council has long supported continued investment in the federal Pell Grant program, which provides financial assistance for low-income students to pursue higher education.
Building on that support, in May 2024, the Council sent a letter to each member of the New England Congressional delegation thanking them for passing the recent Fiscal Year2024 Appropriations package with level funding for the Pell Grant, and urging them to continue to advocate for increased funding for this vital program. In the letter, the Council stressed that continuing to increase funding and eventually doubling the Pell Grant is the most impactful step Congress can take to make public, private, and community colleges more accessible for low-income and first-generation college students. As Pell Grants are already the largest and most effective education funding mechanism for low-income families, expanding the grant ensures that even more working-class families are served through the program at a higher rate.
For more information on the NEC Higher Education Committee, please contact Mariah Healy.