Labor Department Takes Over $175M TRIO Talent Search in Historic Shift
March 26, 2026 · 2 min read
Arthur Griffin
The U.S. Department of Labor is soliciting applications for the federal Talent Search Program — marking the first grant competition issued under the Trump administration's postsecondary education partnership between ED and DOL.
The competition makes $175.2 million available, with individual awards of up to $10 million each. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 1, 2026, submitted through Grants.gov.
Why This Transfer Matters
Talent Search, one of eight Federal TRIO Programs established under the Higher Education Act, helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds complete high school and enroll in postsecondary education. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling, and has historically been administered entirely by the Department of Education.
Under the new interagency agreement, DOL's Employment and Training Administration handles application intake and award distribution through its GrantSolutions platform. The Education Department retains control over program budgets, selection criteria, and policy priorities. ED staff were detailed to Labor in January to facilitate the transition.
The Department of Education stated these moves "further align the postsecondary and workforce education programs of ED and DOL and will position DOL as the central hub for America's postsecondary and workforce development programs."
What Applicants Need to Know
Universities, state agencies, and nonprofits eligible for Talent Search funding face two critical changes. First, all proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov, not Education's legacy systems. Second, award management and technical assistance will flow through DOL's GrantSolutions — a platform many education-focused organizations have never used.
Additional TRIO competitions are planned for spring and summer 2026, suggesting this transfer is a template for broader program migration.
Prepare for a New Federal Landscape
Organizations that have historically applied for TRIO grants through Education should familiarize themselves with DOL's grant infrastructure now. The May 1 deadline leaves little room for platform learning curves. For ongoing coverage of federal grant program transfers, grantedai.com tracks these shifts as they develop.