Education Grants in Limbo as TRIO and Native Programs Await Competitions

Several major federal education grant competitions have yet to launch for the current fiscal year, leaving tens of millions in congressionally appropriated funds sitting idle as the Department of Education undergoes a sweeping transition of responsibilities to other agencies.

Among the programs in limbo: TRIO, which supports college and career transitions for low-income middle and high school students, has not begun soliciting applications as of mid-March. The Native Hawaiian Education Program and the Alaska Native Education Program—each allocated $45 million by Congress—have not held competitions since 2023.

$12 Billion in Disruptions and Counting

The stalled competitions are part of a broader pattern. Federal education funding disruptions have exceeded $12 billion since January 2025, according to an Education Week tally that includes $2.2 billion in competitive grants abruptly discontinued and $7 billion temporarily withheld from states.

The Child Care Means Parents In School program is being transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services, with its competition status unclear. Meanwhile, the Department of Labor, HHS, Interior, and Commerce are absorbing Education Department functions on timelines that remain vague.

New Compliance Layers Add Friction

Grant seekers face mounting administrative requirements even as competitions stall. An August 2025 executive order requires agencies to review grantees for policy compliance, and proposed changes to federal "uniform guidance" would add new certification requirements to competitive grants.

States are beginning to backfill federal gaps. Connecticut allocated over $4 million in state funds to replace discontinued Community Schools grants. Illinois and California have announced similar measures.

Preparing for a Compressed Funding Window

When competitions do launch, timelines may be compressed. Applicants for TRIO, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native programs should prepare proposals now using previous competition guidelines as templates. Organizations tracking these programs can monitor announcements through grantedai.com and Grants.gov.

As one education consultant told Education Week: "The restrictions are getting tougher and tougher. It just seems like more hoops they need to jump through."