President Trump’s newly released 2026 budget proposes the complete elimination of the Federal TRIO Programs, which have helped millions of low-income, first-generation students – including veterans, adult learners, and students with disabilities – succeed in higher education for over 60 years. The Trump Administration’s budget proposal claims that “access to college is not the obstacle it was for students of limited means.” However, data from the U.S. Census Bureau demonstrate that students from the poorest families earn college degrees at rates far below students from the highest income families. As recently as 2023, students from the highest income quartile earned college degrees at a rate more than four times that of students from the lowest income quartile (62% vs. 15%).

We ask you to contact both your Senators and your House Representative and urge them to protect TRIO from funding cuts and possibly even increase TRIO funding so that today’s low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities will have access to higher education.

Across the country, TRIO students like you may lose access to the academic advising, tutoring, career guidance, and personal support that make success possible for so many first-generation and low-income students. That’s why your voice is critical. We need Congress to understand exactly what’s at stake—and that starts with YOU. This takes less than two minutes. Just enter your home address, and a message will go directly to your U.S. Representative and Senators. You can also personalize it to share what TRIO means to you, how it’s helped you, and what could happen without it. TRIO works because students like you work hard every day to overcome barriers. But you shouldn’t have to do it alone—and you shouldn’t have to fight for your future without support. Congress needs to hear from you. Help us make sure TRIO continues to be there for the next student who needs it—just like it was there for you. Once you send your message, share the link with your classmates and friends. The more students speak up, the louder we are—and the harder we are to ignore. Thank you for being a part of TRIO—and for standing up for what it stands for.

We need your voice to help make sure that doesn’t happen. Please take one minute right now to contact your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and urge them to protect TRIO funding immediately. All you need to do is enter your home address, and a pre-written message will be sent directly to your members of Congress. You can also customize it to tell your story and share what TRIO means to your family. Your voice matters. Members of Congress need to hear from real families who rely on TRIO—families like yours. After you send your message, please share this link with your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and community groups. The more voices they hear, the stronger our message will be. Thank you for standing up for your child and for the life-changing impact of TRIO.

President Trump’s budget proposal threatens to eliminate the Federal TRIO Programs—programs that changed your life and continue to transform futures for nearly 870,000 students each year. This is our moment to fight back. We’ve outlined five simple but powerful actions you can take—sign, call, write, post, and share—to help protect TRIO in the FY26 budget. Each one only takes a few minutes, but together they send a message Congress can’t ignore. TRIO helped you get to college. Now help us make sure it’s there for the next generation.