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March 25, 2021

Dear Members of Congress:

On behalf of nearly 1,200 organizations, including nearly 900 and , we urge you to bring an affordable, high-quality within reach for all students by doubling the maximum Pell Grant. This long overdue investment will drive economic recovery, help address racial and economic inequities in college completion rates, and increase overall educational attainment.

The Pell Grant program is the nation’s foundational investment in higher education. Pell Grants help nearly seven million low- and moderate-income students attend and complete college annually. Students from all 50 states and all corners of the country — from rural areas to cities to everywhere in between — rely on the Pell Grant program to build their future. Pell Grants are especially critical for students of color, with nearly 60 percent of Black students, half of American Indian or Alaska Native students, and nearly half of Latinx students receiving a Pell Grant each year.

However, the share of college costs covered by the grant is at an all-time low. At its peak, the maximum grant covered three-quarters of the cost of attending a four-year public college. Now, it covers less than one-third of that cost.

Unsurprisingly, Pell Grant recipients continue to bear disproportionate student debt burdens. Pell Grant recipients today are more than twice as likely as other students to have student loans, and grant recipients who borrow graduate with over $4,500 more debt than their higher-income peers.

Students from low- and moderate-income families are in critical need of additional grant aid to pay for college. Doubling the maximum Pell Grant — and permanently indexing the grant to inflation to ensure its value doesn’t diminish over time — will boost college enrollment, improve graduation rates, and honor the and value of these grants as the keystone federal investment in college affordability.

Sincerely,

Organizational Signers

10,000 Degrees Academic Success Program Dallas & Houston Access Academies Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Achieve Achieving the Dream ACPA – College Student Educators International ACT Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Alabama Possible American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education American Association of Colleges of American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers American Association of Community Colleges American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities American Association of State Colleges and Universities American Association of Professors American Association of University Women (AAUW) American College Health Association American Council on Education American Dental Education Association American Federation of Teachers American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) American Psychological Association American Society for Education American Student Assistance APIA Scholars APPA, “ in Educational Facilities” Arkansas Independent Colleges and Universities Asociación de Colegios y Universidades Privadas de Puerto Rico Associated Colleges of the Midwest Associated Students of the University of Association for Biblical Higher Education Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools Association of American Colleges and Universities Association of American Universities Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Association of Community College Trustees Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Association of Presbyterian Colleges & Universities Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions Association of Vermont Independent Colleges Association of Young Americans (AYA) Augustus F. Hawkins Foundation Attainment Network (ACAN) Autistic Self Advocacy Network Baldwin Promise and College Access Center Better Future Forward Bottom Line Breakthrough Central California EDGE Coalition California Student Aid Commission Capital Area College Access Network – Lansing, MI Center for American Progress

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Center for First-generation Student Success Center for Law and Social Policy Center for Responsible Lending CEOE Chiefs for Change CINC Foundation Coalition of State University Aid Administrators (COSUAA) Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities College Access Plan College Advising Corps College and University Professional Association for Human Resources College Beyond College Bound – St. Louis College Connect Tempe College Crusade of Rhode Island College Forward College Horizons, Inc. College Now Greater College Possible College Promise College Success Arizona College Success Foundation College Track CollegeBound Foundation CollegeCommunityCareer CollegeTracks Collegiate Academies Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in Common App Community Bridges, Inc. Community Coalition Community College League of California Conference for Mercy Higher Education Conference of Independent Colleges Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area Consumer Action Council for Advancement and Support of Education Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Council for Higher Education Accreditation Council for Opportunity in Education Council of Independent Colleges Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia Council on Education Cowen Institute, Cradle to Career DC Prep Academy Degrees of Change Delaware College Scholars

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Denver Public Schools – South High School Denver Scholarship Foundation Desert Community Foundation Detroit College Access Network Dr. Doretha Pressey Southern Scholars Initiative, Inc. East Bay Community Law Center Education Reform Now Advocacy Education to Employment Partners EDUCAUSE ETS Every Texan Excelencia in Education Federation of Independent Colleges and Universities General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Generation Progress Center on Education and the Workforce Budget and Policy Institute Georgia Independent College Association Grand Rapids Promise Zone GRASP (Great Aspirations Scholarship Program) Great Lakes Colleges Association Grind to Grad Hazel Park Promise Zone Heart of (HOLA) Higher Education Consultants Association Higher Education Loan Coalition Higher Heights YEP, Inc. Higher Learning Advocates Higher Learning Commission Hildreth Institute Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Hispanic Federation “I Have A Dream” Foundation Access Network Independent California Colleges Advocate Program Independent Colleges & Universities of Independent Colleges and Universities of Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas Independent Colleges of Independent Colleges of Washington Independent Higher Education of Indigenous Education, Inc. InnerCity Struggle Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) Inversant Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Japanese American Citizens League Jobs for the Future (JFF)

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John Burton Advocates for Youth Kalamazoo Promise Independent College Association KIPP Lapeer County College Access Network Latino U College Access Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America LeadMN – College Students Connecting for Change League for Innovation in the Community College Learn to Earn Dayton Let’s Get Ready Los Angeles United Methodist Urban Foundation Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Mahoning Valley College Access Program Independent Colleges Association Consumer Rights Coalition Maryland Independent College and University Association Mason College Access Network College Access Network Michigan Independent Colleges & Universities Michigan League for Public Policy Michigan Promise Zones Association Mid-America Regional Council Middle States Commission on Higher Education Private College Council Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Montana Campus Compact Montana College Attainment Network Muskegon Opportunity: Local College Access Network NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) National Association for College Admission Counseling National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education National Association of College and University Business Officers National Association of Colleges and Employers National Association of Graduate-Professional Students National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators National Association of System Heads National College Attainment Network National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients) National Council for Community and Education Partnerships National Down Syndrome Congress National Education Association National Scholarship Provider Association National Urban League

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National Young Farmers Coalition NeSAFAA – Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Network of Colleges and Universities, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America New America Higher Education Program New American Colleges and Universities College and University Council New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) Newaygo County Area Promise Zone Niswonger Foundation Independent Colleges and Universities Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC) Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Ohio Mayors Alliance Ohio Student Association On Point for College Operation Jump Start Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities Oregon Student Association Partners for Education at Partnership for LA Schools Path to College Tennessee PeerForward Penn AHEAD (Alliance for Higher Education & Democracy) Society Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Philanthropy Ohio Phoenix Pact PrepNext Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration Project GRAD Akron Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts (PHENOM) Puentes Reach Higher Reach Higher Montana SACSCOC Saginaw Promise Scholarship America School for International Training SoCal CAN Independent Colleges & Universities Southeast Resource Action Center (SEARAC) St. Clair County RESA St. Louis Graduates State Universities of Massachusetts Council of Presidents Student Advocacy Coalition Student Aid Alliance Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) Student U

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Student Veterans of America Students Rising Above Tennessee College Access and Success Network Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities The College Board The Coretta Scott King Center of The Education Trust The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) The League of Student Advocates The National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc. The Opportunity Network The Pittsburgh Promise The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis The Stark Education Partnership The To&Through Project at the University of Third Way TMCF Today’s Students Coalition Toledo Tomorrow Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) uAspire UNCF UnidosUS Unite Inc. Student Association UNITE-LA Graduate & Professional Council University of California Student Association Foundation Fellowship UNT Graduate Student Council UPCEA Veterans Education Success WASC Senior College & University Commission Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Independent Colleges & Universities Westminster Public Schools Foundation Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Women Employed Woodstock Institute Woodward Hines Education Foundation Work Colleges Consortium Worthington Scholarship Foundation Wyman Center, Inc. Yes We Must Coalition Young Invincibles YouthServe

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Institutional Signers

Aaniiih Nakoda College Abilene Christian University Adams State University Adler University AdventHealth University College Alderson Broaddus University Allen College American Samoa Community College Anderson University (IN) Anna Aquinas College (MI) Arizona State University Arkansas State University Arkansas State University System Art Academy of Cincinnati Assumption University Augustana College Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences Austin College Azusa Baker College Baldwin Wallace University Bay de Noc Community College

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Bay Mills Community College Beacon College Bellin College Belmont University Berea College Beth Medrash Govoha Beth Medrash of Asbury Park, Inc. Beulah Heights University Blackburn College Blackfeet Community College Boricua College Architectural College Bowling Green State University Brewton-Parker College Bridgewater College Bridgewater State University Broward College Calbright College California Baptist University California College of the Arts California Community Colleges California Institute of Integral Studies California Institute of the Arts California Lutheran University California Polytechnic State University California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State University, Bakersfield

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California State University Channel Islands California State University, Chico California State University, Dominguez Hills California State University, East Bay California State University, Fresno California State University, Fullerton California State University, Long Beach California State University, Los Angeles California State University Maritime Academy California State University, Monterey Bay California State University, Northridge California State University, Sacramento California State University, San Bernardino California State University San Marcos California State University, Stanislaus Calumet College of St. Joseph Cameron University Carnegie Mellon University Carroll College Case Western Reserve University Centenary College of Louisiana Central Christian College of Kansas Central Christian College of the Bible Central New Community College Chaminade University Chaminade University of Honolulu Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary Chatfield College Christian Brothers University City University of New York Claremont McKenna College Claremont School of

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Clark State College Cleveland State University Clinton College Cochran School of Nursing Colby-Sawyer College College of Micronesia-FSM College of Mount of Saint Benedict College of the Holy Cross College of the Colorado Mountain College Colorado State University Pueblo Columbia College Hollywood Columbia-Greene Community College Columbus College of Art & Design Community College of Philadelphia Concordia College Concordia University Irvine Concordia University, St. Paul Congregation talmidei mesivta tiferes shmiel Aleksander Cornish College of the Arts Culver-Stockton College Cuyahoga Community College DePaul University

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DeSales University Dominican University of California East Tennessee State University East Texas Baptist University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Michigan University East-West University Edward Via College of Osteopathic Elgin Community College Emmanuel College Emmaus Bible College Fairleigh Dickinson University Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Farmingdale State College Fisk University Fitchburg State University Florida A&M University Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Foothill College Foothill-De Anza Community College District Fort Lewis College Fort Peck Community College Framingham State University Fresno Pacific University

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Gateway Technical College George Mason University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Georgian Court University Glen Oaks Community College Granite State College Greenfield Community College Greenville Technical College Hallmark University Hampden-Sydney College Hampton University Haskell Indian Nations University Hawai’i Community College Heidelberg University Hennepin Technical College Heritage University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Hofstra University Holy Apostles College & Seminary Holy Cross College at Notre Dame Hope International University Hudson County Community College

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Humboldt State University Huntsville Bible College Husson University Ilisagvik College Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois State University Indiana Institute of Technology Bloomington Indiana University East Indiana University Kokomo Indiana University Northwest Indiana University South Bend Indiana University Southeast Indiana University System Indiana Institute of American Indian Arts Iona College Iowa Central Community College Jefferson State Community College John John Paul the Great Catholic University Johnson & Wales University Johnson C. Smith University Joliet Junior College Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kansas City Art Institute Kentucky State University

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La Salle University La Sierra University LaGrange College Lakes Region Community College Lakeview College of Nursing Lane College Lansing Community College Laramie County Community College (Cheyenne, WY) Lees-McRae College Lehman College, CUNY Lenoir-Rhyne University LeTourneau University Lewis & Lewis- Little Priest Tribal College Loyola Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland Maine College of Art Malcolm X College Manchester University Christian College Manna University Marian University of Fond du Lac, WI

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Marist College (WV) Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount University of Saint Louis Massachusetts College of Art and Design Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts McDaniel College McMurry University of Health Sciences Mercy College of Ohio Merrimack College Mesivta of Eastern Parkway Rabbinical Seminary Metropolitan College of New York Metropolitan State University Mexican American Catholic College Michigan State University Mid-Atlantic Christian University Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee School of Engineering Minneapolis College of Art and Design Mohawk Valley Community College – State University of New York Montcalm Community College Montclair State University Montgomery County Community College Montserrat College of Art Moraine Valley Community College

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Moravian College Morningside College Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles Mount St. Joseph University Mount St. Mary’s University Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mt. College Muskegon Community College Nassau Community College Nazareth College Nebraska Wesleyan University New College New Mexico State University New York Institute of Technology New York School of Interior Design Niagara County Community College Niagara University Nichols College North Carolina State University North Carolina North Central Michigan College North Northampton Community College Northeastern Technical College Northeastern University Northern Arizona University Northern Illinois University Northwest Indian College Northwest Missouri State University Northwestern College , Ohio

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Notre Dame de Namur University Notre Dame of Maryland University Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Oakland Community College Oakton Community College Ohio Dominican University Oklahoma State University Oklahoma Wesleyan University Old Dominion University Onondaga Community College Otis College of Art and Design Our Lady of the Lake University Pacific Lutheran University Pacific Northwest College of Art Pacific Oaks College Palo Alto University Passaic County Community College Penn State University Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences Philander Plymouth State University Point Loma Nazarene University Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Portland State University Purchase College Queens University of Charlotte

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Quinnipiac University Rabbinical College Beth Shraga Regis College Rhode Island School of Design Riverside Community College District Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology Rockland Community College Roger Williams University Roseman University of Health Sciences Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey -Newark Sacramento State Saint Elizabeth University Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Saint Martin de Porres Academy Saint Martin’s University Saint Mary’s College (IN) Saint Mary’s College of California Saint Mary’s Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Saint Michael’s College Saint Peter’s University Saint Saint Salem Academy and College Salem State University Salt Lake Community College Samuel Merritt University San Bernardino Community College District

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San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose State University School of the Art Institute of Chicago University Shasta College Simmons College of Kentucky Sinclair Community College Smith College Sonoma State University South Central College School of Mines & Technology South Dakota State University Southeast Missouri State University Southeastern Baptist College Southeastern University Southern California University of Health Sciences Southern Illinois University System Southern Southern Oregon University Southern Virginia University Southern Wesleyan University Southwestern College Spartanburg Methodist College St. Ambrose University St. Bonaventure University St. Catherine University St. Edward’s University St. Francis College, St. John Fisher College St. Lawrence University

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St. Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s University St. Norbert College St. Olaf College St. College State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego State University of New York (SUNY) System State University of New of State University of New York College of Technology at Canton State University System of Florida Sterling College Stetson University Stevens Institute of Technology Stony Brook University SUNY Adirondack Community College SUNY Brockport SUNY Buffalo State College SUNY Cobleskill SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry SUNY Cortland SUNY Geneseo SUNY Maritime College SUNY Morrisville SUNY New Paltz SUNY Oneonta SUNY Plattsburgh SUNY Polytechnic Institute SUNY Potsdam Talmudical Seminary of Bobov Texas A&M University Texas A&M University-Kingsville Texas Christian University Texas Lutheran University Texas Wesleyan University The California State University System The Catholic University of America

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The Chicago School of Professional The Cleveland Institute of Art The College of St. Scholastica The The for the Advancement of Science & Art The George Washington University The The The University of New Hampshire The University of New Orleans The The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at San Antonio The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley The University of Texas System The University of Utah The University System of New Hampshire Thomas College Trinity College Trinity College of Florida Trinity University (San Antonio, TX) Trinity Washington University Tulane University Union Institute & University United Talmudical Seminary United Tribes Technical College University at Albany (SUNY) University at Buffalo (SUNY) University of Alaska University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Merced University of California, Riverside University of California, San Diego University of California, San Francisco University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of California System

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University of Cincinnati University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus University of Colorado, Boulder University of Colorado, Colorado Springs University of Colorado, Denver University of Colorado System University of Delaware University of Detroit Mercy University of Guam University of Hawai’i University of Hawai’i at Hilo University of Hawai’i System University of Houston System University of Illinois Chicago University of Illinois System University of Louisiana at Lafayette , VA University of Maine University of Maine System University of Mary Hardin-Baylor University of Maryland Eastern Shore University of Maryland Global Campus University of Maryland, College of Massachusetts University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Massachusetts Boston University of Memphis University of Miami University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Duluth University of Mount of Nebraska University of Nevada, Reno University of University of New Mexico University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Texas University of Northern Iowa University of Northwestern University of Pennsylvania University of of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of of Saint Francis University of Saint Joseph University of Saint Mary University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of South Alabama University of South Dakota University of South Florida University of Southern California University of St. Francis (IL) University of St. Thomas University of St. Thomas (Houston, TX) University of St. Thomas (MN) University of the District of Columbia University of the Incarnate Word University of the Southwest University of the Virgin Islands University of West Alabama University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wisconsin-Parkside VanderCook College of Vaughn College Villa Maria College

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Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Tech Virginia Union University Virginia Wesleyan University Wallace State Community College Washington & Jefferson College Washington Adventist University Washington and Lee University Washington State University Washington University in St. Louis Washtenaw Community College (Ann Arbor, MI) Waubonsee Community College Wayland Baptist University Wayne County Community College District West Virginia State University Western Governors University Western Oregon University Westfield State University Westminster College Wheaton College (IL) Wheaton College (MA) White Earth Tribal and Community College White Mountains Community College William & Mary William Paterson University William Rainey Harper College Williams Baptist University Wilson College

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Wittenberg University Worcester State University Xavier University Xavier University of Louisiana Yeshiva Yesoda Hatorah Vetz Chaim Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah Yeshivas Maharit Dsatmar Yeshivath Beth Moshe York College (NE) York College of Pennsylvania

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