The Student Aid Alliance (SAA) submitted its FY 2023 annual funding request for the federal student aid programs to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees this week.  Anchored by the request to double the Pell Grant maximum award to $13,000, the coalition also requests substantial increases for Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work Study, TRIO, GEAR UP, Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership state grants, and Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need.

The SAA is a coalition of 85 organizations representing presidents, students, financial aid administrators and other campus officials who support funding for the federal student aid programs. NAICU has co-chaired the coalition with the American Council on Education since it was created in 1994. Each fiscal year, the coalition provides a united request for student aid funding that all sectors and aspects of higher education can support. The coalition focuses on student aid programs that help low-income students get into college, stay in college, and persist to a degree.
 
Over the years, activities to support student aid funding increases have ranged from on-campus campaign organizing and phone bank calls to Congress to social media campaign organizing and email letters to Congress. SAA efforts this year are focused on the #DoublePell campaign.
 
Throughout the years, students have been some of the most effective voices in the advocacy efforts to increase student aid.  Regardless of the method of delivery, Members of Congress always like to hear from students about how the programs they support have a real-life impact on those in their home districts and states. 
 
As the appropriations process gets started for FY 2023, the SAA will be in regular communication with Congress to advocate for increased student aid funding.