TRIO — Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC)

TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers

Funds United States institutions to guide adults through postsecondary access and workforce planning services.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program (CFDA 84.066A) provides five-year grants to institutions and organizations that deliver postsecondary access counseling to disadvantaged adults. Authorized under Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, EOC is one of eight federal TRIO programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education. Grantees operate centers that counsel adults from low-income families or first-generation college backgrounds on completing secondary school, selecting and applying to postsecondary programs, securing financial aid, and enrolling in college or vocational training.

The FY2026 competition announced on March 30, 2026 offered $52,611,659 across 55 expected awards with a five-year performance period. Annual award amounts range from $238,000 to $1,300,000 for most applicants; state-level and tribal entities may receive up to $3,000,000 annually. The application deadline was May 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT (now closed); the application package was listed on Grants.gov under listing 361715. Ten pre-application webinars were held April 14–20, 2026. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, public and private nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations serving disadvantaged adults, secondary schools, state educational agencies, state workforce agencies, and combinations of these entities. For-profit organizations are not eligible.

Because EOC grants run five years, the next new-entrant competition is not expected until approximately FY2031. Existing EOC grantees competing for continuation awards follow a separate process. Successful applicants typically demonstrate documented need in the target service area, prior experience delivering postsecondary access services, strong community partnerships, and a realistic staffing and budget plan for sustaining operations across the five-year period.