Colleges and universities call for doubling of Pell Grant 10 April 2021 The American Council on Education has joined a broad coalition of nearly 1,200 organisations, including almost 900 colleges and universities, calling on Congress to double the maximum Pell Grant. In an open letter to Congress, the coalition members said: “This long overdue investment will drive economic recovery, help address racial and economic inequities in college completion rates and increase overall educational attainment.” 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 programme to build their future. Pell Grants are especially critical for students of colour, with nearly 60% of Black students, half of American Indian or Alaska Native students, and nearly half of Latinx students receiving a Pell Grant each year,” the coalition members said in the letter.