All Americans, especially low-income and unemployed workers, deserve access to affordable postsecondary training and credentialing opportunities that can have a significant positive impact on their future career and earnings potential. Workforce Pell Grants, also known as short-term Pell Grants, allow federal financial aid dollars to be used to pay for short-term training or credential programs – programs that have been proven to help workers quickly gain the skills necessary to compete for in-demand jobs and earn higher wages. To learn more about the history of Workforce Pell, the authorizing language and the work that the U.S. Department of Education has done on implementation click here.
For over a decade, RAMC has been a key player in advocating for Workforce Pell. RAMC members have been leaders in speaking to members of Congress, writing letters, and advocating on the community level this important authority. Some of the recent notable actions taken by RAMC members on Workforce Pell are listed below:
- In 2021, RAMC members released a statement of support for the Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act of 2021.
- In 2020, RAMC sent a memo to the President-elect on the ways that the Administration could support community colleges, including by implementing short-term Pell.
- In 2023, RAMC wrote letters on the introduction of the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act and a Stronger Workforce for America Act; the introduction of the Jobs to Compete Act; the introduction of the Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning (PELL) Act.
- RAMC also advocated for the inclusion of Workforce Pell in the Fiscal Year 2024 Presidential Budget.
- In 2025, RAMC supported the bipartisan Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act and the expansion of the Pell Grant Program to short-term credentials in H.R. 1.
- On July 21, 2025, RAMC expressed support to the U.S. Department of Education as it began its work on implementing Workforce Pell. On August 22, 2025, RAMC also provided public comment for the Negotiated Rulemaking process on Workforce Pell.
- In March of 2026, RAMC provided analysis on the Pell Grant shortfall reported on by the Congressional Budget Office. RAMC urged Congress to fully fund the Pell Grant shortfall, while highlighting that the projected cost for Workforce Pell make clear that the new authority is not a significant contributor to the shortfall.
As community college leaders and representatives of RAMC: A Coalition to Rebuild America’s Middle Class, we will continue to advocate for and work with the Department of Education to ensure the effective implementation of Workforce Pell.