Pell Initiative for Virginia
Forecasted
Pell Initiative for Virginia supports public higher education institutions in funding outreach, financial support and student-success efforts to improve enrollment and completion for in-state, Pell-eligible students.
Funder: State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Annual Report / Renewal Request) | April 2027 (Proposal)
Funding Amounts: $37.5 million appropriated in each of FY 2025 and FY 2026; new awards are for one year
Summary: Supports Virginia public institutions in improving enrollment and completion for in-state, Pell-eligible students.
Key Information: Participating institutions must conduct an institution-wide or system-wide barrier review.
Description
The Pell Initiative for Virginia (PIV) is administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). It funds work at Virginia public higher education institutions to improve enrollment and completion for in-state, Pell-eligible students. A General Assembly-funded review identified where institutions needed to improve enrollment, completion or both, providing a basis for institution-specific goals.
Funded activities have included outreach to prospective students, financial support, advising, mentoring and other student-success interventions. Institutions have used later awards to expand initial activities, adopt approaches used elsewhere and introduce new ones. SCHEV is moving from multi-year cohort grants to one-year awards, using performance and the potential to scale activities to guide future funding.
