- 2025 Federal TRIO Programs Current-Year Low-Income Levels
- Click here for the FY 2023 New Project Directors Meeting Power Point presentation.
Program Office: Federal TRIO Programs
CFDA Number: 84.066A
Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: EOC, TRIO (This is one of eight TRIO programs.)
The Educational Opportunity Centers program provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. The program also provides services to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants. An important objective of the program is to counsel participants on financial aid options, including basic financial planning skills, and to assist in the application process. The goal of the EOC program is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.
Projects include: academic advice, personal counseling, and career workshops; information on postsecondary education opportunities and student financial assistance; help in completing applications for college admissions, testing, and financial aid; coordination with nearby postsecondary institutions; media activities designed to involve and acquaint the community with higher education opportunities; tutoring; mentoring; education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students; and programs and activities previously mentioned that are specially designed for students who are limited English proficient, students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, students with disabilities, students who are homeless children and youths, students who are in foster care or are aging out of foster care system or other disconnected students.
Who May Apply: (by category Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Nonprofit Organizations, Other Organizations and/or Agencies, State Education Agencies (SEAs)
Who May Apply: (specifically) Institutions of Higher Education, public and private agencies and organizations including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and as appropriate to the purposes of the program; secondary schools.
Participants must reside in the target area served by an Educational Opportunity Center. The students must be at least 19 years old and two-thirds of them must be potential first-generation college students and low-income persons. If the services of a Talent Search program are not available in the target area, persons under 19 may be served.
Timeline
Last Competition: FY 2016
Application availability date: January 13, 2021
Application deadline: March 1, 2021, Extended to March 15th 2021 for states affected by severe winter weather (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana)
Federal Register Notice
Educational Opportunity Center Reopening Notice PDF (309K)
Current Application
On January 13, 2021, we published the notice inviting applications (NIA) for new awards for the FY 2021 Educational Opportunity Centers competition in the Federal Register (86 FR 2658). Under the NIA, applications were due on March 1, 2021.
The Department is reopening this competition for eligible applicants from affected areas in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, for which the President has issued a disaster declaration, to allow those applicants more time to prepare and submit applications. For applicants that meet the eligibility criteria in the NIA published on March 4, 2021, we are reopening the competition until March 15, 2021. In addition, the NIA, extends the intergovernmental review deadline until May 25, 2021. Please review the Federal Register official notice of this reopening.
Tips and Assistance
FY 2021 Pre-Application Technical Assistance Webinars for the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program:
In preparation for the (FY) 2021 EOC Program competition, the Student Service area will conduct 10 pre-application webinars this winter. The dates and times of the pre-application webinars are:
| Date | Time |
| Monday, January 11, 2021, | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Tuesday, January 12, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Wednesday, January 13, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Thursday, January 14, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Friday, January 15, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Tuesday, January 19, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Thursday, January 21, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Friday, January 22, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Monday, January 25, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
To register for the workshops, please go to:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EOC2021
Application Contact
Rachael Wiley, (202) 453-6078
Federal TRIO Programs
U. S. Department of Education, OPE
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202
E-mail: OPE_TRIO@ed.gov
The information below highlights award history information at both the program and project levels.
Program-Level
The program-level information shows historical funding allocation, number of awards, number of participants, average award, average number of participants and average cost per participant for fiscal years 2001 through 2024.
FY 2001-2024 Educational Opportunity Center Funding History: PDF (91K)
Project-Level
The project-level information provides funding allocation and number of participants by project for fiscal years 2021 through 2024.
FY 2024: Projects funded for 2024-25: PDF (133K)
FY 2023: Projects funded for 2023-24: MS Excel (20K)
FY 2022: Projects funded for 2022-23: MS Excel (20K)
FY 2021: Projects funded for 2021-22: MS Excel (19K)
Legislation
- Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Subpart 2, Chapter 1, Sections 402A and 402F
- 20 U.S.C. 1070a-16
MS Word (217K) | PDF (188K)
Regulations
- Official Final Regulations Amending TRIO Regulations, as published in the Federal Register on October 26, 2010. These final regulations amend the Educational Opportunity Centers Program regulations. [ PDF]
- Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 644
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99
Guidance
- Uniform Guidance Information for ED Grantees -- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards: The Department has worked closely with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to streamline some federal circulars into a single guidance document, and make conforming changes to Department regulations. The old rules do not change — they are simply repackaged and enhanced to reduce burden on grantees. The new combined document is known as the "Uniform Guidance" and is codified at 2 CFR 200. The new guidance will take effect for recipients of Federal funds for awards made on or after December 26, 2014. The new regulations do not impact any Department of Education awards received prior to this date.
Useful Links
- Current Low-Income Levels
- Prior-Year Low-Income Levels
- Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Applicant and Grantee Resources
Key Staff
Division Director
Sharon Easterling
202) 453-7425
sharon.easterling@ed.gov
Mailing Address
U.S. Department of Education, OPE
Higher Education Programs
Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
5th Floor
Washington, DC 20202
E-mail: OPE_TRIO@ed.gov
Student Service Organizational Directory
Reports
- Fast Facts Report for the Educational Opportunity Centers Programs: 2018-19
- A Report on the Educational Opportunity Centers Program: 2007-08, With Select Comparative Data, 2002-07 MS Word (495K) | PDF (727K)
- An Interim Report on the Educational Opportunity Centers Program: 2002-03 and 2003-04, With Select Data From 2000-02 MS Word (1.62MB) | PDF (726K)
- A Profile of EOC: 1999-00 PDF (266K)
- A Profile of EOC: 1998-99 PDF (408K)
Frequently Asked Questions
 | Select a link below to jump to the relevant page section. |
- What is the purpose of the EOC program?
- What kinds of activities can be supported with grant funds?
- How often are competitions generally held?
- What is the duration of the average grant?
- What is the average annual grant amount?
- Is there a cost matching requirement? If so, are in-kind contributions acceptable as part of the grantee's match?
- What are the reporting requirements for grantees? What kind of records and data should be maintained or collected in order to complete required reports?
- What are the requirements for auditing and/or evaluation of funded projects?
- Are there program-wide performance measures?
- What are a few concrete examples of allowable activities?
1. What is the purpose of the EOC program?
The purpose of the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program is to provide information regarding financial and academic assistance available to individuals who desire to pursue a program of postsecondary education; provide assistance to individuals in applying for admission to institutions that offer programs of postsecondary education, including assistance in preparing necessary applications for use by admissions and financial aid officers; and provide information regarding financial and economic literacy to participants.
TOP
2. What kinds of activities can be supported with grant funds?
An Educational Opportunity Centers project may provide the following services:
- Public information campaigns designed to inform the community about opportunities for postsecondary education and training;
- Academic advice and assistance in course selection;
- Assistance in completing college admission and financial aid applications;
- Assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations;
- Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants;
- Guidance on secondary school reentry or entry to a General Educational Development (GED) program or other alternative education program for secondary school dropouts;
- Individualized personal, career, and academic counseling;
- Tutorial services;
- Career workshops and counseling;
- Mentoring programs involving elementary or secondary school teachers, faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of these persons;
- Programs and activities described above that are specially designed for participants who are limited English proficient, participants from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, participants who are individuals with disabilities, participants who are homeless children and youth, participants who are foster care youth, or other disconnected participants; and
- Other activities designed to meet the purposes of the EOC Program.
TOP
3. How often are competitions generally held?
The EOC Program grant competition is held every four years.
TOP
4. What is the duration of the average grant?
All EOC grants are funded for five-year grant award cycles.
TOP
5. What is the average annual grant amount?
The average EOC grant award amount is $370,458.
TOP
6. Is there a cost matching requirement? If so, are in-kind contributions acceptable as part of the grantee's match?
The EOC Program does not require cost sharing or matching.
TOP
7. What are the reporting requirements for grantees? What kind of records and data should be maintained or collected in order to complete required reports?
All EOC Program grantees are required to submit an annual performance report (APR) documenting progress toward meeting their approved project objectives.
All EOC Program grantees are required to maintain participant records that show --
- The basis for the grantee's determination that each participant is eligible to participate in the project;
- The services that are provided to the participant;
- The specific educational benefits received by the participant; and
- To the extent practicable, any services the participant receives during the project year from another Federal TRIO program or another federally-funded program that serves populations similar to those served under the EOC Program.
TOP
8. What are the requirements for auditing and/or evaluation of funded projects?
Any non-Federal entities expending $500,000 or more a year in federal awards are required to conduct an A-133 audit. In addition, EOC grantees must have an evaluation plan in place that substantiates formative and summative evaluation measures, as stipulated in the funded application.
TOP
9. Are there program-wide performance measures?
The success of the Educational Opportunity Centers Program is measured by the percentage of low-income, first-generation college students who successfully pursue postsecondary education opportunities.
TOP
10. What are a few concrete examples of allowable activities?
- Providing individualized personal, career and academic counseling;
- Assisting participants in the completion of admission applications for postsecondary education and financial aid applications;
- Conducting workshop on financial and economic literacy; and
- Involving participants in: (1) visits to postsecondary educational institutions; (2) participation in "College Day" activities; and (3) field trips for participants to observe and meet with persons who are employed in various career fields and can act as role models for participants.
- 2025 Federal TRIO Programs Current-Year Low-Income Levels
- Click here for the FY 2023 New Project Directors Meeting Power Point presentation.
Program Office: Federal TRIO Programs
CFDA Number: 84.066A
Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: EOC, TRIO (This is one of eight TRIO programs.)
The Educational Opportunity Centers program provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. The program also provides services to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants. An important objective of the program is to counsel participants on financial aid options, including basic financial planning skills, and to assist in the application process. The goal of the EOC program is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.
Projects include: academic advice, personal counseling, and career workshops; information on postsecondary education opportunities and student financial assistance; help in completing applications for college admissions, testing, and financial aid; coordination with nearby postsecondary institutions; media activities designed to involve and acquaint the community with higher education opportunities; tutoring; mentoring; education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students; and programs and activities previously mentioned that are specially designed for students who are limited English proficient, students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, students with disabilities, students who are homeless children and youths, students who are in foster care or are aging out of foster care system or other disconnected students.
Who May Apply: (by category Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Nonprofit Organizations, Other Organizations and/or Agencies, State Education Agencies (SEAs)
Who May Apply: (specifically) Institutions of Higher Education, public and private agencies and organizations including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and as appropriate to the purposes of the program; secondary schools.
Participants must reside in the target area served by an Educational Opportunity Center. The students must be at least 19 years old and two-thirds of them must be potential first-generation college students and low-income persons. If the services of a Talent Search program are not available in the target area, persons under 19 may be served.
Timeline
Last Competition: FY 2016
Application availability date: January 13, 2021
Application deadline: March 1, 2021, Extended to March 15th 2021 for states affected by severe winter weather (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana)
Federal Register Notice
Educational Opportunity Center Reopening Notice PDF (309K)
Current Application
On January 13, 2021, we published the notice inviting applications (NIA) for new awards for the FY 2021 Educational Opportunity Centers competition in the Federal Register (86 FR 2658). Under the NIA, applications were due on March 1, 2021.
The Department is reopening this competition for eligible applicants from affected areas in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, for which the President has issued a disaster declaration, to allow those applicants more time to prepare and submit applications. For applicants that meet the eligibility criteria in the NIA published on March 4, 2021, we are reopening the competition until March 15, 2021. In addition, the NIA, extends the intergovernmental review deadline until May 25, 2021. Please review the Federal Register official notice of this reopening.
Tips and Assistance
FY 2021 Pre-Application Technical Assistance Webinars for the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program:
In preparation for the (FY) 2021 EOC Program competition, the Student Service area will conduct 10 pre-application webinars this winter. The dates and times of the pre-application webinars are:
| Date | Time |
| Monday, January 11, 2021, | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Tuesday, January 12, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Wednesday, January 13, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Thursday, January 14, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Friday, January 15, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Tuesday, January 19, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Thursday, January 21, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Friday, January 22, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Monday, January 25, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
| Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Washington DC’s time |
To register for the workshops, please go to:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EOC2021
Application Contact
Rachael Wiley, (202) 453-6078
Federal TRIO Programs
U. S. Department of Education, OPE
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202
E-mail: OPE_TRIO@ed.gov
The information below highlights award history information at both the program and project levels.
Program-Level
The program-level information shows historical funding allocation, number of awards, number of participants, average award, average number of participants and average cost per participant for fiscal years 2001 through 2024.
FY 2001-2024 Educational Opportunity Center Funding History: PDF (91K)
Project-Level
The project-level information provides funding allocation and number of participants by project for fiscal years 2021 through 2024.
FY 2024: Projects funded for 2024-25: PDF (133K)
FY 2023: Projects funded for 2023-24: MS Excel (20K)
FY 2022: Projects funded for 2022-23: MS Excel (20K)
FY 2021: Projects funded for 2021-22: MS Excel (19K)
Legislation
- Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Subpart 2, Chapter 1, Sections 402A and 402F
- 20 U.S.C. 1070a-16 MS Word (217K) | PDF (188K)
Regulations
- Official Final Regulations Amending TRIO Regulations, as published in the Federal Register on October 26, 2010. These final regulations amend the Educational Opportunity Centers Program regulations. [ PDF]
- Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 644
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99
Guidance
- Uniform Guidance Information for ED Grantees -- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards: The Department has worked closely with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to streamline some federal circulars into a single guidance document, and make conforming changes to Department regulations. The old rules do not change — they are simply repackaged and enhanced to reduce burden on grantees. The new combined document is known as the "Uniform Guidance" and is codified at 2 CFR 200. The new guidance will take effect for recipients of Federal funds for awards made on or after December 26, 2014. The new regulations do not impact any Department of Education awards received prior to this date.
Useful Links
- Current Low-Income Levels
- Prior-Year Low-Income Levels
- Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Applicant and Grantee Resources
Key Staff
Division Director
Sharon Easterling
202) 453-7425
sharon.easterling@ed.gov
Mailing Address
U.S. Department of Education, OPE
Higher Education Programs
Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
5th Floor
Washington, DC 20202
E-mail: OPE_TRIO@ed.gov
Student Service Organizational Directory
Reports
- Fast Facts Report for the Educational Opportunity Centers Programs: 2018-19
- A Report on the Educational Opportunity Centers Program: 2007-08, With Select Comparative Data, 2002-07 MS Word (495K) | PDF (727K)
- An Interim Report on the Educational Opportunity Centers Program: 2002-03 and 2003-04, With Select Data From 2000-02 MS Word (1.62MB) | PDF (726K)
- A Profile of EOC: 1999-00 PDF (266K)
- A Profile of EOC: 1998-99 PDF (408K)
Frequently Asked Questions
| Select a link below to jump to the relevant page section. |
- What is the purpose of the EOC program?
- What kinds of activities can be supported with grant funds?
- How often are competitions generally held?
- What is the duration of the average grant?
- What is the average annual grant amount?
- Is there a cost matching requirement? If so, are in-kind contributions acceptable as part of the grantee's match?
- What are the reporting requirements for grantees? What kind of records and data should be maintained or collected in order to complete required reports?
- What are the requirements for auditing and/or evaluation of funded projects?
- Are there program-wide performance measures?
- What are a few concrete examples of allowable activities?
1. What is the purpose of the EOC program?
The purpose of the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program is to provide information regarding financial and academic assistance available to individuals who desire to pursue a program of postsecondary education; provide assistance to individuals in applying for admission to institutions that offer programs of postsecondary education, including assistance in preparing necessary applications for use by admissions and financial aid officers; and provide information regarding financial and economic literacy to participants.
TOP
2. What kinds of activities can be supported with grant funds?
An Educational Opportunity Centers project may provide the following services:
- Public information campaigns designed to inform the community about opportunities for postsecondary education and training;
- Academic advice and assistance in course selection;
- Assistance in completing college admission and financial aid applications;
- Assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations;
- Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants;
- Guidance on secondary school reentry or entry to a General Educational Development (GED) program or other alternative education program for secondary school dropouts;
- Individualized personal, career, and academic counseling;
- Tutorial services;
- Career workshops and counseling;
- Mentoring programs involving elementary or secondary school teachers, faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of these persons;
- Programs and activities described above that are specially designed for participants who are limited English proficient, participants from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, participants who are individuals with disabilities, participants who are homeless children and youth, participants who are foster care youth, or other disconnected participants; and
- Other activities designed to meet the purposes of the EOC Program.
TOP
3. How often are competitions generally held?
The EOC Program grant competition is held every four years.
TOP
4. What is the duration of the average grant?
All EOC grants are funded for five-year grant award cycles.
TOP
5. What is the average annual grant amount?
The average EOC grant award amount is $370,458.
TOP
6. Is there a cost matching requirement? If so, are in-kind contributions acceptable as part of the grantee's match?
The EOC Program does not require cost sharing or matching.
TOP
7. What are the reporting requirements for grantees? What kind of records and data should be maintained or collected in order to complete required reports?
All EOC Program grantees are required to submit an annual performance report (APR) documenting progress toward meeting their approved project objectives.
All EOC Program grantees are required to maintain participant records that show --
- The basis for the grantee's determination that each participant is eligible to participate in the project;
- The services that are provided to the participant;
- The specific educational benefits received by the participant; and
- To the extent practicable, any services the participant receives during the project year from another Federal TRIO program or another federally-funded program that serves populations similar to those served under the EOC Program.
TOP
8. What are the requirements for auditing and/or evaluation of funded projects?
Any non-Federal entities expending $500,000 or more a year in federal awards are required to conduct an A-133 audit. In addition, EOC grantees must have an evaluation plan in place that substantiates formative and summative evaluation measures, as stipulated in the funded application.
TOP
9. Are there program-wide performance measures?
The success of the Educational Opportunity Centers Program is measured by the percentage of low-income, first-generation college students who successfully pursue postsecondary education opportunities.
TOP
10. What are a few concrete examples of allowable activities?
- Providing individualized personal, career and academic counseling;
- Assisting participants in the completion of admission applications for postsecondary education and financial aid applications;
- Conducting workshop on financial and economic literacy; and
- Involving participants in: (1) visits to postsecondary educational institutions; (2) participation in "College Day" activities; and (3) field trips for participants to observe and meet with persons who are employed in various career fields and can act as role models for participants.