Five Critical Moves Education Organizations Need To Make Now

On May 2, President Trump sent up a “skinny” budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), with more detail expected later in this month. Coupled with his executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, this budget proposal provided more details about the administration’s efforts to cut or eliminate federal education programs. While important details are scarce – such as which 18 programs will be consolidated into a $2 billion block grant called the Simplified Education Fund, there are enough details to spread alarm: cutting Title I by $4 billion, eliminating TRIO and GEAR UP, and shuttering AmeriCorps.

As someone who’s navigated education policy from the House floor and represented universities and K-12 schools and non-profits, I’ve weathered storms before, but this is different. With half the department’s workforce is already gone, and Congress considering the final cuts, my message to clients is simple: don’t wait to make your voice heard. Based on my experience and what’s unfolding, here are five critical moves education organizations – primary and secondary schools, universities, or advocacy groups – need to make now:

1. Push Congress to Protect What Matters

• My Take: News Flash! Congress still holds the purse strings, and key lawmakers, including some Republicans, are pushing back on the encroachment on their constitutional powers.
• Move: Educate lawmakers with the hard data on who your school or program serves in your community.

2. Make It Personal for Elected Officials

• My take: As I told Bloomberg Government, “The magnitude of this is going to be really difficult for members of Congress to handle at town hall meetings and Memorial Day parades or Fourth of July parades.”
• Move: Engage your representatives where it matters most. Invite elected officials and their state and district staff to experience your school or program firsthand.

3. Shore Up Your Funding

• My Take: As the FY26 budget details, grant programs and student aid are at risk – the disruption of federal funding can cripple even the strongest organizations.
• Move: Map your federal dollars and research state funds or private support.

4. Watch Your State Education Agencies

• My Take: Some state education agencies have applied for waivers to consolidate federal funding and programs.
• Move: Build ties with state education leaders now to protect your program or shape what’s coming.

5. Strategize With Someone Who’s Been There

• My Take: I’ve warned clients that members of Congress will struggle with the magnitude and impact of these changes.  Having guided organizations through uncertainty before, we’re prepared to do so again.  
• Move: Partner with me and my team to transform these challenges into your strategic advantage.

Closing thought: Need practical solutions for these funding challenges? Want to talk specifics? Reach out to team Cogent to help your organization not just survive but come out stronger.