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 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:
Gina Mahony
Managing Director
As a former education non-profit leader, Gina secured unprecedented federal funding levels for the Charter Schools Program. This executive experience, combined with senior-level work on Capitol Hill, gives her an invaluable understanding of how organizations can effectively advance their missions in Washington.
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