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Improving Lives: State and Federal Programs for Low-Income Adults

As described in Low-Income Adults in Profile: Improving Lives Through Higher Education, low-income adult students face many personal, academic, and financial barriers to success in postsecondary education. State and federal programs can help students overcome these barriers—or they can erect further roadblocks. This web site provides policy makers with an overview of state and federal programs that affect low-income adults and their ability to succeed in postsecondary education. The site features two resources: an online database and exemplars of effective policy.

The first resource is an online searchable database of more than 400 state and federal programs. Visitors can search this database by program type or jurisdiction (federal or individual state) and find the following information for each program: program name, type, purpose, eligibility criteria/restrictions, amount of aid provided, number of individuals assisted, and contact information. The database does not answer every question that visitors may have about these programs, but it does provide the single best resource available on state and federal programs to help low-income adults succeed in college. A detailed description of the database design is available that outlines the limitations of the information. Visitors can search this database as a first step to constructing a list of possible approaches and options; they can then use the contact information for each program to collect more detailed information. To help visitors evaluate the programs in the database, this site includes guidance based on ACE's research into these programs and on the needs of low-income adults.

The second resource is a collection of more detailed descriptions for programs selected as exemplars of effective state and federal policy. These exemplars were selected because they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Allow beneficiaries to complete at least a certificate program or, ideally, an associate or bachelor’s degree.
• Provide sizable benefits to a large number of low-income adult students.
• Feature eligibility criteria that are sensitive to the characteristics and needs of low-income adults (e.g., allow part-time attendance or do not require students to enroll immediately after high school).
• Provide services that help low-income adults overcome a major barrier to postsecondary success (e.g., childcare or personal counseling).

ACE welcomes suggestions for additional programs that could be included as exemplars in the future. Please e-mail your suggestions to policy@ace.nche.edu.

We have attempted to ensure that all of the information on this site is accurate and complete, but programs change rapidly and, in some cases, we were unable to confirm all program details. Please see the Database Design section for more information on how the database was constructed and how visitors can provide new or updated information on programs.