The Earl N. Williams, Sr., First Chance Act would amend federal higher education law to allow colleges to provide financial assistance to low-income undergraduate students participating in federal student support services programs. Specifically, institutions could use grant funds to offer two types of aid: basic grants covering anticipated living expenses needed to complete an academic year, and emergency grants for unexpected costs that help students stay in college. Each college would decide how to split funds between these two grant types and determine eligible expenses, which could include childcare, transportation, and other basic needs beyond standard financial aid calculations. The legislation caps emergency grants at $500 for the 2027-2028 academic year, with future limits adjusted annually for inflation, and limits the grants to no more than 2 percent of an institution's total student support services funding. These grants would not count against a student's overall financial aid eligibility, though total assistance cannot exceed the cost of attendance by more than the emergency grant amount.
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