Central College Awarded $500,000 Annual Grant for Federal TRIO Talent Search Program
Pella, IA (09/29/2026) — Central College has been awarded a $500,000 annual grant by the U.S. Department of Education, which will be used to continue operating Central's Federal TRIO Talent Search Program for another five years. The combined funds will equal $2.5 million.
Central's program serves roughly 1,000 students in the Des Moines area. It provides resources to help them apply to college and support them through their path through higher education.
Talent Search is just one of several TRIO Programs, all of which aim to give low-income and first-generation students access to a college education and help them succeed.
Talent Search in particular strives to increase the number of college applications and degrees from students who come from low-income families and would be the first in their families to earn a four-year college degree. Initiatives like tutoring, counseling services, mentoring and career exploration help achieve these goals.
"We are honored and excited to receive this grant which allows us to continue our mission," says Kristin Lewis, Central's director of TRIO Pre-College Programs. "This award means that our students and their families can continue to count on Talent Search to provide them with hands-on support to help them navigate a path that can be especially complicated when you are the first in your family preparing for college."
Since 1966, TRIO Programs at Central have shown students from all walks of life that a college degree is possible and attainable. The programs report that 79% of students who begin in middle and high school go on to enroll in a post-secondary education.
The grant is subject to continued federal appropriations.
Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private college known for its active student body, academic rigor and athletics success. Ranked the No. 2 Best Value College in Iowa by Niche.com, Central offers a learning environment with supportive educators committed to intellectual engagement, personal growth, career readiness and civic involvement. Founded in 1853 and shaped by its Christian heritage, the college of 1,100 students participates in NCAA Division III athletics. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest lake.
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