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Regent Education. Register now to stay in-the-know on exclusive, limited-space events at NASFAA where you can discover how to maximize every award, scholarship, and state grant using cloud-based financial aid and fund management solutions. Stay tuned—details and special announcements to follow! 13 days until NASFAA 2026!

NASFAA has put together a new issue brief that walks through several frequently asked questions about a funding shortfall in the Pell Grant program. The explainer provides details on how the program is funded, outlines the difference between the Pell Grant shortfall and reserve, covers congressional actions that have addressed the shortfall, and offers an outlook on future shortfalls. The resource also contains several graphics to help readers better understand the terms and developments that have directly impacted the program.

NASFAA, along with several higher education organizations, signed onto a letter expressing concerns over several proposals made by the Department of Education (ED) regarding the foreign gifts and contracts reporting process under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Earlier in April, ED published an information collection request which listed two “substantial” changes to the foreign gifts and contracts reporting process, including public disclosure of donor names and a new requirement for an individual to certify that an institution is in compliance with Section 117. The organizations expressed concerns over these two changes, noting that the public disclosure of donor names “would have a chilling impact on legal foreign donations from alumni and others to our institutions” and that the new certification requirement “is absent from the existing statute and could create liability for individuals that does not exist in statute.” The organizations also highlight concerns with ED’s new foreign gift reporting portal, and highlight the reporting burden on institutions. 

There are still seats available during the current testing window, which remains open through the 21st of this month. Planning to certify before the 2026 National Conference? Be sure to schedule your exam session soon so that we can celebrate your certification together in National Harbor! If you haven’t applied yet, submit your application online today. Then, learn more about the testing process, confirm you meet all of the technical requirements, and utilize candidate resources to prepare for the exam.

All Self-Evaluation Checklists are updated and available! The checklists are designed to allow schools to audit themselves for the 2025-26 award year. Some checklists which are now live include the Federal Direct Student Loan Program Checklist, Return of Title IV Funds Checklist, Student Consumer Information Checklist, and Student Eligibility Checklist. The Self-Evaluation Checklists module of the Compliance Engine is included with your NASFAA membership. Not sure how to use it? Check out our Self-Evaluation Checklists User Guide. Take advantage of this member benefit today!

The NASFAA Quiz Show webinar is back, and we are preparing for yet another season! As always, our NASFAA Quiz Show webinar, available on demand, allows you and your staff a chance to take a break from all the things that keep you awake at night and enjoy a fun webinar set to provide training in an entertaining manner! We bring to life some of those very thought-provoking and sometimes mind blowing AskRegs questions in an approach that is considered edutainment.

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