Program History
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the McNair Program is one of eight federal TRIO programs that provide educational support and opportunities to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The McNair Program is authorized under a 1986 amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965. The first projects were funded in 1989, with grant competitions currently held every four years. All grants are awarded on a four-year cycle, except for the institutions that score in the top 10 percent of each competition. These grants are awarded for five years.
