Student aid is more important than ever, and Federal programs, particularly the Pell Grant program, have enjoyed spectacular growth in recent years. However, all is not well in the student financing area. The traditionally strong, bi-partisan support for federal student aid funding is running headlong into Congressional efforts to reduce federal spending. Equally troubling, hundreds of thousands of community college students each year fail to even apply for federal aid. This panel will examine some of the recent national trends affecting community college financing, and cover successful institutional strategies to ensure that all community college students receive to which they are entitled. Moderator: Jack Quinn, President, Erie Community College, PA.