Financial Aid Outreach Pilot Grant

Financial Aid Outreach Pilot Grant
Libraries Partnering With
Community Based Organizations
 

 

CBO Partnership guidelines

What counts as a Community Based Organization?

From federal law (20 USC § 7801(5: The term "community-based organization" means a public or private nonprofit organization of demonstrated effectiveness that -- (A) is representative of a community or significant segments of a community; and (B) provides educational or related services to individuals in the community.

This definition is fairly broad and could include many different kinds of organizations! Priority should be given to partnering with organizations who have proven track records of working with historically underrepresented populations who are embedded in their community, have a strong foundation of trust among members of the community, and are committed to working directly with individual members of the community to assist with one-on-one free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid, as well as providing information on how to access private scholarships.

 

Do I have to focus on helping youth complete financial aid, or can we also focus on adults going into higher education?

While the bill specifies "students", libraries can focus on financial aid completion of students of any age. For the purposes of reporting, libraries can count high schoolers, adults who are re-entering the higher education system, and any Washington resident who could benefit from financial aid completion as receiving assistance from this pilot program. 

How do I figure out who needs the most support in my community for Financial Aid completion?

You can see district level FAFSA completion data at this link. The complete Washington State FAFSA Completion dashboard, including historical data, can be found here. Washington State FAFSA Completion by Select Subgroups can be found here. A deeper dive into the raw data can be found at the FAFSA Tracker.

 

How to spend funds

Can I pass the grant funding on to the Community Based Organization I'm working with?

Yes! Part of the requirement of this funding is that libraries partner with Community Based Organizations, and you can and should pass funds on to your partner to facilitate the implementation of activities that will increase financial aid completion in your community. 

Can I partner with another library or tribe and pool our grant funding resources?

Yes! If you want to combine forces and coordinate with another eligible library or tribe to make your allotted grant funding go further or increase capacity, let us know in your application that this is your plan. 

 

Can we use grant funds to provide childcare at a scholarship application assistance event?

Yes, providing childcare for those attending an event is a great way to spend funds, and remove barriers for parents wishing to attend.  Please document this expense as you would with any other vendor approved through your library’s financial entity.

 

Can we use grant funds to have a raffle?

Yes, you can raffle off prizes purchased with grant funds as an incentive as long as raffle tickets are provided free of charge to those participating in your event or program.

 

Can we use grant funds to pay for incentives like gift cards?

Yes, grant funds can be used to provide meals for event attendees, and incentives like gift cards or laptops as prizes for free raffle drawings are all great options for increasing interest and engagement from event and program participants.

 

Can we use grant funds to backpay our CBO for work done before the contract with WSL was signed?

Yes, you may use grant funds to pay for work completed by your CBO partner as long as that work was completed within the scope of a signed MOU between both parties, addressing the partnership activities for this grant.

 

Can we use grant funds to pay for HelpNow?

Yes, you can use grant funds to pay for online tools provided through the library to assist people with their FAFSA.  Please share details with WSL to confirm that a portion of the grant funds are also passed through to one or more CBOs.

 

Can we use grant funds to pay for advertising for HelpNow?

Yes, grant funds can be used to market tools available to assist people with their FAFSA.  Please ensure you can track engagement with the tool, so you can report on the impact of marketing efforts.

 

More Possible Uses for Grant Funds:

--Putting on financial aid assistance and informational events in the library and community in partnership with a CBO. These events could feature informational sessions, one-on-one help, Q&A with experts, and more. 

--Funding salaries for translators or experts who speak languages other than English to assist with one-on-one financial aid help for families who speak a language other than English at home.

--Contracting with a CBO to fund salaries for people who provide one-on-one financial aid assistance in your community. 

--Funding salaries or projects related to asset-mapping and needs assessments in your community to identify CBOs to partner with or under-served communities to target.

--Library and CBO staff training.

--Transportation costs to bring students/families to an event you're hosting at the library/CBO/community space.

--Paying for technology such as laptops/computers/tablets for events, lending, or outreach.

Reimbursement & Reporting

What do I need to keep track of for reporting at the end of the grant?

House Bill 1835 requires the Washington State Library to report annually to the legislature on the progress of the library outreach pilot project. The report must include the specific number of students that were assisted through the grant pilot program. The Washington State Library will provide a reporting form at the start of the grant so you know what you will be required to keep statistics on and report at the end.
 

What BARS code should we use for this grant?

334.00.30

 

Should we count attendees more than once if they come to multiple workshops/sessions?

There is no need to track individuals within multiple workshops unless you or your CBO are enrolling individuals in an intensive process requiring their long-term commitment.  Please work with your CBO to count individuals served the same way you would for drop-in programs and services.

 

How should we track staff hours worked on this grant?

If library staff are being paid with this grant, you will need to submit a staff hours form and paystubs for the employee. Please remove any personally identifiable information like social security numbers, addresses, etc. - we only need to see their name. If you have questions about staff hours documentation, please contact the grants team at wslgrants@sos.wa.gov. 

 

Spring 2023 Convenings

 

Do I need to attend the regional Convening in Spring 2023?

Please send at least one representative from your library to the convening held for your region.  This gathering is an opportunity to connect grantees from education, library, and non-profit sectors to clarify roles and responsibilities, share best practices, identify & discuss local resources, and build camaraderie.

 

Who should attend?

Anyone from your library who is involved in grant-funded activities is welcome.  If you already have a relationship with one or more CBOs, their grant-involved staff is welcome and encouraged to join. 

 

Are Convenings in person, Virtual, or Hybrid?

The library is working with Aim Higher Washington to set a date for each convening, and determine feasibility of in-person, hybrid, and virtual options.  If you have a preference or your preference has changed, please reach out to WSL.

 

Will WSL pay mileage or replacement hours for those attending a convening?

WSL can provide mileage reimbursement at current state per diem rates ($0.655/mi as of January 2023) to library staff or their CBO partner staff who attend an in-person convening.  If attending the convening would require closing the library, please reach out to WSL to discuss reimbursement for replacement hours.