The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form completed by current and prospective college students to determine eligibility for student financial aid. Every year, millions of students who are eligible to receive aid don’t complete the FAFSA and money is left that could have helped them achieve their future educational goals.
That’s why United Way of Brevard is leading the 321 FAFSA Liftoff initiative in partnership with Brevard Public Schools, Elevate Brevard, and Eastern Florida State College. The goal is to increase the number of students completing FAFSA.
This fall United Way is providing $2,500 mini grants to the nine BPS High Schools with a five year average of under 50% completion.
Schools will use the grants to:
By not filling it out, students are missing out on money to help reach their education goals that they may have never even considered possible otherwise.
Completing the FAFSA is not difficult. On average, it takes less than an hour to complete. FAFSA completion is required to determine eligibility for more than $150 billion in federal student aid, including Pell Grants, federal student loans and federal work-study programs.
Plus, accredited trade schools which offer job-specific training are also eligible for federal aid by submitting the FAFSA
This effort to boost FAFSA completion rates is an investment in today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce.
About Elevate Brevard:
Elevate Brevard is Brevard’s Local College Access Network (LCAN) coalition. Family Promise of Brevard agreed to become the backbone organization for Elevate Brevard, a collective impact model that brings together sector area leaders to address barriers to post-secondary attainment and increase access to training and upskilling opportunities that lead to economic mobility. A priority is placed on underserved communities and financially vulnerable individuals, including those living in households below the Federal Poverty Level and the ALICE population, or "working poor", as defined by United Way.