Mini Grants

Mini Grants

In order to support districts, schools and community partners to improve student outcomes tied to regional targets for postsecondary readiness, enrollment and completion, PSCCN provides financial aid completion and postsecondary transition strategy innovation funding to South King County & Pierce County schools, colleges, and community organizations.

Grant partner projects specifically address postsecondary transition and/or financial aid awareness building or completion during the 2018–19 school year and include one or more of the following criteria:

  • Innovative parent/guardian preparation, engagement and/or outreach around postsecondary transition steps, including financial aid completion.
  • Specific supports for College Bound Scholarship students, students of color, first generation college students and/or low-income students and their families
  • Collaboration among multiple stakeholders (multiple schools, a regional event/strategy, community partner-district collaboration)

2018-19 Grant Partners

  • Auburn School District: Host events to provide access to better support families on the journey to post-secondary enrollment
  • Bethel School District: Host financial aid awareness activities in high schools and in the community
  • Cleveland High School (Seattle Public Schools): Host financial aid night for families and students to access college knowledge information
  • Clover Park School District: Host FAFSA/WASFA information sessions with family presenters, open labs and individualized support
  • College Success Foundation: Achiever Launch Celebrations, transition events for high school seniors
  • Degrees of Change: Funds to support the implementation of a “What’s Next” event in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools, local colleges and universities, and community-based organizations. The event targets Tacoma Public Schools seniors attending local colleges in the fall and seeks to connect these students with their future college and TPS peers and take steps to complete key transition steps before high school graduation
  • Federal Way School District: Fund events to implement multi-language financial aid advertising and messaging campaign in schools and the community
  • Green River College: College Signing Day transition event, in partnership with local K–12 districts, where students have the opportunity to learn about campus student services, connect with advisors and enroll in classes
  • Highline College: Black & Brown Male Summit, Young Educated Ladies Leading and College Signing Day
  • Kent School District: Implement innovative strategies that support the implementation of NCAN FAFSA Challenge Grant and financial aid completion activities during the 2018–19 school year. Funds will be used to promote postsecondary transition and financial aid events to all current seniors and their families at Kent School District
  • Palmer Scholars: Host a graduation ceremony bringing together both high school and college students in the program in order to build community among program scholars and highlight key supports intended to prevent summer melt
  • Puyallup School District: Host school day and evening postsecondary transition and financial aid events for current seniors and families at Emerald Ridge High School
  • Renton School District: Host a district-wide community located financial aid completion and transition event
  • Refugee Women's Alliance (ReWA): In partnership with Seattle Public Libraries, facilitate financial aid workshops specifically focused on serving Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Amharic speaking communities
  • Seattle Housing Authority-High Point Community: Host a series of “Buna” or Coffee Time to bring families of high schoolers and recent graduates to share experiences in a community setting
  • Summer Search: Fund second-year graduate assistant position, the Junior College Workshop and a summer Search Fellow (graduate intern) to support postsecondary transition
  • YMCA Scholars Program (at Tyee HS & Garfield HS): Host college tours for students to attend admissions presentations to learn about the college application process

Effective practices identified by grantees will be shared through the PSCCN network via the News page and in-person convenings.