The Solution
The Washington Scholarship Coalition aims to build the online Scholarship
Marketplace, auser-friendly, student-centered website with efficient search/match
tools, a uniform locator and scholarship application process. The Marketplace
will act as a clearinghouse with vetted scholarship information to match
those looking for support with those looking to provide it, ultimately helping
students, donors and policymakers achieve their goals.
How It Will Work
The Scholarship Marketplace will:
- Match students with valid scholarship opportunities, increasing the
odds they will find the financial support they need for higher education
- Provide donors with information to understand who is looking for help
so they can align their giving to the real needs of today's students
- Empower policymakers with real time data to direct funding to Washington
students who need the most financial aid
- Coordinate with other online tools promoting college readiness and
planning
Impact of the Marketplace
Simplifying the scholarship application process and increasing its search-match
efficiencies will greatly boost the number of applications and increase
access to higher education, particularly for low income students.
In Washington state, this will most importantly help the 62% of higher
education students who do not fit the "traditional" profile of
the student for whom many existing scholarship programs are designed. There
is strong evidence that increasing the match process increases scholarship
use:
With the Scholarship Marketplace, more students will achieve their educational
goals.
- Total education giving will increase in Washington state
- Community and public leaders will better understand the impact of scholarships
in increasing college access
- Students will be less vulnerable to predatory lending, keeping risk
and loan defaults low
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Estimated Cost: $1.14 million
The Online Scholarship Marketplace will launch "live"
in Fall 2009. To date, the Coalition has:
- Completed the feasibility phase
- Designed the product, now in development
- Secured its permanent home at the HECB
- Committed $750,000 of $1.14 million necessary for product launch, development
and enhancement
Development Updates
The project is generally being very positively received because of the tremendous
public/ private cooperation and leverage. We are actively advocating to
ensure funds remain in the state's budget in an increasingly tough political
year. We have submitted requests to the Lumina Foundation and, by invitation,
to our regional peers at the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation and Community
Foundation for Southwest Washington. In 2009, we will also continue to pursue
leads with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Paul G. Allen Family
Foundation, Boeing Company, Safeco Insurance Foundation, M.J Murdock Charitable
Trust and Inland Northwest Community Foundation.
Washington Scholarship Coalition Partners
- College Planning Network
- College Spark Washington
- The College Success Foundation
- Independent Colleges of Washington
- Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA)
- The Seattle Foundation
- Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB)
Contact Information
Washington Scholarship Coalition
c/o Northwest Education Loan Association
Danette Knudson
Director, External Relations
(206) 461-5491
danette.knudson@nela.net |