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Planning a Super FAFSA Project FAFSA Completion Event
Super FAFSA Project Virginia is part of Virginia’s 1-2-3 Go! Initiative, co-sponsored by ECMC and SCHEV.
About Super FAFSA Project
Super FAFSA Project Virginia (SFP) is a statewide FAFSA completion initiative designed to increase completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Through this initiative, ECMC and SCHEV partner with high schools throughout the Commonwealth to offer financial aid resources and assistance completing the FAFSA.
Importance of FAFSA
The FAFSA is critical; it is required for individuals planning to attend any college or technical school who wish to receive federal aid such as Pell grants, loans, work-study, state and institutional aid, and scholarships.
Last year, $120 billion in federal and $250 million in Virginia state grants were available to help students pay for college.
$2.6 BILLION in free federal aid went UNCLAIMED by 2018 high school graduates.
FAFSA Release Date
FAFSA opens OCTOBER 1 at www.fafsa.gov
The FAFSA requires prior-prior year tax information. This allows students to complete their FAFSA sooner since prior-prior year taxes should already be filed. Visit www.studentaid.gov for more information.
Check with college financial aid offices for deadlines and additional application requirements. Virginia does not have a statewide FAFSA deadline. Deadlines for Virginia institutions can be found at
www.schev.edu/financialaiddeadlines Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant
(VTAG) application deadline is July 31 of each year (separate application from FAFSA).
Support & Resources
Sites will receive the following:
Site planning resources and webinar
Stipend available depending on the event type (e.g., in-person)
Promotional materials (e.g., prepaid FAFSA postcards, poster and tracking meter)
Financial Aid 101 PPT
Access to printable event materials and templates
U.S. Department of EducationFAFSA Completion Data by High Schoolhttps://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/data-center/student/application-volume/fafsa-completion-high-school
Fill in completion percentage (Number of FAFSAs completed/Number of Seniors = Completion percentage)
Write your school’s FAFSA completion goal here (100% ?!?)
Tracking FAFSA Completion
Primary Site Responsibilities
At a minimum…
Promote all SFP and Federal Student Aid webinars available to students and their families 1-2-3 GO!/SFP is partnering with the Virginia Association for Student
Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA) to offer four webinars.
Federal Student Aid will host several webinars, including line-by-line FAFSA completion demonstrations.
Distribute helpful FAFSA resources
Communicate often with students and their families (FAFSA reminders, deadlines)
Track FAFSA completion/event participation
Pre-Event Planning
WANT TO DO MORE?
Pre-Event Planning
Site coordinator should build a site team Hold team meetings to discuss event, ideas, updates
Can assign team members to handle one aspect of the event
Set date and time for the event
Create a plan and timeline for the event
Recruit school and other volunteers Volunteers can be helpful for any type of event. For example, for a
virtual event, a volunteer may be able to help with tech support.
Recruit financial aid representatives (reach out to area colleges and college access providers)
Decide on a webinar platform and/or reserve event space
Pre-Event Planning
Submit a completed stipend request and W-9 form to [email protected] (if needed for hybrid or traditional events)
Promote the event
Prepare logistics for the day Set up webinar
Virtual or printed handouts (e.g., FAFSA on the Web Worksheet)
Volunteer assignments
Social distancing plan
Day of Event
Set up event
Review schedule, assignments, instructions with volunteers
Share FAFSA-related materials
Record participation for scholarship entry
Supervise all aspects of the event
Post-Event Responsibilities
Complete the following by December 15:
Select a student to be entered into the statewide scholarship drawing; one per site.
Submit online site coordinator survey (report attendance numbers, scholarship drawing entry)
Statewide Scholarship Drawing
Five, statewide $1,000 scholarships
Students must participate in an FAFSA-related event and/or show proof of FAFSA submission (must be enrolled at participating site to qualify)
Site coordinator will decide on how to track participation for scholarship entries (ask for FAFSA confirmation page, use webinar attendee list)
SFP will randomly select five winners from the pool of scholarship entries received from sites.
SFP will notify scholarship winners via email and require winners to submit college enrollment/billing documentation.
Scholarship can be used at the winner’s college of choice.
Site coordinator must complete the coordinator survey in order for scholarship entry to be included.
School Competition Prize
Schools will be divided into groups based on enrollment numbers and the top schools in each group will win money to use to use towards a senior prize. More details to come.
Any FAFSA’s submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Education through the last week of December will count in the school competition.
SFP will use U.S. Dept. of Education FAFSA completion website and VDOE enrollment data to track/tally results.
If tiebreaker is necessary, SFP will award the prize to the school with the highest percentage of students receiving free/reduced price lunch.
Only sites that submit a completed site coordinator survey will be included in the school competition prize.
Important Notes
SFP is a “closed event” unless sites want to open to other members of the community (your choice, but only students who attend the school will qualify for scholarship entry and count toward school competition numbers).
SFP materials should not be forwarded for use by schools that are not approved participating sites.
We strongly encourage parents/guardians to attend the event. Students will have difficulty completing the FAFSA without them.
Volunteers do not receive compensation for their time.
Sites are responsible for securing financial aid representatives and other volunteers to assist with events.
What’s Next?
Remember to submit completed stipend request and W-9 form
Be on the lookout for shipped materials addressed to site coordinators.
Site planning manual, printable materials and helpful resources will be posted on the SFP website as they become available at www.schev.edu/123go (click on Super FAFSA Project)
Start planning!
Idea Sharing & Questions
Virtual backgrounds
Use class time to promote event (show a slide during virtual classes)
Social distancing markers related to FAFSA/money
“I Filed My FAFSA” printable sign
SFP picture frame image
Drive-thru/in FAFSA assistance
#IFiledMyFAFSAVa | #123GoVirginia
Your turn to share and ask questions…
Contact Us
We are here to help! If you have any questions, need help with ideas/planning, etc., feel free to contact both of us.
Tara [email protected]
Tierney [email protected]
Follow us on Twitter @123GoVirginia