Financial Aid Enhancement Grant Program
(2001/2002 through 2002/2003)
History
In the fall of 2001, the MELMAC Education Foundation announced its second major initiative. The Financial Aid Enhancement Grant program was designed to allow Maine post-secondary institutions' student financial aid offices to better inform and administer financial aid to prospective and enrolled students. The project-based awards were to support technology and other enhancements to facilitate more efficient financial aid research and application submission. On August 13 and 14, 2001, the MELMAC Education Foundation, in collaboration with the Maine Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA), hosted the MASFAA Bluesky Retreat at the University of Maine at Farmington. The Retreat provided interested college financial aid administrators with an in-depth overview of the Enhancement Grant program. Breakout sessions gave administrators from various institutions a chance to brainstorm their unique and collective needs and to outline potential proposals. MELMAC facilitates the sharing of funded project outcomes and experiences among the various selected institutions to promote improved student financial aid operations. The program operated during the fall and winter of 2001/2002 and 2002/2003.
Application Process
During the falls of 2001 and 2002, student financial aid personnel and administrators from all Maine post-secondary institutions were sent information about MELMAC Education Foundation's Financial Aid Enhancement Grant program. Completed applications included a:
- Description of the problem or need to be addressed by the project;
- Detailed description of the project including objectives, measurable goals, strategies, beneficiaries, and timetable;
- Plan for evaluating the project; stating the criteria and procedure to be used to evaluate the progress and results of the proposed program (evaluation directly related to the stated goals and objectives);
- Detailed project budget and budget narrative, including income sources and expenditures, a list of other requests for funding or in-kind support, including those pending or approved, and time period for which funds are being requested;
Funded projects include venture grants and management grants. Venture grants seek to expand financial aid research and outreach or to improve the financial aid application process. Management grants seek to improve the efficiency of the financial aid administrative structure.
Recipients
2001-2002 Financial Aid Enhancement Grant recipients - $138,995 in awards (PDF)
2002-2003 Financial Aid Enhancement Grant recipients (to be announced)
Acknowledgements
The MELMAC Education Foundation is extremely grateful for the work of the members of its ad hoc Financial Aid Advisory Committee. In 2001, the Committee defined the criteria and process for the award selections. Committee members were:
In addition, the MELMAC Education Foundation thanks the Financial Aid Enhancement Grant application reviewers. Reviewers included:
|