About the Grant Project

Background

In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the Seattle Colleges a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Cooperative grant of more than $2.3 million over a five-year period. The purpose of the Title III program is to help eligible colleges become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen their academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability.

Serving a large student population from Seattle and surrounding communities, the Seattle Colleges District (SCD) is committed to transforming lives through education. However, many students face financial challenges that impede their educational goals, exacerbated by the high cost of living in the Seattle-King County region.
 

Goals

The Cooperative Title III grant has three primary goals:

1. Increase enrollment, retention, and completion of all students
2. Improve students’ navigation of financial services on campus
3. Increase faculty/staff engagement and knowledge of financial resources available for students.

To support student success, the Seattle Colleges District will establish a comprehensive Funding Access Hub at each college, providing a one-stop shop for students to understand their options and secure the funds needed to achieve their educational aspirations. In this effort, the District’s Cooperative Title III project will implement the following innovations:

• Funding Navigators - One Navigator at each college will ensure that the students have access to comprehensive services that will enable them to understand their options and secure the funds needed for their education goals.
• Funding Planning Tool - An online tool that is a quarter-by-quarter plan to assist students with funding resources and a plan that will take them from entry to graduation.
• Data Collection and Reporting - Student satisfaction surveys will be part of the district culture and will provide an institutionalized approach to student feedback and ensure that the initiative continues to meet the evolving needs of the students.
• Improved Communications Plan - Create a coordinated annual communications campaign for reminders and nudges that will utilize a variety of communication methods including emails, phone calls, social media, websites, workshops and classroom visits.
• Professional Development for Faculty and Staff - - Create and disseminate training resources to staff and faculty related to financial aid and funding resources.
   

Data and Results

Operating within a culture of evidence, data is key to the Funding Navigation project.  We have set specific goals and measure frequently to track our progress and evaluate the impact of our programming. Find the most recent data regarding key metrics on our dashboard, currently open to Seattle Colleges staff only.
 

Resources

Seattle Colleges' districtwide cooperative Title III SIP grant is informed by a vast body of academic research about student barriers and best practices. Some of the work that inspired the grant is listed in the accordion box below.