California received so much, it’s had a tough time making use of
it all. A case in point is the roughly $500 million it received to help cover
the training costs faced by people who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Two
years after the grant program started, less than 5% of the money has been
awarded to grantees.
The Foundation for California Community Colleges and the
California Student Aid Commission announced a new push Wednesday to get the grants into the hands of
more students. One part of the effort is offering stipends of $1,000 or
more to student “ambassadors” who help other students apply for the
job-training funds. Larger amounts will be available to community groups that
can connect workers affected by the pandemic to the training grants.
Who is eligible for the job training grants?
The Golden State Education and Training Grant program
targets low- and moderate-income people who lost their jobs because of the
pandemic. To qualify, you must:
- Enroll in a regional K12 adult education program,
college, grad school or one of more than 110 approved community colleges
and training programs. You will not be eligible, however, if you were
enrolled at the time you lost your job.
- Attest that you were
unable to find work at the same or better wages as your pre-pandemic job.
- Earn less per year
than the income limits set by the
state, which range from $42,800 for a single person with no dependents
to $135,000 for someone with six or more dependents.
- Have less than
$90,400 in household assets if you are dependent on someone else, or if
you have dependents other than a spouse. If you are independent and have
no dependents of your own, the limit is $43,000.
If you meet all these criteria, you’ll be eligible for a one-time
grant that will be paid directly to the school or training program you enroll
in. The grant is almost enough to cover the in-state tuition for an associate’s
degree at a community college, which requires 60 units at $46 per unit. (The
grant can be used for fees and other education-related purposes, not just
tuition.)
Students face thousands of dollars in other
costs, including fees, books, food, housing and transportation. But there
are other aid programs available to make
degree and training programs more affordable for low- and moderate-income
students, whether they be citizens or undocumented students. That includes the
state’s Promise Grant program, which
waives community college tuition for low-income Californians.
Enough money remains in the program to support more than 150,000
grants. And given how little of the training grant money has been spent, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget calls
for extending the program though June 2027
Who
can be an ambassador?
The Foundation for California Community Colleges already enlists
students to help spread the word about financial aid, CalFresh and other
support services. Now it’s looking for ambassadors to promote the $2,500
training grants among their peers and in their communities, in the hope of
doling out more funds.
According to the commission, student ambassadors must be at least
18 years old and enrolled in at least one unit in both the spring and fall
semesters at a state community college, California State University or
University of California campus. If accepted, they will be trained on the grant
program, its eligibility requirements and the application process. They’ll also
be given wireless devices to help the students they recruit fill out
applications.
These ambassadors will do outreach from May through September,
devoting 10 to 12 hours a month and earning a $1,000 stipend. Those who
continue on through the fall and spring semesters will earn an additional
$2,000.
To apply, you’ll have to fill out an online form that asks a
number of questions related to your ability to recruit grant applicants,
including what “techniques and strategies” you’d use and what relevant work or
volunteer experiences you’ve had. If selected, you’ll be required to attend two
virtual training sessions in May and one in-person session in June.
The foundation encourages interested students to apply by April
28, with ambassadors selected in early May. For more information, send an email
to EdTraining@foundationccc.org.
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