Washington Scholarship Coalition

Students searching for scholarship funding often have difficulty finding information about the many opportunities available in Washington because there is no central clearinghouse for scholarship information. Scholarship providers face similar challenges reaching students.

To meet growing financial need among Washington residents and increase college accessibility, the Washington Scholarship Coalition is planning to offer a free Web site, and other assistance to enable students and scholarship providers across the state to contact each other.

Students will be able to search and apply for scholarship opportunities specific to their academic interests, college or university, or by other criteria.  Providers will benefit from the increased exposure and reduced paperwork.

The coalition is a public/private collaboration with the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB), the Washington Financial Aid Association (WFAA), The Seattle Foundation, NELA, Washington Spark, College Success Foundation, and College Planning Network.

Using private money, the coalition hired williamsworks to conduct a feasibility study for the project in 2006. The second phase of the study calls for development of the clearinghouse, also with private funding. After the new Web site and other services are developed, the HECB will maintain the clearinghouse.

For more information

John Klacik, Director of Student Financial Assistance, HECB
Phone: 360-753-7850

Resources

Scholarship Coalition:  A Proposal to Establish a Statewide Scholarship Clearinghouse (December 2005)

Scholarship Coalition PowerPoint Presentation
(December 2005)

Final Report on Feasibility Study by williamsworks
(October 2006)

Clearinghouse Program Brief