The Richmond Standard

A $72,000 grant from the Education Credit Management Corporation Foundation (ECMC) aims to remove barriers in the financial aid application process for West Contra Costa families this summer.

With the goal of boosting financial aid completion rates from the current 63% to 73% of 1,837 enrolled graduating seniors in the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), the grant will fund weekly office hours with college counselors in person and via Zoom, as well as a Financial Aid Completion event in partnership with Contra Costa College where students and families can complete their financial aid documents in a group format.

The West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (Ed Fund) will oversee administration of the grant while Richmond Promise and the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) will provide programmatic support and data sharing.

WCCUSD college counselors as well as Richmond Promise near-peer ambassadors will assist. The program partners are spreading the word about these services so that graduating seniors can be prepared.

The efforts are critical due to changes in the student financial aid process for the 2024-2025 cycle, according to local education experts. A new application form and criteria, new parent requirements and shorter application deadline are creating new barriers to families aiming to apply.

Christopher Whitmore, executive director of Richmond Promise, said his team has always believed financial aid completion rates are a key indicator of a student’s intent to pursue postsecondary education.

The Promise provides college scholarships and guidance to hundreds of graduating seniors annually from Richmond and North Richmond, courtesy of a $35 million, 10-year investment by Chevron Richmond in 2014.

To be eligible for the $1,500 in annual scholarship funds, students must complete their FAFSA or Dream Act application, a requirement that aims to make postsecondary education even more affordable.

“A large part of our college access work in local schools focuses on helping students and families navigate [the financial aid application] process,” Whitmore said. “We have seen firsthand the additional obstacles created by changes at the federal level this year, and we are excited to come together with two great partners of ours, Ed Fund and WCCUSD, as we continue our work on behalf of Richmond students.”

Robert Bunce, Ed Fund executive director, said that when the community works together, “we can create real possibilities for our kids.”

“We are thrilled to bring together the school district, Richmond Promise, and the Ed Fund to make college affordability a reality for more families this summer,” Bunce said.

Karina Soriano-Ponce, district lead counselor for the WCCUSD, said collaborating with community partners “is a crucial part in providing support to our students.”

“This partnership will focus on providing comprehensive financial aid application support to students and their families that will empower them in navigating the financial aid process with confidence, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to pursue higher education without the burden of financial uncertainty,” Soriano-Ponce said.

Families and students interested in taking advantage of these services can reach out to Maddie Orenstein at Maddie@edfundwest.org, Soriano-Ponce at kponce@wccusd.net, or Miguel Molina at mmolina@richmondpromise.org.

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