FutureMakers Coalition partners, including educators, workforce developers, business leaders, economic development professionals, government officials, residents and students across Southwest Florida have joined together and their parents in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties about FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Spearheaded by the Access & Entry team of the FutureMakers Coalition, the goal of the campaign is to increase the FAFSA completion rate among Southwest Florida high school seniors by 5 percent this school year.
To supplement schools’ current FAFSA outreach efforts, a campaign marketing toolkit has been created to provide informational handouts and materials about the FAFSA and why it is important for students and parents to file. In addition, schools will be sharing campaign information via websites, e-newsletters, text messages and other communication channels. The campaign will also be rolled out through a robust social media presence, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Geo-targeted online advertising via Google and Facebook will further boost the campaign’s reach with students and parents.
Each year, the federal government provides more than $150 billion in financial aid (grants, work-study and loans) for college and career school. To apply for this aid, every high school senior who plans to attend college or career school must complete the FAFSA. State governments and many colleges, career schools and private organizations also use FAFSA information to determine additional financial aid awards.
