Thank you for your interest in the Postsecondary Benefits Promotion Pilot.
Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) invites postsecondary institutions to participate in a new pilot in Academic Year 2024-2025 to test strategies for targeted outreach and support to students who are likely eligible for benefits. The goals of the pilot are to:
- Test a new approach to identify students who are income eligible for public benefits but who are not currently receiving them, and
- Test the effectiveness of targeted outreach strategies to connect these students with benefits, resources and staff support.
The pilot will enhance institutions’ efforts to support students’ basic needs:
- Pilot institutions will receive contact lists of their enrolled students who are likely eligible but not currently receiving state benefits. These lists will be generated through a data sharing agreement between WSAC and Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), and provided quarterly by WSAC to each pilot institution.
- Pilot institutions will provide targeted outreach to students on the contact list, including engaging messaging and navigational support for benefits application. WSAC will provide to institutions technical support and cross-college engagement on best practices for targeted outreach and messaging.
- Pilot institutions will participate with WSAC on data collection and evaluation of the pilot learning and student outcomes.
There are many benefits to participating pilot institutions, and the pilot learning will benefit all:
- The pilot will provide institutions tailored student contact information – enrolled students likely eligible, but not receiving benefits – that streamlines institutional efforts to connect students with benefits and other resources. This tailored contact information is a unique resource for outreach that has not previously been available to institutions.
- The pilot will support institutions’ efforts to provide effective messaging and outreach strategies about benefits and resources.
- Evaluation of the pilot will help pilot institutions – and all institutions – learn about effective outreach strategies to connect students with public benefits.
The learning outcomes of the pilot will be a new contribution to both the state and the nation as a strategy to connect likely-eligible students with supported access to public benefits and resources.
Pilot participation will include:
- Completion of a memorandum of agreement by October 1 that defines roles and commitments within the pilot.
- An estimated four virtual meetings of pilot institutional teams during the academic year.
- A requirement to conduct quarterly targeted outreach campaigns to students on provided contact lists.
- Participation in limited data collection and evaluation of the pilot led by WSAC.
To be considered for the pilot for 2024-2025, please complete the following short survey.
3. Who will be your pilot manager? A pilot manager ensures that the institution fully participates in all aspects of the pilot. *This question is required.
4. Who will provide basic needs navigation to students that the institution outreaches to in the pilot? This may be a Basic Needs Navigator or another named position that will do the direct support work with students. *This question is required.
5. Who will be the administrative leader? The administrative leader will sign a memorandum of agreement about the roles and commitments of the pilot, and will work with the Pilot Manager to ensure institutional participation. *This question is required.