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STUDENT LOAN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

The Student Loan Empowerment Project (SLE) Project provides $7.25 million in
targeted grants that connect student loan borrowers to a network of
community-based organizations and legal aid groups that provide free and
individualized education, case management, and assistance with student loan
issues.

The SLE Project was authorized via Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2022-2023 budget,
which provided $10 million in one-time funding from the General Fund for Student
Loan Borrower Assistance (SB 154). In addition to the $7.25 million grant
program, the budget also included $2.75 million for a statewide marketing and
communication campaign focused on student loan borrower education and outreach
to further the state’s commitment to providing Californians who hold student
loans with vital information about their rights and options. 

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HOW TO APPLY

Applications for the 2023-25 Student Loan Empowerment Project, including all
required information and supporting documentation, are due on or before October
18 at 5 p.m. (PST). Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the
deadline will NOT be reviewed or considered for a grant award.


APPLY FOR THE STUDENT LOAN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)


CALIFORNIA GRANTS PORTAL


THE STUDENT LOAN LANDSCAPE IN CALIFORNIA

In California, there are nearly four million borrowers who owe $156 billion in
federal and private student loans. These borrowers are faced with navigating a
complex and confusing repayment system and a student loan market plagued with
predatory practices. Additionally, borrowers with private loans do not have
repayment protections under federal law to help them manage their loans. Poor
servicing practices can add to the overall cost of loans and cause borrowers to
slide into default.  

Research shows that the student loan debt burden falls disproportionately on
women, low-income, first-generation, and Black borrowers. In California, the
default rate, or the rate of borrowers who are currently at least 90 days
delinquent, is 7.1 percent. Defaulting on student loans can have severe
consequences, including wage, tax, or social security garnishment, notification
to credit bureaus and possible legal action. Defaulted borrowers tend to have a
lower student loan balance with a median loan balance of $15,307 and are higher
among those who attended private-for-profit colleges, those who don’t complete a
degree or certificate, and Black and Latino borrowers. The ripple effects of
student debt are substantial, and student loan debt negatively impacts a
borrower’s financial future, including their ability to buy a home, choose a
career, and save for retirement according to the Annual Report of the Student
Loan Ombudsman 2022.  

With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Biden’s Administration
One-Time Debt Relief program, millions of borrowers returning to repayment in
October 2023, the new Income-Driven Repayment SAVE plan, and the many regulatory
changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness and other programs, borrowers will be
faced with many uncertainties and challenges in the coming years.  


TWO STUDENT LOAN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT GRANT STREAMS

The SLE Project will operate as a coordinated network, using a supportive hub
and spoke model of service provision. DFPI provides funding for organizations
that will play specific roles within this SLE Project Network. Organizations may
apply for and receive funding for one or both streams of funding. Only the
grantee can benefit from the grant funds and cannot be redistributed as grants
to other organizations.

Two grant streams are available:


STREAM 1: NETWORK COORDINATION GRANTS

Network Coordination Grants will provide critical coordination and support for
the SLE Project Network. The maximum funding available in this category is $2
million, which may be awarded to one or more organizations. Eligible
organizations may apply to provide one or both of the following functions up to
the maximum of $2 million for the two-year period.: 

A: Service Coordination and Referral 

 * Establish and manage a statewide toll-free phone number, website, and email
   for borrowers 
 * Coordinate student loan borrower intake and referral services  
 * Develop and maintain a database to track referrals and service outcomes 
 * Aggregate service data and evaluate outcomes
 * Coordinate information sharing and build intra-network relationships  
 * Liaise with Student Loan Ombudsperson on borrower referrals to service
   partner grantees   
 * Collaborate with DFPI staff to deliver marketing and outreach strategies 

B: Training and Quality Assurance 

 * Implement an ongoing training program for service partner grantees 
 * Develop a training curriculum and materials 
 * Ensure consistency and quality of training across the network 
 * Identify and promote best practices and share updates on policies,
   regulations, etc. 
 * Maintain record of training and development  
 * Collect data related to training outcomes 
 * Conduct technical assistance and training for partner organizations 
 * Aggregate and analyze key outcome measures and monitor progress 


STREAM 2: SERVICE PARTNER GRANTS

Service Partner Grant funds are to be used to provide direct community-based,
individualized education and counseling or legal services to help borrowers
manage their student loans, access federal repayment and forgiveness benefits,
or lower their debt balance. Services may include specialized support for
complex cases. $5.25 million of funding is available under this funding stream.
The maximum award for each Service Partner grant is $600,000 for the two-year
period, and each organization can receive only one grant. 

There are two types of direct support that can be provided under this stream.
Organizations may apply to provide one or both types of services.  

A. General Support for Borrowers*

 * Provide free financial education and individual counseling to consumers with
   their higher education debt issues, including the following:
   * explore loan repayment options 
   * support access to loan forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge programs   
   * help to apply for consolidation, deferment, and forbearance   
   * resolve issues with loan servicers and lenders   
   * get out of default to prevent wage garnishments, social security offsets,
     and tax intercepts  
   * provide general financial education and counseling 
   * present to the community on substantive student debt and related topics 
   * provide referrals to additional services and resources. 
 * Participate in training and information sharing 
 * Track individual participant data and project outcomes for SLE Project
   evaluation and DFPI reporting 
 * Report servicer violations and require borrowers to file complaints 

*Training and technical assistance will be provided to build the capability of
service providers to ensure consistent and updated

 

B. Specialized Case Support for Borrowers

 * Provide specialized support and guidance to direct service providers with
   complex cases 
 * Conduct General Case Reviews with direct service providers 
 * Participate in training and information sharing 
 * Track individual participant data and project outcomes for SLE Project
   evaluation and DFPI reporting 
 * Report servicer violations and require borrowers to file complaints 

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IMPORTANT GRANT INFORMATION


GRANT FUNDING USES & TIMING

Through the SLE Project, the DFPI can award up to $7.25 million as part of the
program’s one-time funding to promote and enhance the economic security of
student loan borrowers by:

 * Designing, developing, or offering, free of charge to student loan borrowers,
   classroom- or web-based financial education and empowerment content intended
   to help borrowers manage their student loans, access federal repayment and
   forgiveness benefits, or lower their debt balance. 
 * Providing individualized, free financial coaching or direct legal services to
   student loan borrowers. 

The SLE Project will operate as a coordinated network, using a supportive hub
and spoke model of service provision. DFPI provides funding for organizations
that will play specific roles within this SLE Project Network. Organizations may
apply for and receive funding for one or both streams of funding. Only the
grantee can benefit from the grant funds and cannot be redistributed as grants
to other organizations. A grantee may subcontract services that it has agreed to
provide under the grant agreement, so long as those services are conducted on
behalf of the grantee. Subcontract arrangements must be clearly described in the
application and budget.  

Grants will be awarded for a 2-year period. Grant funds will be disbursed at the
following intervals: 50 percent upon signing of the grant agreement, 40 percent
upon submission of an interim report, and the remaining 10 percent following
submission of the final report. 


ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must meet the following criteria: 

 1. Be a nonprofit organization that has demonstrated experience in providing
    financial literacy, higher education debt counseling or other services to
    the target population of individuals with higher education debt. 
 2. Grant funding must be used for a program benefiting student loan borrowers
    who reside in California. 
 3. The Applicant must be organized and operated exclusively for one or more of
    the purposes exempt from federal income taxes under the following sections
    of the Internal Revenue Code: 
    * Section 501(c)3 – charitable organizations, churches/religious entities,
      and private foundations 
    * Section 501(c)4 – social welfare organizations 
    * Section 501(c)5 – labor, agricultural, or horticultural organizations 
    * Section 501(c)6 – business leagues 
    * Section 501(c)7 – social clubs 
 4. No part of the organization’s net earnings shall inure to the benefit of a
    private shareholder or individual. 
 5. The Applicant must be in good standing with the Secretary of State of
    California and the state of the Applicant’s headquarters, if applicable.


OTHER GRANT REQUIREMENTS

Grantees may use no more than 15 percent of the grant to cover administrative
(indirect) costs. Failure to comply with this requirement shall render the
Applicant ineligible for a grant during any subsequent fiscal year and until the
noncompliance is corrected. Administrative costs proposed by each Applicant
should be in proportion to the Applicant’s total grant amount requested.
Administrative (indirect) costs may include but are not limited to, costs of
workforce overhead, human resources, accounting, finance, business and facility
operations, and information technology. Insurance is not an eligible
administrative cost. 

Grantees are required to submit an interim report (due March 1, 2025) and a
final report (due March 1, 2026). in form and by dates specified by the DFPI,
documenting: 

 * The specific amounts and uses to which grant funds were allocated, 
 * The number of individuals aided through the use of the funds, 
 * Quantitative results regarding the impact of grant funding, and 
 * Any other information requested by the Department. 
 * Failure to submit satisfactory reports shall render the Applicant ineligible
   for a grant during the subsequent fiscal year and until the required report
   is submitted.

Signup for the Grants Newsletter!

Subscribe for program announcements and updates.


KEY CONSUMER LINKS

 * Consumer Resources
 * Consumer Insights
 * Consumer Alerts
 * Consumer Connection Newsletter
 * Licensees and Industries Regulated by the DFPI
 * Actions, Orders and Administrative Hearing Decisions
 * Submit a complaint
 * Submit a Public Records Request

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HELP US IMPROVE THE DFPI WEBSITE!

 * Share your feedback


NEWS & INFO LINKS


NEWS

 * Newsroom
 * Press Releases
 * Monthly Bulletins
 * Important Notices

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


INFORMATION

 * DFPI Forms
 * Resources

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESOURCES

 * DFPI Launches $7.25 Million Grant Program to Support Californians with
   Student Loans


LIVE APPLICATION Q&A SESSIONS (OPTIONAL)

Live sessions have not yet been scheduled. Please email your questions to
grants@dfpi.ca.gov.


OTHER RESOURCES

 * Find answers to frequently asked SLE Project questions
 * Please subscribe to the DFPI Grants Newsletter for updates on the program.
 * For more information on Student Loan Borrower rights and resources, please
   visit our Back On Track campaign page.

For more information about the SLE Project, please email Grants@DFPI.ca.gov.



Help us improve the DFPI website! Share your feedback.

 

Last updated: Sep 8, 2023 @ 1:58 pm

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