Sponsors
HESC
The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation is the State’s student financial aid agency, helping people pay for college by providing more grant and scholarship awards than any other state in the nation. By administering student financial aid programs, including the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), offering college funding guidance, and administering a highly successful College Savings program, HESC puts college within the reach of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year.In 2010-11, HESC administered $991 million in grants, scholarships, other awards and federal Loans, including $855 million in Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grants to 375,000 students. New York’s TAP continues to be one of the nation’s largest state-sponsored entitlement need based grant programs for student aid. Since its inception, TAP has awarded over $19 billion to 4.8 million students.
As the administrating agency for NY GEAR UP and the College Access Challenge Grant, HESC promotes opportunities to ensure the continuum from middle and high school to college for students who think the benefits of a higher education are out of reach.
HESC’s electronic TAP application, accessible directly from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and online applications for State scholarships and awards, available on HESC.org, provide a convenient, fast and easy way for college-bound students and their parents to apply for aid.
Through HESC.org, students and parents can explore careers and colleges, and find out how to save money for college. HESC also assists schools and students with advanced default prevention, financial literacy and counseling programs, and provides training and technical services to college financial aid administrators and high school counselors.
For access to HESC's college planning and financing resources, visit HESC.org.
New York State Financial Aid Administrator's Association
The New York State Financial Aid Administrators (NYSFAAA) is a volunteer association of approximately 1200 practicing financial aid professionals working in student financial aid offices throughout the State of New York. We advocate for, and promoting equal access to post secondary education for all students. We provide a variety of outreach activities to assist students/families work through and understand the student financial aid process. NYSFAAA offers education, professional development, and networking opportunities for its members and for colleagues in related education, business, and governmental professions.In light of the worst economic crisis to hit our country in almost eighty years, it is imperative that families become financially literate with both the federal and state financial aid delivery system. The NYSHESC sponsored "Student Financial Aid Awareness Month" is just one more example of the collaboration and partnerships that exist throughout the state of New York in educating families about the various application timelines and sources of financial aid. We applaud NYSHESC and all the participating entities for their efforts and continue to be committed to doing all that we can to assist in this financial literacy effort.
New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) oversees a range of the State's most important programs for its low-income residents, with a focus on employment wherever possible, and to provide leadership, guidance and support to local departments of social services in the administration of those programs. OTDA is responsible for supervising programs that enhance the economic security of low-income families and individuals.OTDA's functions include: providing temporary cash assistance; helping temporary assistance recipients enter employment, and other low-income workers improve job skills; providing assistance in paying for food; providing residential energy assistance; overseeing New York State's child support enforcement program; determining eligibility for certain disability benefits; supervising homeless housing and services programs; and providing assistance to certain immigrant populations.