Washington students should not miss out on life-changing education and career opportunities simply because financial aid systems are difficult to navigate alone.

The Financial Aid Summit is a statewide gathering designed to bring together the people, organizations, and systems working to change that.

Together, we will share what we are learning, identify barriers students and families are facing, spotlight strategies that are making a difference, and strengthen collaboration across Washington State. Beyond increasing FAFSA and WASFA completion rates, this summit is focused on building a stronger, more connected financial aid support ecosystem that improves outcomes for students long-term.

This is not a death by PowerPoint gathering. It is a collaborative working session designed to help us:

• Learn from one another

• Identify gaps and opportunities

• Explore ways to measure impact beyond completion numbers

• Strengthen regional and statewide coordination

• Expand access to postsecondary opportunities for students across Washington

If you are part of the financial aid completion ecosystem, your voice belongs in this conversation.

Whether you support students directly, shape systems behind the scenes, analyze data, advocate for policy, engage families, or fund this work, your perspective matters.

The Financial Aid Summit is designed to bring together people who influence student access from every angle: students, families, schools, higher education, nonprofits, philanthropy, tribal communities, policymakers, data teams, and employers.

Rather than gathering everyone into one conversation all day, the summit intentionally moves through four stages of collaboration:

1. Start in breakout rooms based on the role/group you most identify with to surface expertise, barriers, and lived experience within sectors

2. Reconnect as a statewide community to learn from one another and identify emerging opportunities

3. Shift into regional collaboration to turn ideas into local action and implementation

4. Close with collective visioning to strengthen long-term coordination and shared responsibility

This structure is designed to help participants move from:
“What is happening in my area of work?” → “What are we learning statewide?” → “What can we build together locally?” → “How do we sustain this together?”

Here is a link to the slide deck

Download a PDF of the Event Program

The summit opened with welcome remarks, a land acknowledgment, and an overview of the day’s collaborative design and digital participation tools.

Special remarks from Bob Ferguson connected the work of financial aid access and postsecondary opportunity to broader statewide priorities and Executive Order initiatives.

Purpose

To ground participants in a shared mission:
Ensuring Washington students can access the education, training, and career pathways available to them.

Watch the Summit welcome and goals here:

https://youtu.be/DSHQOuch9E4

Here is a link to watch Governor Ferguson’s opening remarks:

https://youtu.be/NkdKqHwbQfM

Participants began in smaller groups organized by shared expertise, roles, or lived experience. These conversations were designed to create space for honest discussion within sectors before moving into larger cross-sector collaboration.

Each group discussed:

• What is working well

• Current barriers and gaps

• Emerging needs across Washington

• Opportunities for partnership and improvement

• Strategies that could be replicated statewide

Breakout Rooms included

• Financial Aid Training & Volunteer Development

• College Access Nonprofits

• K-12 Schools & Districts

• Tribal Education Leaders

• Higher Education & Apprenticeship Partners

• Students & Student-Led Organizations

• Parent & Family Organizations

• Funders & Philanthropy

• Policy & Advocacy Organizations

• Data & Research Teams

• Educational Service Districts

• Mentorship Organizations

• Community & Business Partners

• Government & Legislative Leaders

Purpose

This session recognized that different sectors hold different pieces of the puzzle and expertise. By beginning in breakout rooms based on the role/group you most identified with, participants surfaced specialized knowledge, identified challenges unique to their communities, and built a stronger foundation for later cross-sector collaboration.

Download an in-depth PDF summary here

Breakout Session 1 Summary Overview

The Financial Aid Summit Breakout Session 1 focused on creating a collaborative space for participants with similar roles and sectors to identify barriers, challenges, and successful strategies related to financial aid completion in Washington State. This session divided participants into six breakout groups representing different areas of the financial aid support realm. The groups were the following: Government, Policy, Tribal Leaders, and Funders; Data, Resources, and Implementation teams; Apprenticeship and College Partners; College Access Nonprofits and Mentorship Organizations; K-12 Partners, Educational Service Districts, and Data representatives; and Student and Parent Leaders/Groups. Through these sections, participants were able to have focused conversations that contributed to statewide, larger cross-sector collaboration in a later session.

Challenges and Concerns

Fear, Trust, and Political Climate

Fear surrounding immigration status, data privacy, and government systems was one of the most common concerns discussed in the breakout sessions. Participants in College Access Nonprofits and the main room discussed how immigrant and mixed-status families hesitate to complete FAFSA/WASFA due to concerns of deportation or sensitive data misuse by the government. One participant in Group #1 (Government, Policy, Tribal Leaders, Funders) stated that “many immigrant families were in fear of sharing their information with the government for fear of deportation.” Another participant in Group #4 (College Access Nonprofits, Mentorship orgs, etc.) noted that institutions unintentionally “out” immigrant families through financial aid completion. 

Amongst this thread, participants emphasized that trusted relationships and community based outreach were the most effective ways to reduce fear. Supports such as schools, libraries, peer navigators, and immigrant family coordinators, were mentioned as essential to the financial aid completion process. Discussions surrounding the political climate were also discussed across multiple groups as something that increased anxiety about government forms and their confidentiality.

Staffing Constraints and Funding Challenges

Staffing shortages and budget reductions were primary focuses among several groups, especially K-12 schools, nonprofits, and college access organizations. Participants shared that counselors and financial aid staff are overwhelmed with supporting students navigating higher education and future career pathways. In almost every room, staffing capacity was one of the most requested needs. In Group #3 (Apprenticeship and College Partners), a participant wrote “What we need: PEOPLE!”

Key concerns:

• School counseling positions and college access staff are vulnerable to budget cuts, particularly in Groups #4 and #5 (K-12 Partners, Educational Service Districts, and Data Leaders).

• Nonprofit organizations are potentially being forced to reduce services or operate at a decreased capacity.

• Staffing shortages negatively impact FAFSA/WAFSA completion rates.

Recommendations and Strategies for Financial Aid Access

Individualized Support

Participants were consistent in calling for individualized, in-person assistance and identifying it as the most effective strategy for FAFSA and WAFSA completion. While large informational events can help raise awareness, many students require repeated one-on-one support to complete applications successfully. Further, it was noted in areas like Group #1 that FSA ID issues, language barriers, and eligibility confusion were the larger concerns in completing financial aid applications.

Highlighted Strategies: 

• Peer navigator programs.

• Multilingual family nights.

• Classroom presentations/workshops.

• Reminder campaigns and outreach calls.

• Individual appointments with both students and families.

• Support groups or spaces where staff, students, and families can ask questions, raise concerns, and rely on one another for guidance.

Improved System Coordination

Several groups discussed that some systems limit communications between agencies, schools, and institutions. Participants described students having to repeatedly prove eligibility or navigate disconnected systems for financial aid, housing, food assistance, and education support. Systems that are more highly integrated and allow students to complete a single application connected to multiple institutions, aid programs, or support services were suggested. Additionally, individuals suggested coordinated case management models that provide students and families with specific support throughout the financial aid process rather than several systems separately. These models would ideally connect schools, financial aid offices, community organizations, and state agencies to work more collaboratively in order to better provide information.

Systems participants wished communicated more effectively include:

• ctcLink

• WSAC Portals

• DSHS Systems

• College Bound platforms

• FAFSA portals

Addressing Financial Literacy Misconceptions

Students and families, especially in Group #6 (Student and Parent leaders/groups), shared that common misunderstandings occurred when it came to terminology, eligibility, and understanding the entire process of financial aid. There were discussions in this group about loans vs. grants, FAFSA vs. WAFSA, dependency rules, and how aid is disbursed. Strategies stressed in Group #6 were earlier financial aid education provision in high schools and financial literacy. 

Participants also requested access to more engaging and accessible resources:

• Short videos or graphics.

• Simplified guides and visuals.

• Interactive tools and reminders.

• Resources that explain financial aid processes through the perspective of the student and the parent(s)/guardian.

Check out the notes that were taken during the session here

Participants reconvened as a full statewide community to hear major updates, emerging initiatives, and promising practices from across Washington.

This session featured:

• Statewide systems updates

• Data insights and trends

• Executive Order workgroup developments

• Technology and navigation innovations

• Regional challenge grant updates

• Save Student Aid advocacy efforts

• Community-based success stories

• Spotlight work from organizations and regions seeing strong outcomes

Purpose

After beginning in specialized groups, this session broadens the lens. Participants can identify patterns across regions and sectors, discover new ideas, and better understand how local efforts connect to larger statewide systems.

This portion of the summit is designed to strengthen shared understanding and reduce duplication by helping organizations learn from one another in real time.

Here is a link to watch the statewide share-outs:

https://youtu.be/eH58r-kRrDM

Participants moved into regional breakout groups organized by Educational Service District (ESD) regions.

These conversations focused on implementation and action planning:

• What ideas from earlier sessions could work in our region?

• Where are the biggest gaps in support?

• What partnerships need strengthening?

• What tools, communication systems, or strategies should we share?

• How can we coordinate efforts more effectively this year?

Participants collaborated on shared regional planning documents and resource mapping.

Regional Breakout Groups

• ESD 101

• ESD 105

• ESD 112

• ESD 113

• ESD 114

• ESD 121

• ESD 123

• ESD 171

• ESD 189

Purpose

This session shifted from learning to implementation.

By organizing regionally, participants applied statewide insights to local realities and identified practical next steps that fit the needs of their own students, communities, and systems.

See the Full PDF Summary here

Session 3 Overview

Session three of the Washington Statewide Financial Aid Summit focused on identifying regional strategies to strengthen financial aid support and improve FAFSA/WASFA completion efforts across Washington. Participants shared a wide range of ideas, challenges, and partnership opportunities that highlighted practices already happening in some regions and persistent barriers affecting students and families statewide.

A major theme throughout the discussion was the importance of increasing direct, personalized support for students and families. Participants identified strategies such as one-on-one appointments with school counselors, lunchtime completion sessions, hybrid workshops, multi-day financial aid events hosted at colleges, and workshops designed for both students and families as effective strategies that could be expanded regionally. Another idea that could be implemented state-wide would be having completion of FAFSA/WASFA as a graduation requirement with an opt-out option. Many groups emphasized the need for clearer follow-up processes to help students and families understand financial aid steps, complete applications successfully, and understand award letters. Additional ideas for student support included integrating scholarship essays into English classes, using incentives at financial aid completion events, and utilizing peer navigators.

Participants also discussed the need for stronger systems-level coordination. Suggestions included aligning college academic calendars, developing clear district-wide financial aid plans, sharing regional financial aid completion calendars, and increasing collaboration between colleges, schools, and community based organizations. Participants also discussed the strong need to de-silo current projects through more open communication and coordinated planning.

Several significant gaps in support were identified across regions. Participants noted ongoing and significant challenges with counselor staffing capacity in high schools, limited funding, transportation barriers, and inconsistent communication between schools and families. Ideas to bridge these gaps included earlier financial aid awareness for students, better support for non-traditional students (home school, running start, adults, etc.) and improved access to resources in multiple languages. Concerns about misinformation and miscommunication within student and family circles surrounding financial aid processes were also raised.

The discussion highlighted several partnerships that participants believe need strengthening in order to better support students. These included partnerships between schools and families, colleges and high school counselors, community-based organizations and schools, and communication between leadership-level funding groups and frontline staff. Participants also identified specific populations needing stronger outreach and support systems, including Running Start students, homeschool families, justice-involved youth, and veteran and military-connected families.

Participants shared ideas and communication strategies that could help improve regional collaboration and outreach efforts as well as strengthen the previously mentioned partnerships. Suggested resources included regional Slack channels, FAFSA/WASFA resource Padlets, Schoolinks for coordinating college visits, train-the-trainer models for financial aid completion support, text messaging campaigns, and AI-supported communication tools such as Otterbot to streamline outreach and messaging.

Overall, Session three demonstrated a strong statewide commitment to improving financial aid access through collaboration, communication, and student-centered support strategies. Participants consistently emphasized that successful efforts will require stronger partnerships, clearer communication systems, shared resources, and sustained coordination across schools, colleges, organizations, and communities.

Check out the notes that were taken during the session here

The summit concluded with a collaborative discussion focused on sustaining momentum beyond a single event.

Topics included

• Expanding shared data and transparency

• Coordinating statewide communication

• Testing common strategies across regions

• Building long-term infrastructure for collaboration

• Strengthening support for students and families

• Identifying sustainable funding opportunities

• Continuing cross-sector partnership throughout the year

Summary

The final “Moving Forward Together” session highlighted both the innovation happening across Washington and the significant challenges regions are facing in sustaining financial aid outreach and completion efforts.

Across regions, participants emphasized the value of collaboration, local relationship-building, and practical strategies that meet students where they are. Several groups shared creative engagement approaches, including FAFSA completion incentives, integrating financial aid completion events into college fairs, peer mentorship programs, lunchtime completion events, Financial Aid Friday’s with snacks and food incentives. Food was mentioned several times as a motivating factor for students and families in getting support. There was strong interest in creating more opportunities for peer learning and cross-region collaboration so teams can share what is working, troubleshoot challenges together, and avoid working in silos.

Participants and facilitators also identified common barriers impacting the work statewide, including staffing shortages, scheduling conflicts, transportation barriers, misinformation about financial aid, and limited organizational capacity. Many regions stressed the need for accessible supports for students with special circumstances and enhanced systems for sharing trusted, accurate financial aid information with students and families.

A major theme of the discussion was the importance of stronger statewide coordination and communication. Ideas included establishing regional resource hubs, creating ongoing communication channels between practitioners, expanding shared data systems and dashboards, and leveraging existing convenings like the Fall Counselors Workshop to align efforts statewide. There was enthusiasm around developing more practical, filterable tools and “share your secret sauce” spaces where organizations can exchange strategies based on varying staffing and budget capacities.

The conversation also reflected growing concern about the future sustainability of this work. Participants acknowledged that, as state systems regroup from drastic cuts and funding landscapes shift, philanthropy may increasingly be relied upon to support financial aid outreach and completion efforts. This also feels unsustainable, which points to a need for a systemic solution. Concerns were raised about reduced public investment in community-based organizations and the absence of a clear statewide champion advocating for this work moving forward.

If Financial Aid completion becomes a graduation requirement, there will be a high need for supporting families, but it seems like there is little interest from state leaders to fund the mandate, and actually staff the schools, colleges, or community partners who have been doing this work at max capacity for years. 

Despite these challenges, the session reinforced a shared commitment to continuing collaboration, strengthening regional partnerships, and ensuring students across Washington have equitable access to financial aid and postsecondary opportunities.

Here is a link to watch the session on moving forward together:

https://youtu.be/Oxrxvs1gcnY

Check out the notes that were taken during the session here