Financial Assistance

SPS also offers two childcare financial assistance programs that assist low-income and/or Pell Grant receiving student parents. The Jim Sells Childcare Assistance program helps pay a small percentage towards off-campus childcare. The other program is the CCAMPIS Grant, which helps pay a small percentage towards on-campus childcare.

The Ron Ronacher Student Parent Emergency Loan Program, which is for student parents who are confronted with unforeseen financial crises, is a small loan ($50) that is available once a term.

Jim Sells Child Care Assistance Program

Student parents must be enrolled at PSU and taking a minimum of 8 credit hours at PSU for undergraduates, or 5 credit hours for graduate or post-baccalaureate students. Students must also have off-campus state registered childcare, and not receiving childcare assistance from another source such as ERDC, Scholarship Grants, reduced tuition from the provider, and such.

Preference will be given to returning program families, and/or families with incomes of 100% or less of poverty guidelines, and/or have significant unmet financial need for their education as determined by the Financial Aid Office; families with incomes over 150%, and/or found to have no unmet need by the financial aid office are not eligible for funding.

Qualifying children must be between the ages of 6 weeks and 12 years of age, unless the child is considered to be a Special Needs child.

Key components of The Jim Sells Child Care Assistance Program include:

1. A one term award providing up to $950 towards child care costs ($950 maximum for students with a child under 30 months in age, $750 maximum for students with a preschool aged child, and maximum $450 for students with a school aged child), with students paying a minimum of 50% of costs
2. Child care assistance awards are paid directly to child care providers, rather than reimbursing students for their child care costs
3. Applications are assessed using a priority rating system in order to maintain a fair and objective method to determine awards. Priority points are assigned in the following categories:
   • Financial Status
   • Unmet Financial Need
   • Number and ages of children in child care
   • Habitation Status
   • Student Status

Awards are made in order of priority with available funding. Applications are due the first Friday of the term.

CCAMPIS: Child Care Access Means Parents in School Grant

The CCAMPIS Grant is a Higher Education Federal Grant to Child Development and Family Services at Portland State University that has been funded so far until 2014. The purpose of these awards to our students is to reduce the monthly childcare tuition payments for on-campus childcare for qualified student parents by 15 to 30% depending upon the determined level of need. These subsidies are funded by the federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant.

Eligibility:

• At least one parent must be an undergraduate student at Portland State University (PSU) enrolled for at least 8 credit hours each term for which a Child Care Tuition Assistance Award is given. This parent must also be making satisfactory progress at PSU.
• The student parent must be receiving or eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant.
• The student parent must be low-income. For the purpose of this award, low-income will be determined by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Income Eligibility Guidelines.

Award Periods

All awards will be given out for the academic year and separately in the summer, contingent upon student status.

To Schedule an appointment with Ruth Whited, the CCAMPIS Grant Specialist call 503-725-9878 or email rwhited@pdx.edu.

Ron Ronacher Student Parent Emergency Loan Program

The Ron Ronacher Student Parent Emergency Loan Program provides emergency financial assistance to eligible PSU student parents in the form of a no-interest loan.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Verified enrollment at Portland State University
• Verified minimum credit load of six credits for current term
• Loan applicant is parent with dependent children

Program Regulations

• Maximum loan to any student during any term will not exceed $50
• Repayment of loan in full must be completed within four months of loan contract or Accounts Receivable Office will be notified to place a lien on student records
• Payments will be directed to:
  • Portland State University
    Cashiers Office
    BO-C
    PO Box 908
    Portland, OR 97207

To apply for an emergency loan, please visit our office during our office hours.

Revising Cost of Attendance for Your Financial Aid

The request for cost of attendance increase form is located in the PSU website under Financial Aid. Follow this link; go to Request for Budget Increase and click on the school year you want to revise. www.pdx.edu/finaid/revision-forms

With this form students can request an increase to their Cost of Attendance based on special circumstances, including child care cost increases.

Dependent care expenses may be taken into consideration as educational costs. If you are incurring these expenses, complete this form at any time during the academic year to request a financial aid review and possible budget increase for these costs. Increased funding will be offered as available based on individual student eligibility and in accordance with federal, state, and institutional regulations or policies. Please do not use this form to report private school or preschool program tuition payments.

Requests submitted after the 8th week of the term are not guaranteed to be processed. You must be enrolled at least halftime to receive loan funds. Please note: this request will NOT increase your eligibility for grants, scholarships, or work study, but may increase you eligibility for the Jim Sells Childcare Assistance Program.

Other Assistance

Parents who are eligible for TANF benefits can apply to be a part of the Parents as Scholars program, and on a statewide level parents can apply for the Oregon Student Child Care Grant. For more information about food, housing, or energy assistance, visit our community resources page or schedule an appointment with us.