NextUp

Real Opportunities for Foster Youth

Program Overview

NextUp is a program that offers eligible current and former foster youth support and services that could include help with books and supplies, transportation, tutoring, food and emergency housing. This program is designed to assist students financially, and to ensure the continued enrollment of students making progress towards a degree/certificate. Please note, the funds are limited and are based on allocation funding.

Palo Verde College provides our NextUp students with the following benefits:

• Laptops upon entry into the program
• $500 Stipend/Month
• $150 Grocery Card/Month
• $50 Gas Card/Month
• $100 Visa Supplies Voucher/Semester

 

Fill out the NextUp Questionnaire

Program eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the NextUp program students must:

• Have been in foster care, in any state, for at least one day, on or after their 13th birthday.
• Be enrolled in 9 or more units or be enrolled in at least 1 unit with an ed. plan that leads to being enrolled in 9 units.
• Be no older than 26 years of age at the time of enrollment into the program. Students enrolled in the program prior to turning 26 are allowed to continue participating in the program after the age of 26.
• Submit Verification Letter

Students enrolled in a NextUp program before age 26 and left school may return after turning 26 and be readmitted to the same NextUp program or be admitted to a NextUp program at another community college.

Emergency Grant

Each student within the NextUp program is eligible to receive an emergency grant (if funds are available). Emergency Grant funds are designed to assist students in meeting financial needs that are a direct result of an emergency.

Please note,

• The grant will not exceed $1000
• Grant applications may be rejected, partially fulfilled, or fully funded
• Funds are allocated to students facing a verifiable, documented and unforeseen financial emergency which directly impacts the student.
Examples of documentation include:
• A copy of a bill in the student's name
• Rental notice or leasing contract
• A repair estimate

Documentation must be in the name of the applicant, and must clearly display the name of the applicant, the name of the company or collection agency, and the amount. (Who is the bill to? Who is the bill from? What is owed?)

 

 

To obtain verification letter (also known as Dependency or Ward of the Court letters) please call The California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson 1-877-846-1602 or follow the link Verification Request Form | FYH. If you need to request verification out of state, please contact Tasja Hartwell for assistance.