The Financial Aid (FA) Forward Fund
Investing in the future of financial support and the growth and development of CASFAA membership.
The FA Forward Fund supports initiatives that drive innovation in financial aid administration, scholarships, and financial literacy. To better align with our strategic priorities, we have transitioned from traditional research grants to a dynamic, professional development (PD)-focused model. This fund is designed by CASFAA for CASFAA members to create tangible resources that strengthen our collective capacity to support students.
Two Streams for Innovation
The FA Forward Fund has two streams: Training & Resource Development, and Research & Strategic Projects. For both streams, the goal is to produce outcomes that can be shared across the association—such as conference presentations, virtual workshops, or downloadable resource toolkits.
Members can apply individually or as a group for two distinct funding streams:
● Stream 1: Training & Resource Development – Focuses on grassroots innovation by supporting the creation of specialized tools, training modules, and best-practice guides for the CASFAA member portal.
● Stream 2: Research & Strategic Projects – Supports initiatives generated by the CASFAA Board based on direct membership feedback and strategic priorities identified by the CASFAA Strategic Plan. Outcomes include high-impact research into national trends, student persistence, and program effectiveness to provide data for institutional policy and national advocacy.
Grant Details & Focus Areas
Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the project’s scope. Applications are open year-round and assessed monthly based on strategic fit, innovation, breadth of impact, clear deliverables, and feasibility.
Priority areas include:
● Financial Literacy & Wellness (e.g., budgeting toolkits).
● Awards & Scholarship Administration (e.g., inclusive adjudication).
● Loan Advising Resources.
● Future-Forward Research on retention and industry trends.
Application & Member Requirements
Eligible applicants must submit a completed FA Forward application.
Recipients must complete their projects within the agreed timeframe and share all findings, data, and resources with the CASFAA Board. All deliverables remain the property of
CASFAA/ACRAFE and must be presented to the membership at the annual conference or via an online session.
Get Involved
● Online Info Session: Join the CASFAA Board on June 8th at 12:30pm EDT to discuss project ideas.
● Questions? Contact Fiona Halbert, CASFAA Vice-President, at vp@casfaa.ca.