Contact us at info@giveback.ngo to request this information for your state. We can walk you through the steps and partnerships that are needed to begin a Give Back program in your area.

Give Back serves low-income, high-achieving students with a primary focus on youth who have experienced foster care, homelessness, or the incarceration of a parent. All Give Back students are required to have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of zero as indicated by completing a financial-aid forecaster similar to FAFSA as a part of the program’s admissions process and maintain a 2.5 GPA. Since inception, we have served over 1,600 students.

Give Back scholars can apply as early as 8th grade. Accepted students are assigned to a mentor who assists them with college preparation through high school and college/trade school. We help students navigate the complex financial aid and scholarship processes when applying to and attending institutions of higher education. We partner with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) for additional support and mentor services. Our outcomes are outstanding with over 90% of high school students remaining in the program and continuing to college and 87% of those graduating from college on time (2 years for associate degrees and 4 years for bachelor’s degrees).

Give Back started by giving low-income, high-performing high school seniors in Illinois $20,000 toward their college education. The program was modified to select middle school students and provide a mentor to help the students through their high school years. We further refined that model to one that awards the promise of a full-ride scholarship to 9th graders who actively participate in Give Back programming, earn a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, and demonstrate good character. The scholarship provides room, board, tuition, and fees. Students participate in mandatory mentorship, events, and programs throughout high school that offer support.

Our plan moving forward is to focus on helping students to first attain an associate degree and/or trade certification(s) before attaining a bachelor’s degree if that is the desire of the student. Additional expenses (e.g. room and board) will be considered and supported on a case-by-case basis. Regardless of the post-secondary track the student chooses, Give Back will strongly encourage and help scholars maintain a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate upstanding character. A 2.5 GPA ensures the student is on track to succeed academically after high school, as well as maintain their eligibility for financial aid.

Give Back’s mission is to identify, enroll, and support academically promising students who have the greatest financial need and the lowest statistical likelihood of enrolling in college and achieving a degree or trade certificate. Give Back prioritizes enrollment for students who have experienced foster care, homelessness, and/or the incarceration of a parent. We assist our students through high school and college by providing scholarships so the student can obtain an advanced degree and change their lives for the better, graduate on time, and protect them from burdensome debt.

Our greatest needs are for mentors and for CASA/GAL volunteers. Give Back offers the opportunity to participate in virtual mentoring. Caring adults from all 50 states can become virtual mentors, providing long-term support to deserving students. Please apply at: www.giveback.ngo/mentors/

Donations to Give Back can also be made via our website at: www.giveback.ngo/donate/ and through participation in the Chip-In program. Through Chip-in, you can register your credit card and a percentage of your spending can support Give Back or other charities of your choosing. For more information, please visit: https://chip-in.getbeyond.com/

Donations are accepted at: www.giveback.ngo/donate/. If you prefer to send a check, it should be made payable to Give Something Back and mailed to: 902 Carnegie Center, Suite 160, Princeton, NJ 08540.

By becoming a member or supporter of Chip-In.  Please do that via https://chip-in.getbeyond.com/.

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measure of how much your family could be reasonably expected to pay toward your education and is calculated according to a formula established by law, which changes from year to year.

Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive.

If a dependent students’ family’s income is less than $26,200 for a family of four (based on 2020 poverty level chart), and government assistance was needed for that filing year, the EFC will automatically be zero. A zero means a family has no reasonable ability to contribute monetarily to the student’s education. These calculations change every year, however. Please see this chart for more information.

If you are an independent student, you may also have an EFC of zero. Please review this chart to determine if you can file as an independent student.

EFC is calculated from answers on the FAFSA, typically income is the most important factor. If other members of your household are projected to attend college at the same time, that will also lower a student’s EFC.

Unusual circumstances can also lower your EFC – loss of employment, loss of child support, divorce, death, or medical expenses not covered by insurance can all have an impact.

Be sure to answer all applicable questions on your FAFSA, even if they don’t seem relevant to your situation; this is crucial in determining an accurate EFC.

We accept applications for students starting in the 8th grade and later. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but the deadline to be included in the upcoming fall cohort is in the spring. Applicants may be contacted for an interview, and selected students will be notified by the end of spring so they may begin working with their mentor over the summer.

All Give Back scholars should strive to maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher or the equivalent in trade school program requirements. This is to ensure they are on track for academic success after high school and are able to maintain their financial aid eligibility.

In addition to the support you receive from your school, you will receive mentoring and tutoring where needed. The goal is to ensure student success in post-secondary education through preparation during high school.

Yes, scholarships are provided for students attending community college or trade school if the state and federal aid does not cover all the needs for tuition and fees. Room and board costs are not guaranteed. Books and other expenses are not covered.

Our students are required to start college in a trade or associate degree program. Exceptions can be granted in special circumstances.

Give Back will use its best efforts to help our students obtain part-time jobs (only for students 16 and above) or internships where applicable. An internship is not a requirement to participate in the program.

Due to this specialized educational offering, our students will have an advantage over other students seeking employment in restaurants and hotels. There is also an opportunity to partner with trade schools and community colleges that will offer dual enrollment credits for students who participate.

Give Back does offer scholarships for ProStart competitions. We also offer scholarships for trade schools and community colleges. Give Back will consider scholarships to “fill the gap” of what federal and state grants do not cover. Moving forward we do not guarantee paying for room and board. Instead, we will help students navigate financial aid and university scholarship applications that can alleviate much of the cost of higher education.

Students must take a college prep or trade prep curriculum and should strive to maintain a B average (2.5 GPA or greater) throughout high school while participating in Give Back activities. A 2.5 GPA helps ensure the student is on track for academic success after high school and will help them maintain their eligibility for financial aid. Students must also meet with their mentor regularly to ensure they are meeting the academic benchmarks needed to achieve their post-secondary goals.

No. We have a specific focus on students interested in the hospitality industry and cyber security industry, but all qualified students are invited to apply.

There are no penalties if a Give Back student begins and leaves the ProStart program other than any applicable policies at the student’s high school.