enrichment grant

SchoolPower’s Enrichment Grant Program is a financial assistance program designed to assist in providing year-round extracurricular opportunities for Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School students. Qualified families are invited to apply for an Enrichment Grant to financially support enrollment fees and expenses for academic, athletic, visual and performing arts, STEM, or other enrichment experiences. The Enrichment Grant Program aims to remove financial barriers and empower students facing financial challenges to pursue personal exploration, activities, and enrichment opportunities during the school year and over the summer break.

Eligibility criteria:

  • The grant application (designed to be completed by parent or guardian), student personal statement, and all supplemental materials must be submitted to SchoolPower before the grant application will be considered.
  • The applicant must be currently enrolled as a student at Thurston Middle School or Laguna Beach High School in 6th through 12th grade for the 2024-2025 school year. Note: By filling out this form, you are sharing your information confidentially with the SchoolPower team, and agree we can verify your child’s enrollment status with LBUSD. Any assistance you receive from SchoolPower is directly provided by SchoolPower, not related to the educational services of LBUSD.
  • Grant applications can be submitted for activities that occur during the 2024-2025 school year and in the summer of 2025, but all applications must be received by May 31, 2025 to be considered. Graduating 12th graders are not eligible to receive a grant for activities that occur after their graduation.
  • The grant program is designed to support students whose families are low or moderate income in order to help remove financial barriers to access enrichment experiences. To be eligible, one of the below criteria must apply:
    • The applicant’s family income is defined as moderate or below under the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development income limits for Orange County, as depicted in the chart below. The total annual household income of all adults living in the household and the number of immediate family members living in a residence is used to determine income level for these purposes. Income reported should be from your household’s most recent tax return (form 1040 line 9). Income can include wages, salary, commissions, income from self-employment; Social Security, dividends or interest, public assistance or welfare payments, unemployment compensation, pensions or annuities, alimony or child support payments, and regular contributions from persons not living in the household. Further documentation may be required by SchoolPower.
    • The applicant’s family does not qualify based on the income requirements described above, but has special circumstances or reasons to request financial assistance. Special circumstances may include loss of a job, change in marital status, change in living arrangements, medical challenges, etc.

OC income limits chart

Grants must be used to cover tuition and other approved expenses related to attending the program (for example: transportation, housing, food, required specialty clothing) for a program chosen by the family/student and as described in the submitted application. (SchoolPower does not directly refer to or endorse any particular programs.)

  • Examples of activities that are considered “enrichment” and may be supported with the grant include workshops, classes, or camps for STEM, leadership skills, music, creative writing, art, theater, debate, cooking, sports, career exploration, and academics. The program does not fund college counseling services.
  • Students must identify the activity as being aligned with their interests and goals for personal growth in the application.
  • The program to be attended must be located in the United States.

How to apply:

  1. Submit the initial Enrichment Grant Application. This application is designed to be completed by or with the help of a parent or guardian.
  2. Once eligibility for the grant is confirmed, the student will be emailed a link to submit a personal statement. Statements can be in the form of short essays or videos.
  3. Applicants may be asked for additional financial documentation, or students may be contacted by SchoolPower to conduct a brief interview if more information is needed.
  4. Applications will not be considered by SchoolPower until all requested documentation is received.

  • Applications will be processed for approval by SchoolPower on a rolling basis as they are received, although submission of an application does not guarantee receipt of a grant.
  • Depending on how many applications we receive, final decisions may take 2-4 weeks. If you have questions about the status of your application, email hanna@lbschoolpower.org. We will send our grant decision via email.
  • SchoolPower has complete discretion over the awarding of all of its grants and all decisions regarding grants made by SchoolPower will be final and not subject to review or appeal.
  • Grant funds are limited and all applications must be received by May 31, 2025 to be considered. Graduating 12th graders are not eligible to receive a grant for activities that occur after their graduation.
  • The grant amount awarded will vary based on family income level, identified program cost, and funds available. Students may apply for multiple grants during the same school year, but total grant support awarded cannot exceed $4,000 per school year and following summer.

  • If you are awarded a grant, student and parent/guardian will be required to sign a Grant Agreement and asked to return a completed W-9 Form before funds are released.
  • All grant funds will be paid directly to the parent/guardian or emancipated minor from SchoolPower. Each parent/guardian or emancipated minor will be responsible for all costs associated with the program of any type or nature, including any amounts that exceed the amount of the grant received from SchoolPower
  • Per IRS Topic No. 421, this grant may be taxable as income. The parent/guardian will receive an IRS Form 1099-MISC from SchoolPower for 2025 by January 31, 2026 via email and/or mail. SchoolPower requires a completed Form W-9 on acceptance of the grant. Please consult your tax advisor for further advice.
  • Please note: If you plan to participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), be sure you understand and follow their regulations regarding accepting funds for athletic purposes. We recommend that you consult with the NCAA Eligibility Center to learn more about NCAA amateurism rules and ensure your eligibility. SchoolPower is not responsible for ensuring your NCAA eligibility.
  • Upon completion of the program, grant recipients commit to sending SchoolPower a photo(s) of themselves at the program/camp and a short testimonial about the experience. A form will be emailed to the student for completion. We will ask about what you learned and how the grant helped you achieve your goals. This information will remain confidential unless SchoolPower requests permission to use it for marketing purposes.