Eligible grant-seeking organizations include the official higher education financial aid association in a particular state or region, or some other official higher education organization closely tied to the financial aid administrators’ group. (For example, these alternative organizations might include a state’s higher education oversight agency or the state agency that administers grants and scholarships.)

Two key factors for any successful grant seeker will be that organization’s ability to mobilize the financial aid administrators, whose expertise is critical to the success of the technical assistance portion of the program, and its ability to secure local funding to supplement the grant.

Any qualified higher education/financial aid organization interested in creating a College Goal Sunday program to serve its state must:

• Be classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and as a public charity under section 509(a)(1, 2 or 3) of the code.
• Agree to adopt and, as closely as possible, follow the three-pronged organizational structure (Public information campaign, Financial aid assistance services, and Logistics).
• Use the name “College Goal Sunday,” along with the approved logo and graphic designs associated with the program.
• Agree to evaluate the results of its efforts to meet or exceed specifications provided by Lumina Foundation.
• Exercise care to protect the volunteer nature of College Goal Sunday from others who may inappropriately attempt to connect commercial interests to the program. (Sponsorship guidelines will be provided to states.)
• Agree to use, in any promotional materials associated with the program, the following “boilerplate” language, which gives due credit to the organizations whose faithful support made the program possible:

  The College Goal Sunday^SM program was created by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc., and with supplemental support from Lumina Foundation for Education.

In order to ensure a successful College Goal Sunday program, extensive planning needs to take place prior to the actual implementation. For this planning purpose, Lumina Foundation for Education provides up to $4500 planning grants that allow states to determine the feasibility of a program in their states prior to completing a program grant. Upon request, states will receive from YMCA of the USA the following planning grant materials:

• Preliminary planning checklist: These are “first step” items that will determine a state’s commitment to developing a College Goal Sunday program.
• Site visit and Forum: States are required to send two people who are actively involved in the College Goal Sunday planning to attend the National College Goal Sunday Forum in May as well as to visit one of our existing nearby College Goal Sunday sites in February.  These two people will be provided funding for the forum and site visits through grant funds. States will be responsible for the costs of sending additional people.
• Budget: States will submit a budget and include their site visit and Forum.

Following the site visit and Forum, states will recieve an orientation/training from National staff during their planning process. 

The preliminary checklist includes:
	Proof of lead organization's established federal 501(c)3 status or its equivalent.
	Documentation of lead organization's existing Organizational Chart, a listing of the Board of Directors and BIO's for taskforce members.
	Two-years audited financial statements
	Identification of potential partners for the task force, financial aid association/expertise and organizations that can supply volunteers.
	Potential sponsors/funders identified in your state that will support College Goal Sunday when the grant funding ends.
	Identified needs that would be required for a College Goal Sunday program, i.e. outreach strategies to families within the target populations, potential site locations, community support, etc.
	Adequate research that supports the need for a College Goal Sunday program in your state.