Community Service Opportunity Grant for Rural Wisconsin Students

Abstract

There is an increasing emphasis on completion of community service in scholarship criteria that is putting low-income rural students at a disadvantage when compared to their peers. The Upward Bound program, a federally funded program for low-income and first generation college students, addresses many of the barriers to college faced by these students. However access to transportation to and from community service opportunities has been difficult to coordinate due to the rural geography of the target population making expense a significant hurdle. With federal funds dwindling to help low-income and first generation students attend college, access to scholarships is vital. Therefore this grant application requests funds for transportation and related expenses for three community service events in the Shawano County area in conjunction with established community groups. The target groups to receive the benefits of service include elderly and disabled citizens, W-2 families, and local park and recreation agencies which in turn benefits the whole community. The purpose is to help grant access to the same service opportunities as students from other backgrounds.