Iowa College Student Aid Commission Vies for Pepsi Refresh Grant to Fund Financial Literacy Curriculum

Supporters can vote online now through May 31, 2010 at www.refresheverything.com/missionmoneycontrol 

The Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) is in the running for a Pepsi Refresh Grant that would help fund an interactive, web-based financial literacy curriculum to empower teenagers and young adults with the knowledge to make smart financial decisions. 

Iowa College Aid’s financial literacy program, “Mission: Money Control”, is just one of many projects in the running for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant during the month of May. The 10 projects with the most votes in this category at the end of the month will receive funding. 

 If Iowa College Aid’s project is funded, the grant will be used to expand the Mission Money Control program to include an online financial literacy resource. Over 150,000 students and families in Iowa would have free access to the program through the statewide community web portal, www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov.

“Too many young adults graduate from high school and college unprepared to take control of their financial futures,” stated Karen Misjak, executive director of Iowa College Aid. “We hope to change that  by incorporating an online financial literacy curriculum into the www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov web portal,” Misjak said.  “Students in Iowa middle and high schools already use the web portal to create high school course plans and explore career and college programs best suited to their interests, values and strengths.  Incorporating financial literacy curriculum into the web portal makes sense.  We can impact the future of nearly every Iowa student if we receive this grant, but we need to get the word out to make that happen.”

The Pepsi Refresh Project is an open voting system, so public involvement is needed to receive the grant.

What you can do to help:

1. Register at www.refresheverything.com

2. Vote daily during May at: www.refresheverything.com/missionmoneycontrol

3. Spread the word to your family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, and, of course, your social networking groups. 

For more information about the Mission: Money Control project, contact Iowa College Aid’s Information Service Center at 877-272-4456.  More information about financial aid and products and services that help Iowa families plan, prepare and pay for college is available on Iowa College Aid’s website at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov. 

About the Iowa College Student Aid Commission 

As the state’s designated guaranty agency for the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), Iowa College Aid provides college access, financial literacy, and outreach services to Iowa’s students and families as they prepare, plan and pay for college.  Through its role, Iowa College Aid also serves as the state-designated administrator of the U.S. Department of Education’s College Access Challenge Grant, which is designed to increase the college-going culture in Iowa.  Additionally, Iowa College Aid is the administrator of the Federal GEAR-UP Grant, a multi-year state-wide grant which is being utilized to provide early awareness programming and outreach initiatives to thousands of Iowa’s students and families.  Iowa College Aid also administers state scholarship, grant, work study, and loan forgives programs totaling over $68.5 Million annually, provides borrowers with assistance to avoid the serious consequences of default, conducts research and distributes higher education data, and offers Iowans assistance in obtaining student financial aid and college-related information.  More information is available at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov.    

About the Pepsi Refresh Project

 In an effort to support those who generate innovative, optimistic ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project, www.refresheverything.com, will award more than $20 million in 2010 to move communities forward.  Individuals can apply for grants to benefit a variety of projects and site visitors can vote for the best ideas for funding.  The Pepsi Refresh Project is an evolution of the Refresh Everything initiative Pepsi launched in 2009, which showed the brand as an optimistic catalyst for idea creation, leading to an ever-refreshing world.   Pepsi will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.