Both full and partial scholarships are available for children with families currently or recently homeless and/or in poverty and receiving  benefits from (or waitlisted for) CalWorks, 4Cs funding, CAPP, or Choices for Children, LifeMoves, Family Supportive Housing, or other such programs.

Scholarships are funded from private and public sources such as non-profit organizations, businesses, individuals, government agencies, non-governmental agencies, and individuals.  If sponsors choose to remain anonymous, names of sponsors and amounts of donations are only available in a redacted form to maintain anonymity or private information.  Avalon manages the donations as a general “pool” that is then distributed to families based on need and eligibility.  All of Avalon’s financial and business records are available for review to maintain full transparency.  Records of scholarship families are kept private except for first names and ages of family members and qualifying circumstances, which may be requested by potential and current sponsors or Avalon’s partners.

Avalon partners with local organizations to help verify eligibility and need for families.  Eligibility is confirmed by interview and supporting documents such as proof of determination by a partner organization (including being waitlisted) or copy of current statements showing receipt of CalWorks or other financial assistance.

Scholarships are generally awarded in three-month terms, which must then be renewed by providing verification of continued eligibility.  If a family is no longer eligible for a full or partial scholarship or subsidized care, child may still remain in program, but parent(s)/guardian(s) will be responsible for the regular tuition.

Availability of scholarships are based on donations received, so even if a family qualifies or has received a scholarship, renewals and awards are not guaranteed beyond the term of the current scholarship agreement.

At no time will families receive tuition funds; scholarship funds are applied directly to the program from a separate account used solely for this purpose.  Payments are made bi-weekly and in advance of care.  The deposit requirement is waived for families receiving scholarships and fees are at reduced rates.

Donations in the form of products, food, clothing, home goods,  gift certificates, or discount coupons may be given to qualifying families, but are not guaranteed and are based on availability.

Families receiving scholarships that do not have a social worker or representative/organization for services to help them will be connected with one by Avalon and is required for participation in the scholarship program.

Sample of Avalon Scholarship contract and addendum to Enrollment Contract:

(Contact information of provider, family, and child omitted from this sample)

REFERRING AGENCY: _____________________________________________________

Address of Agency:__________________________________________________________

Agency Representative or Social Worker name and contact information:

__________________________________________________________________________

(first and last name)    / phone number and/or email address

Program Eligibility Verification method:___________________________________________

List verification materials attached:_______________________________________________

Program Enrollment Status (circle one and include details) : Enrolled (Duration Dates:____________)

Waitlisted (Expected start date:___________)  Services recently ended (Last date:_______________).

Scholarship Details

1. Term and Type of Scholarship:

• The scholarship is for the term of ____/____/____TO ____/____/_____.  At the end of this term, the client must have submitted verification of qualifying status to continue the scholarship and signed a renewed scholarship agreement or otherwise become responsible for the full amount of tuition per their contract.
• Scholarship Term lengths and Type, including coverage amounts and provided services, is not automatically renewed or guaranteed to be renewed, or if renewed, may contain different coverages and term lengths.
• Type of Tuition Scholarship
  • _______Full: 100% of all applicable costs. Duration:_____________________
  • _______Partial: The following percentage of all applicable costs.
    • ______% = $______ per week
    • Duration:__________________________

• Additional Scholarships granted: 
  • • • Family Field Trips:  _____Child Only  ______Child and Parent ____Family up to five.
        • • • Duration Details:_____________________________________________
      • Diapers, wipes, and ointments:  ______Full Cost per month OR  ______Partial: ____% of monthly costs or monthly contribution of $______.
        • • • Duration Details:_____________________________________________

2. Program option(s) selected in the Enrollment Contract):

• _______FULL-TIME: The days and hours of care will be from Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 5:30pm, and Friday from 8:00am to1:00pm, year-round per the Operating Calendar.
• _______PART-TIME: The days and hours of care will be from Monday through Friday from 8:00am to1:00pm, year-round per the Operating Calendar.

3. Additional Business Hours and Services to be included in Enrollment Contract Program:

• ______ Early Start 7:15am with Breakfast is served between 7:30am and ends at 8:00am, Monday through Thursday (none offered Fridays)
• ______ 6:30pm Late Pick-Up with dinner at 6:00pm, Monday through Thursday (none offered Fridays)
• ______ Enrolled child and siblings’ laundry service (two load max) 1x per week: M / T/ W / Th / F
• Grooming and additional services may occasionally be offered on site or through partnership with local business at no additional charge or at a discount.

4. Paid Holidays that Facility is CLOSED for:

• The child care program/facility will be closed on the following days each year, but regular tuition is still due and covered by the scholarship per type unless otherwise noted:

• New Year’s Day (January 1st) *Closed only if this date fall on a weekday (M-F), otherwise there are no closed observances.
• Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
• Independence Day (4th of July or observed) no tuition due unless outside of Summer Break.
• Labor Day (first Monday in September)
• Thanksgiving Day and day after (fourth Thursday and following Friday in November)
• Christmas Eve (December 24th) and Christmas Day (December 25th) *Closed only if these dates fall on a weekday (M-F), otherwise there are no closed observances.

6. Child’s Attendance

• Tuition is still due for all hours and days when the child is absent from childcare for any reason with the exception of the Optional Holiday Week (if elected) and Summer Break.
• Both the full and partial scholarships will cover all days child is absent due to illness or injury as long as absences are excused by:
  • Child is absent for two days or less due with daily notification from parent to provider on cause of illness and injury and treatment being given.
  • Child has a doctor’s note excusing absence if child will be absent for more than two days.
  • For all days of unexcused absence due to illness or injury, client(s) agree to pay the full amount of the regular cost of tuition for their program option.
• Personal-Time-Off and Vacation Days:
  • Full and Partial Scholarships will cover up to five (5) days of PTO for the child per calendar year.  All subsequent days off will have to be covered, at the full amount for the regular tuition rate, by the client(s).
• If three days of your child’s absence has occurred without parent notification, I reserve the right to consider this as “abandonment of care” and may terminate the contract. 

6. Fees (not covered by scholarships or government assistance):

• There is a $15 late pick-up fee per occurrence applied after the 5-minute grace period (this means at six minutes past the contract’s end time, the late fee will be charged.  (No exceptions after your first time or first two-weeks of enrollment other than documented medical emergencies of course or documented public transportation issues.)
• For partial scholarships, your portion of the tuition costs are due on the payment dates stated on your Enrollment Contract.  After a one-business day grace period for tuition payments that you are responsible for, there is a $10 late payment fee applied for each day tuition is late and is due by your next tuition payment.

7. Verification of Qualifying Circumstances for Scholarship

• • Requires quarterly or semi-annual verification of qualifying circumstance from either a participating program or by a review of supporting documents by Avalon.
  • Avalon may require supporting documents such as aid statements, pay stubs,  program enrollment confirmations, or other such documents in order to verify eligibility and will always keep this information private.
  • Avalon may need to contact your social worker or program representative about your circumstances which may require a Release of Information form or permission by you for Avalon to receive information about your family.
  • If family no longer qualifies due to a change in circumstance, a 15-business day (covering three weeks of care) transition period of the scholarship is given, after which client agrees to become fully responsible for the regular rate of tuition for the program selected and per the payment methods and dates in Enrollment Contract.
  • If family becomes eligible for government assistance programs during the scholarship term, client agrees to immediately notify Avalon and transition to government program at the earliest qualifying date.
  • Client agrees to fulfill all requirements of participating in the social services and/or homeless assistance programs in order to continue enrollment in the Avalon scholarship.  Failure to do so may result in immediate termination of the scholarship and client will be responsible for full cost of tuition.
  • Families are eligible for full or partial scholarships based on their current, waitlisted, or recent participation in a social services program, approved by Avalon, due to homelessness or poverty with verification of circumstance. 
  • Partial scholarships are based on a sliding scale determined on a case-by-case situation upon reviewing supporting documents and interview of circumstances.
  • Qualifying circumstances that change the scholarship type or amounts may require a new Scholarship Agreement.

8. Withdrawal

• Withdrawal from Avalon’s program will be a concurrent withdrawal from the scholarship, which will end on your child’s last day of attendance.
• Withdrawal or termination of the scholarship does not automatically withdrawal your child from the program.
• Avalon reserves the right to withdrawal a child from the scholarship with a two-week notice at any time if client can not provide verification of eligibility upon request within that notice time-frame.

9. Privacy of Information

• • Client agrees that Avalon may provide both private and public sponsors of scholarship with general information about families that may include the first names, ages, and qualifying situation of the enrolled child’s family. Signing this agreement provides written consent for duration of enrollment and supersedes all other privacy agreements within the Enrollment Contract.
  • Other information may be provided to government programs client is participating in upon request from those programs and would be restricted to private funding and program qualification information.  This information would only be released with consent from client.
  • Avalon may need copies of personal documents (pay stubs, CalWorks statements, etc.) that would be retained securely and privately. 
  • Avalon may provide developmental updates to public and private sponsors about children and the program that include photographs or videos of child’s work.

10. Partnership Agreements

• Client understands and is agreement that no scholarship funds will ever be paid directly to client at any time and that funds do not “belong” to the client.
• Sponsors may choose to remain anonymous in name and with no client contact.
• All sponsor donations are put into a “pool” for distribution to clients that is managed by Avalon based on need and eligibility of participating families.
• Avalon’s financial and business records are available to sponsors, clients, and participating organizations (may have full or partial names of individuals and sponsors redacted). 
• Sponsors may not be petitioned by client for any reason.  Doing so results in an immediate termination of contract and scholarship.
• Client agrees to not hold participating partners, sponsors, companies, organizations, and people making donations liable for any cause or concern regarding child’s participation within Avalon’s program.

Signatures of the Parties to the Contract

• A failure to enforce one or more terms of this contract does not waive the provider’s right to enforce any other terms of this contract or terms within the Enrollment Contract.
• By signing this contract, clients indicate that they have read the provider’s policies and agree to follow them. The provider reserves the right to make changes the policies and will give the client a copy of the revised policies two weeks before they go into effect.
• The parent(s)/guardian(s) signing this contract accept full legal and financial responsibility and liability for the terms and policies under this contract, including any personal or property damages resulting from child’s participation in the program and whether intentional or not, even if the parents are divorced and have joint custody of the child.

(end of sample of scholarship contract, with signatures omitted)