California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program

California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program

The California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program (DSIG) encourages California Dream Act Application (CADAA) students with a Cal Grant B award to perform community or volunteer service. 

CA DREAM ACT SERVICE INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM ONE PAGE BROCHURE

Am I Eligible?


 How to apply

 

 

Sign up today! 

The program is open from July 1 to June 30
and follows the annual academic year. 

Are you interested in receiving an additional grant for community or colunteer service?

Submit both applications by the March 2 deadline to be considered for Cal Grant and Student Success Completion Grant.

Cerritos College School Code: 00116100

Follow the 4 Steps to Cash to complete the application process

Apply - Complete the application to be considered for the program.

Students will need to apply annually to participate in the California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program (DSIG).

Application Instructions

  1. Download the application - Grant Application

  2. Complete Section 1: Student Demographic Information.

  3. Take form to Financial Aid Office to complete Section 2: School of Attendance Information.
    1. Financial Aid Office will complete Section 2 and provide Financial Aid  Administrator contact information.
    2. Financial Aid Administrator will sign and date validating that the student has enough unmet need to qualify for the award.

  4. Take form to service organization to complete Section 3: Service Organization Information.
    1. Service organization will complete Section 3 and provide contact information.
    2. Service organization needs to provide date the service organization was established and Employer Identification Number (EIN). Organization shall have been established for a minimum of two (2) years before the first date on which a participating student begins performing service hours to qualify for this program.
    3. Service organization also needs to provide name and signature of certifying official(s). The certifying official can be the same as the contact person for the service organization. The name and signature of the certifying official will be used to validate the document tracking the service hours performed.
    4. If service hours are to be completed with more than one Service organization, utilize the  Grant Application Supplementalform to list the additional organizations.

  5. Read, validate, sign, and date Section 4: Student Agreement on the bottom of the application.

  6. Submit the completed form(s) to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Email is preferred.
    1. Email: studentsupport@csac.ca.gov 
    2. Or Mail:    California Student Aid Commission
                       Attn: CA Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program
                       P.O. Box 419027
                       Rancho Cordova, CA  95741-9026

  7. Student will be notified via email when they are registered into the program.

  8. Student begins performing service hours. Student and/or service organizations can utilize the Service Hours Tracker to document service hours performed.

  9. Students can request payment after performing at least 150 hours per semester or 100 hours per quarter of community or volunteer service.

Students can volunteer with any of the organization(s) on the List of Service Organizations or with any organization not on the list if it meets the criteria for a qualifying service organization. Organizations not on the List of Service Organizations, can complete and submit the Service Organization Registration form found on the DSIG Forms webpage.

On-Campus Service Locations

Off-Campus Service Organizations

What is a qualifying community or volunteer service organization?
A nonprofit as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Any federal, state, or local government entity.

Cerritos College or any school on the Cal Grant Eligible Schools list on the CSAC website.

Organization shall have been established for a minimum of two years before the first date on which a participating student begins performing service hours to qualify for this program.

Community or volunteer service performed by the participating student is not advocacy of a political, social, or religious nature.

Community or volunteer service is related to the participating student’s field of study or is in furtherance of community service or a community need.

Organizations not on the List of Service Organizations, can complete and submit the Service Organization Registration form found on the DSIG Forms webpage.

REQUEST PAYMENT

Students can request payment after performing at least 150 hours per semester of community or volunteer service. Students must submit the Payment Request form along with documentation of the service hours performed. Documentation of service hours performed can be submitted on the California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program Service Hours Tracker or on any other type of documentation utilized by the service organization(s) if the documentation includes the name and signature of the certifying official.

Complete the Payment Request form to request payment.

Payment Request Instructions

  1. Download the Payment Request form - Payment Request

  2. Complete Section 1: Student Demographic Information.

  3. Take form to Financial Aid Office to complete Section 2: School of Attendance Information.
    1. Financial Aid Office will complete all sections and provide a Financial Aid Administrator contact person.
    2. Financial Aid Administrator will sign and date validating certifying that the student has enough unmet need to qualify for the award.

  4. Take form to service organization to complete Section 3: Service Organization Information.
    1. Service organization will complete all sections and provide contact information.
    2. Service organization will indicate total service hours performed, date service began, and date service completed on the bottom of the form.
    3. Service organization will provide documentation of service hours performed. Documentation of service hours performed can be submitted on the California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program Service Hours Tracker or on any other type of documentation utilized by the service organization(s) if the documentation includes the name and signature of the certifying official.
    4. If service hours are completed with more than one service organization,  utilize the Payment Request Supplemental to list the additional organizations.

  5. Read, validate, sign, and date Section 4: Student Agreement on the bottom of the application.

  6. Submit the completed form(s) and documentation of service hours performed to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Email is preferred.
    1. Email: studentsupport@csac.ca.gov
    2. Or Mail: California Student Aid Commission
                    Attn: CA Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program
                    P.O. Box 419027
                    Rancho Cordova, CA  95741-9026

  7. Student will be notified via email when they are approved for payment. Payment will be processed by the institution of attendance and can take 4-6 weeks. Initial DSIG payment will occur after student receives at least one Cal Grant B payment.

California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program Forms

Annual Award Amount

Fall / Spring Award $4,500

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) will award up to $4,500 per academic year (up to $2,250 per semester).


Limits on the California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program (DSIG)

The grant will be available for up to 8 semesters while you have an active Cal Grant B award. 


Dream Act Service Incentive GranT Frequently Asked questions

CA Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program Tri-fold Brochure

California Student Aid Commision

For more information, please contact the California Student Aid Commission Student Support at (888) 224-7268 or email at studentsupport@csac.ca.gov