Cory Dunt is the director of Stand by Me NexGen.
Every spring, thousands of Delaware families quietly miss out on life-changing opportunities: free money for college. Last year alone, our state left over $9.2 million in federal Pell grant funds unclaimed — not because students weren’t eligible but because they never filled out one single form.
That form is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. According to the National College Attainment Network, this isn’t just a Delaware problem. Across the country, millions of dollars in grant money expire unused each year simply because students fail to complete the necessary paperwork. It’s a silent crisis and one we can fix.
A proven model, right here at home
Delaware has historically been a national leader in this issue. Our state ranked among the top 10 for FAFSA completion, reaching third place nationwide in the 2022-23 school year. That success didn’t happen by chance.
The main effort came from Stand by Me NexGen, a partnership between the United Way of Delaware and the Delaware Department of Education’s Higher Education Office. For 12 years, this team has placed financial coaches in all 50 of our public and charter high schools. They teach students how education, career choices and financial resources are interconnected and, importantly, how to access the funds that make college affordable.
The results speak for themselves:
Help is available if we use it
The NexGen College Funding Project provides exactly the hands-on guidance families need: in-person FAFSA workshops at every public and charter high school, one-on-one Zoom appointments and assistance in English and Spanish. Students can schedule sessions at uwde.org/fafsa, call Delaware 211 or visit their high school’s guidance office.
There is no catch. No hidden cost. Just expert help to claim the aid that is already yours.
Leave no money on the table
It’s time we view FAFSA completion as the civic duty it truly is. We should encourage families to claim their fair share of federal aid for college as a community priority. Schools, community leaders and parents need to focus on this because every unclaimed dollar is a missed chance for a student to graduate with less debt and more opportunities for success.
Delaware has proven we can lead the nation. Let’s not slip backward. Complete the FAFSA. Remind your neighbors. Encourage your students. The money is there. Let’s bring it home.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
