LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Assemblyman Bill Dodd (D-Napa) is partnering to promote Cash for College workshops being hosted by local community colleges in conjunction with the California Student Aid Commission.

The workshops will help students complete the FAFSA, which will help students access federal student aid, as well as the Cal Grant and recently created Middle Class Scholarship.

“Having attended a California State University and more recently paying for my children to attend college, I know the costs of higher education,” said Dodd. “These financial aid programs can help low and middle income families afford college.”

The Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship are two state programs designed to help California families afford college.

The Cal Grant is a needs-based state financial aid program, which has been a big part of making college affordable for many California families.

Qualified students can receive up to $12,192 in funding to attend almost any college in California – awards vary depending on economic need, grades and the college you attend.

The Middle Class Scholarship Act is a newer program for students who do not qualify for Cal Grants but are still priced out of college. It offers sliding-scale discounts of up to 40 percent for families who earn $150,000 or less and don't qualify for Cal Grants, which support lower-income students.

Students apply just as they would for a federal loan or a Cal Grant, by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 2.

“With our state on track to have 1.1 million fewer college graduates than our economy will need by 2030, it’s critical that our young people are able to realize their dream of earning their college degree,” said Dodd. “Along with freezing tuition levels at our colleges and universities, programs like these are key to making higher education accessible.”

Workshops are held during January and February, and the deadline to apply for the upcoming academic year is March 2.

A list of workshops being held in Lake County can be found below.

– Jan. 12, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Upper Lake High School, Room 8, 675 Clover Valley Road.
– Jan. 21, 6 to 8 p.m., Clear Lake High School, 350 Lange St., Lakeport.
– Feb. 10, 6 to 8 p.m., Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.
– Feb. 22, 6 to 8 p.m., Mendocino College Lake Center, Rm CSC201, 2565 Parallel Drive, Lakeport.