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August
24, 2001
Losing
E-Rate dollars as easy as not filing forms
Funding
Year Four proving lack of 'diligence' means
lack of funds
"Going
the extra mile to make it to the finish
line " may be the phrase to best describe
the process that schools must practice to
successfully compete for E-Rate funding.
Those schools that take the extra time and
care to meet all filing deadlines, read
all the instructions and keep detailed files
of all filed documents, receipts and responses
will have the best chance of receiving that
coveted funding letter.
However,
some schools applying for E-Rate funding
have been turned down for what may appear
to be minor mistakes. Good examples of such
situations have already occurred in Funding
Year Four. Reports from the Schools and
Libraries Division (SLD), the organization
responsible for qualifying schools and granting
funds, indicated:
A
rural school district in the Midwest was
turned down for $16,800 in E-Rate funding
simply because the district did not "certify"
their Form 470. This is completed by sending
a hard copy of the form with actual signatures
to the SLD after filing the form electronically.
Another
district in the West lost more than $35,000
for the same reason, while another on the
East Coast lost $30,000 for not certifying
their form.
And,
one district on the East Coast lost nearly
$114,000 for not filing their Form 470.
That's $195,800 in lost funding by just
four districts!
Taking
extra time to review instructions and form
deadlines can help ensure your school will
get the E-Rate dollars it deserves. For
more information on the E-Rate funding process,
go to www.sprint.com/education or call
1-888-840-4138.
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