The Cowlitz Tribe views vocational certificates and college or university degrees as an investment in both the Tribal member and the future of our Tribal community. To encourage Cowlitz students in their pursuit of a vocational certificate or college or university degree, the Cowlitz Tribe offers a Tuition Assistance Award Benefit and an Educational Costs GWE Benefit.
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General Welfare Exclusion Act Benefit
On August 3, 2019, the Cowlitz Tribal Council approved the inclusion of the Cowlitz Tuition Assistance Award Program as a Tribal benefit under the General Welfare Exclusion Act of 2014 (the Act). This approval acknowledges that the tuition and tuition-related fees provided by the Cowlitz Tuition Assistance Award Program meet the requirements of the Act, are not taxable, and are not subject to IRS information reporting requirements. Select the link below for IRS instructions.
The Education Committee and hundreds of Cowlitz students who have received this award thank the Cowlitz Tribal Council and General Council for their support.
Gregg Ford, Chair
Ellen Harju, Vice-Chair
Katie Kenyon-Appelt, Secretary
Education Committee Members: David Iyall, Tricia Bliss, Mikayla Lawrence, and Carol Robertson
Manager: Carol Burnison
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Tuition Assistance Award Benefit
Tuition and tuition-related fees are awarded to enrolled Cowlitz Tribal members attending an accredited vocational school, college, or university. Cowlitz Tribal funding will support one of each of the following certificates or degrees:
- Vocational Certificate
- Associate Degree
- Bachelor Degree
- Master Degree
- Doctorate Degree
Funding for the program is approved by the Tribal Council each academic year and is dependent on the availability of Tribal funds.
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Educational Costs GWE Benefits
- GWE Benefit — $2,500 per academic year for those who have graduated high school or received their GED and are currently enrolled as a vocational certificate or college/university degree student
- GWE Benefit — $400 per academic year for those obtaining a GED
- GWE Benefit — $500 per academic year for those currently dually enrolled in high school and college
- GWE Benefit — up to $3,000 per academic year for those enrolled in continuing education pursuing professional certifications, licenses, and/or an endorsement. (Pilot program. All GWE applications are provided by Tuition Assistance staff and are not posted on this website. Criteria must be met to obtain these GWE Educational Costs Benefits, as well as supporting documentation.)
Our academic years run from May to April.
Educational GWEs cannot be combined in the same academic year, except for: (1) earning your GED and then enrolling in college, and (2) graduating high school while in a dual enrollment program and continuing with college.
For more information, contact the Tuition Assistance Office by email at tuitionassistance@cowlitz.org or call Melanie Mariano — (360) 353-9497, Amanda Fitzpatrick — (360) 575-6224, or Carol Burnison — (360) 353-9588.
Additional information can be found in our Policies and Procedures above.
