Tuition Assistance
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.
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.
Educational Costs GWE Benefit
This annual benefit for educational costs may be used for, but is not limited to, books, computers, calculators, musical instruments, sports equipment, supplies for studies, tutors, clothing, room and board, and transportation to and from school.
Available to all Tuition Assistance Award recipients in the first education term of the student’s academic year. Others who are High school graduate or have a GED that are enrolled in a certificate or degree program at an accredited vocational school, college, or university may be eligible.
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 (Act). This approval acknowledges 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 Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act of 2014 IRS instructions.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe Education Committee Mission Statement and By-Laws Mission Statement The mission of the Education Committee is to steward and distribute Tuition Assistance Awards and the Educational Costs GWE Benefit to Cowlitz Tribal members.
By-Laws
- Membership
The Education Committee will have 11 members.
Membership is open to all tribal members and immediate family subject to approval by the Education Committee. Notice of Education Committee openings will be posted on the Cowlitz website and published in the Cowlitz Tribal newspaper.
Individuals interested in joining the Education Committee must submit a written request to the committee chair noting their background and relevant experience, as well as a statement on why they are interested in joining the committee.
Requests for membership will be evaluated based on the statement provided and the work of the Education Committee. The request will be voted on by current committee members at the next regularly scheduled meeting following receipt of the request. If approved, the new member will be invited to join future committee meetings. - Officers and Duties
Education Committee members will be eligible to pursue elected committee leadership roles (chair, vice-chair, secretary) after one full year of membership and active involvement.
- Chair—calls meetings, runs the meetings per Robert’s Rules of Order. The chair only votes to break a tie.
- Vice-Chair—assumes duties in the absence of the Chair.
- Secretary—records and distributes the minutes of the meetings.
- Term of Office — June 1 through May 31
- Paid Staff
Paid staff will be hired and work in accordance with the Cowlitz Tribe’s established policies and procedures. - Conflict of Interest Statement
Education Committee members and staff will recuse themselves from evaluating a family member’s Tuition Assistance Award application. Family member will be defined as parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, and nephews.
Approved by Education Committee: March 24, 2021
Approved without name change by Cowlitz Tribal Council: April 10, 2021
Content
For additional details click on the topic to the websites
- ACT/SAT
- Adventures in Education (AIE)
- Alfie Scholarships
- American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association
- American Indian Endowed Scholarship (AIES)
- American Indian College Fund
- American Indian Graduate Center
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society
- Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA)
- Bosterbio Scholarships for Young Scientists Of Excellence
- TheBestSchools.org $1,000 Online College Scholarships
- Cobell Scholarship
- Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
- Evergreen State College
- First Nations’ Native Agriculture & Food Systems Scholarship
- Indian Health Service (IHS) Scholarship Program
- Intertribal Timber Council
- Joel P. Aggergaard Scholarship
- National Academy of American Scholarships (NAAS)
- The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
- Native American Scholarship
- Northwest Archivists
- Northwest Indian Housing Association (NWIHA) Scholarship
- theWashBoard.org
- The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
- Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
- University of Washington Daniel Iyall Native American Teacher Education Fellowship
- Washington Indian Gaming (WIGA) Scholarship
- Washington State University Memorandum of Understanding Member Scholarships
- WSU MOU Scholarship
- Washington State University Scholarships
- Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
For additional details click on the topic to the websites
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Internships
- Indians Into Medicine (IHS grant award)
- Indian Energy Undergrad Internship
- Legislative Internship
- LGBTQ+ Scholarships
- NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI)
- N7 Summer Internship 2021
- Pathways to Science
- Tradition Bearers for Bio-cultural Diversity Fellowship
- U of Idaho - McCall Outdoor Science School
- US Forest Service Entry Level Natural Resources Positions
- WSU: Native American Health Sciences Program
- WSU: Native American Programs
- WSU: Native STEAM Summer Research Institute
- WSU: Research Experience
Name of Program
Office Hours
M - F | 8 am - 5 pm
1003 Fir Street, Longview, WA 98632
?????@cowlitz.org
(360) 353-????