Edmond, Okla. (Oct. 28, 2008) – For the last decade, Funds For Learning, LLC, the nation’s leading E-rate funding compliance services firm, has assisted schools and libraries nationwide in their pursuit of E-rate funding. Continuing the company’s efforts to streamline the E-rate application process, Funds For Learning introduces the Form 470 Wizard, a new component of E-rate Manager for Applicants. With this new addition, Funds For Learning now enables schools and libraries to complete the entire E-rate application process online.

The Form 470, also known as the Description of Services Requested and Certification Form, is the first form that must be filed by a school or library in the E-rate application process. The form is designed to solicit a description of the applicant, provide a point of contact, and indicate any new telecommunications and technology services that the applicant will be seeking. With the Form 470 Wizard, schools and libraries complete the Form 470 through an online entry screen that has data validation features that highlight problems in the application. When complete, the form may be transmitted to the Web site of the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company, which administers the $2.25 billion E-rate program.

“Access to technology is a crucial factor in providing students with the skills they need in the 21st century, but shrinking budgets make it difficult for many schools to provide the required infrastructure,” said John Harrington, CEO of Funds For Learning. “We offer schools and libraries an easier, more efficient way to obtain crucial technology funding, by completely automating the E-rate application process through E-rate Manager for Applicants.”

As of Oct. 15, 2,901 Form 470 applicants have been submitted to the SLD for the upcoming funding year. This represents a 28 percent increase over the number posted in the same time period last year, according to a recent analysis by Funds For Learning. This spike reflects the trend in recent years for applicants to post their Form 470 applications early in advance of the Form 471 filing window for the next funding year.

Schools and libraries turn to E-rate Manager for Applicants for assistance with their E-rate funding requests and commitments. The online suite of tools enables school districts to stay current with fluctuating deadlines and paperwork, track remaining E-rate funding, monitor sites where funding is used, and respond to E-rate program auditors.

To help schools and libraries track fluctuating E-rate deadlines, Funds For Learning, recently released a free, online E-rate Calendar. The first of its kind in the education industry, the Funds For Learning E-rate Calendar allows applicants to stay on top of deadlines related to the E-rate program. To subscribe to the calendar, visit www.fundsforlearning.com/content/view/1161/89/.

E-rate Manager for Applicants is available as an annual subscription-per-user fee based on student population. The price of a year’s subscription starts at $249.

More Information

Visit www.fundsforlearning.com, or phone 405-341-4140.

The Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company administers the E-rate program; details available at www.usac.org.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the E-rate program and Funds For Learning, the company has published “E-rate Review: 10 Years and Counting” (PDF, 944KB), a white paper on the success of the E-rate program and its impact on stakeholders.

Other background material: History of the E-rate Program, The E-rate Application Process, and Latest E-rate News.

About Funds For Learning

Funds For Learning, LLC, is an E-rate compliance firm specializing in guiding E-rate applicants and service providers through the complex and ever-changing E-rate regulatory process. With more than 10 years of experience in providing professional advice and assistance relating to the E-rate program, Funds For Learning exists to provide high-quality solutions for the needs of E-rate stakeholders. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Edmond, Okla.

Contacts

Funds For Learning, LLC
Scott Weston
405-471-0953
sweston at fundsforlearning dot com
www.fundsforlearning.com

C. Blohm & Associates, Inc.
Emily Embury
608-839-9800
emily at cblohm dot com
www.cblohm.com

Printer Friendly

Download Release (107 KB)

Images

Click to view at full size, then right-click to download.