Have you ever worked at your registration office when a resident whispered that they wanted to sign up for a program, but couldn't afford your full fee? What did you have to offer?

a. a ream of complicated forms with embarrassing questions
b. a few programs which are free or heavily subsidized
c. a long wait for others to approve
d. all of the above
e. nothing (heaven forbid!)

If you've ever wished for a solution to this dilemma, read on.

The Recreation Department for the City of Evanston provides residents with an easy and, more importantly, equitable method of receiving fee assistance for programs and activities.

Evanston, an eclectic city bordering the north side of Chicago, provides an extensive range of sports and leisure opportunities for an extremely diverse population.

Evanston is densely populated. Two-thirds of the approximately 73,000 residents live in apartments or condominiums. Evanston has a large number of students. It is home to Northwestern University, National-Louis University and Kendall College. There also is a larger-than-average share of older adults (14% versus the national average of 11.7%), many of whom are on fixed incomes.

Some neighborhoods are quite wealthy. Many upper-middle income families live in other large sections of the city. However, Evanston's median income is considerably lower than that of its neighboring suburbs because 41 percent of its residents are in the low or moderate income categories. Although the city has a favorable overall employment rate, concentrations of higher-than-average unemployment does exist in Evanston.

The Recreation Department has always offered some form of fee subsidy, but formalized the process in the early 1980s when the Evanston Recreation Board instituted a fee assistance policy. The Board, which is comprised of citizens appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council, sets the standards of service offered to the public.

Although the Board's policy encouraged eligible residents to apply for scholarships, over the years staff realized that the related procedures may have discouraged some participation.

This spring the Recreation Board revised the fee assistance policy, which staff then used for guidance in updating and streamlining the fee assistance procedures. Now it's easier for residents to apply for fee assistance (now called scholarships), and the program is easier to administer.

Under the old policy, residents had to come to the Evanston Civic Center office with their proof of income every time a family member wanted to register for a program or activity. Now most of our applicants (those on public aid or unemployment) are able to verify their eligibility just once every six months by visiting their local Community Center.

Residents who prove income with IRS Form 1040 or social security documents can have their eligibility verified once a year, while those using pay stubs (less reliable proof) must bring a current pay stub each time they register for a class. This is due to a possible fluctuation in hours worked in a pay period.

Besides appreciating the convenience of applying for scholarships closer to home, many residents seem to be more comfortable applying locally because they already know the center staff.

The availability of scholarships is widely-advertised in the department's brochures and flyers, and is also promoted in press releases. Local social service agencies inform their clients of the scholarship opportunities, while many others come to us by word of mouth.

How does the program work?

In order to maximize privacy, scholarship requests are handled by community center directors in a quiet area removed from our registration windows. To apply, the resident simply provides proof of their family's total income and family size plus proof of residency.

We accept any federal tax forms; public aid, general assistance or social security documentation; and payroll check stubs. Foreign students can provide Immigration 1-20 forms (Visa documents). Residency is verified with a driver's license, utility bill, apartment lease or property tax statement.

How is the subsidy calculated?

The amount of subsidy allowed is determined by our Eligibility Schedule (Figure 1), which is a sliding scale of discounts. Residents may be eligible for a 25, 50, or 75 percent discount from the full program fee. This schedule is based on Poverty Income Guidelines published in the Federal Register (Vol. 56, No. 34/Feb. 20,1991), which considers family income in relation to household size. The guidelines are published annually and are available at local libraries. The scholarship applies to registrations for any family member. And, because scholarships are often valid for six months to one year, an index card is kept on file in order to process future registrations easily and accurately.

What does it cost?

The entire department's scholarship discount was $78,436 in 1990-1991. The 1991-1992 proposed scholarship discount estimate is $100,700, out of a total budget of $3.8 million in expenditures. At budget time, staff estimate the number of full-fee participants and the number of reduced-fee participants they expect to enroll in each class. The estimates are based on historical data, economic forecasts and "good-old intuition."

What if residents can't pay anything?

In extreme cases, the superintendent of recreation has been authorized by the Board to waive an entire fee. For instance, last year a child's summer camp fees were waived after the parents submitted proof of tremendous medical bills following a catastrophic illness, which had overwhelmed the family's middle-class income.

Why give scholarships?

The Evanston Recreation Board is an advocacy body to the City Council, and, as such, promotes using scholarships in order to provide recreational activities for all residents. The Board realizes that some people are unable to pay for leisure services which are needed to balance the total lifestyle.

Can residents get scholarships for every program?

The Board has stressed that income-eligible residents should be able to register for whatever program they wish, and as many times as they wish. The only fees not eligible for subsidies are adult leagues or team fees, practice ice time on the indoor rinks and some special trip or tour charges. Every community has residents who need fee subsidies, whether it's for summer camp, sports programs or self-improvement classes. It's important to take the time to review a fee subsidy policy with a critical eye, then analyze the steps residents take to apply for a subsidy. Simplifying procedures will help both residents and staff.

If a subsidy program exists in your agency, but no one applies, there' s a good chance advertisement is needed. Getting the word out isn't expensive. Flyers in your community centers, press releases in the newspaper and use of announcements in your brochures are quite effective.

If your agency does not subsidize fees, or if the procedures discourage applications, the agency is not fulfilling its total mission to serve the whole community. The cost of funding scholarships could be allocated directly from tax dollars or by raising program fees slightly across the board. And, the verification procedures assure that the subsidies go to those who truly need assistance.

The Evanston Recreation Department's scholarship program is successful because the standards are fair and consistent, the policy is easy for the residents to understand, and the application process is simple for both the residents and staff.

About the Authors
Richard Grodsky is Superintendent of Recreation for the City of Evanston's Recreation Department. Martha Logon is the Department's Public Information Specialist.