LaunchNW benefits all people in our region by increasing opportunity, prosperity and growth. The initiative’s community governance model requires collaboration with the community it serves, providing a seat at the table for all voices. Other communities in the U.S. with similar programs (such as Say Yes Buffalo) have seen increases in post-high school education, volunteering, community service and voting, paired with decreases in unemployment, reliance on government assistance programs and government spending on remedial services and interventions.

LaunchNW will benefit everyone. The promise scholarship is for students who need it the most.

Our goal is for scholarships to be available for students in Spokane County beginning with the graduating high school class of 2024, with continued phased rollout across the region. Additional eligibility information is being determined with feedback from our community. Wraparound services for all students in Spokane County will be available to students as soon as this fall.

Stay up to date on our current implementation work around mentorship and FAFSA/WASFA completion.

Scholarship applications are not yet open. Information for the class of 2024 will be announced at a later date, but the work of LaunchNW is already underway. Join our mailing list to stay informed.

Yes! LaunchNW will ensure students have access to career training of all types, including apprenticeships, technical and associate degrees, credentials and bachelor’s degrees.

If you are interested in becoming a LaunchNW volunteer or partner, join our mailing list.

If you are interested in donating to the promise scholarship fund, you can do that here.

LaunchNW supports and amplifies the tireless existing efforts of community-based organizations. We unite businesses, educational entities, nonprofits, government and communities to build holistic solutions that support every young person in our community.

Building upon the powerful existing foundations of student supports, LaunchNW braids and pools funding, identifies other sources available to the community (such as unclaimed federal dollars), and brings additional resources to our region. Learn more about who we are.

No. The LaunchNW scholarship will “fill the gap” between other aid and the full cost of tuition. Students will be required to complete a FAFSA or WASFA to apply for the LaunchNW scholarship.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) and other financial aid applications are a crucial step to opening doors to a post-high school education and career.

LaunchNW convenes partners who support and facilitate students as they apply for federal and state aid, as well as institutional grants and scholarships of all types. Learn more about the opportunities FAFSA/WASFA unlock.

LaunchNW is a community and economic vitality initiative that will offer a promise scholarship to students who need it most and wraparound supports for every child so they can travel their best journey from birth to job attainment. LaunchNW is committed to collaborative governance, meaning every sector of our community is represented at the decision-making table. A disruption to business as usual, LaunchNW is a transformational investment in the future of our region.

This initiative is designed to be sustainable. It commits to using data and community input to align resources, demand accountability and drive results.

There are two parts to LaunchNW funding: (1) the promise scholarship and (2) implementation. Scholarship funding is raised by public and private donors, businesses and other regional partners into a scholarship fund at Innovia Foundation.

Implementation dollars are secured separately and already include over $13.5 million, including American Rescue Plan Act funding from Spokane County, City of Spokane Valley and City of Spokane, and congressionally directed rural funding from Senator Patty Murray.

If you would like to make a life-changing donation today, you can contribute to the endowed scholarship fund hosted at Innovia Foundation here.

The community governance structure of LaunchNW is designed to involve local leaders to ensure each community’s unique needs are met. These leaders not only have “a seat at the table,” but they are also actively involved in the decision-making process for the initiative.

LaunchNW also hosted a series of town halls in the summer of 2022 to engage and collect input from over 300 local community members. Join our mailing list to stay informed and get involved!

Innovia Foundation is the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho with a mission to ignite generosity that transforms lives and communities. Innovia serves as the incubating entity for LaunchNW, providing staffing and resource supports for the initiative. Learn more about Innovia at Innovia.org.

Data privacy is very important to us.

LaunchNW will adhere to Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines to protect the privacy of student educational records. Learn more about FERPA here.