Technology Aids Successful E-rate Application

The Okaloosa County (OK) School District this year received more than $500,000 in E-rate funding for telecommunications services with the help of E-Rate Manager for Applicants.

Developed by Funds for Learning LLC, the online suite of tools is available as an annual subscription-per-user fee based on student population. The price of a year's subscription starts at $249.

“The E-rate program is a key funding source for my district. From the student perspective, it levels the playing field by providing funding for technology and equipment that some of the more affluent districts have access to," says Randy Shipman, Coordinator of Systems for Okaloosa County School District.

E-Rate Manager for Applicants enables districts to stay current with fluctuating deadlines and paperwork and navigate the process of preparing and filing the required forms. The product features form wizards that ask simple, straightforward questions to help guide applicants in preparing Form 470 and Form 471. It also detects when money is authorized for disbursement, tracks funding line by line and by dates and amounts, and features up to 1,000 megabytes of online storage so that the district can keep important E-rate documents in one centralized location.