1
FINANCIAL AID STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Nia House community is an intentional community- We join together committed to create a more equitable and just world for our children and families.
The Nia House Financial Aid Review Committee commits to prioritize racial equity and consider the impacts of tuition costs on our families.
Nia House’s goals are:
To prioritize the financial needs of BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) families
To support BIPOC families of diverse socio-economic backgrounds in generating wealth for long term financial security
Long-term educational equity and our mission of "bringing together children from different socioeconomic backgrounds to grow and work in harmony and cooperation" and working together to "actively work toward peace through education" can only be achieved by targeting the racial wealth gap, the greatest of limitations affecting educational equity and long-term family stability.
Nia House can contribute to racial justice by prioritizing educational access and affordability for BIPOC families. The historical and current lack of access to quality early childhood education opportunities with adequate academic, financial, and social support has adversely impacted BIPOC people's opportunities to advance economically. Nia House acknowledges that wealth and capital cannot be captured by quantitative data exclusively. Capital is rooted in privilege, race, education, health, access to healthcare, housing rights, citizenship/migration, employment opportunity and historical wealth. Nia House considers wealth, privilege, and family equity with hopes of mitigating racial wealth disparities in our community.
Nia House’s financial aid funds are a limited resource. Financial aid distribution is determined through equity-based evaluation of each application to ensure that financial support promotes long term stability, security, and well being for families.
Nia House acknowledges that full fee tuition for some “wealthy/class privileged” BIPOC people actually creates additional struggle, financial burden, and widens the racial wealth gap.
2
PERSONAL REFLECTION
As you consider your family’s application and financial need, please personally reflect on the following questions. This is a self-guide to assess financial need. To learn more on how racial discrimination impacts financial stability and on white privilege, click here.
LIFESTYLE
How much money did you spend on vacation last year?
How much money do you have in savings?
How much money do you spend on dinners out, children’s classes, camps, etc.?
How much money do you spend on clothing and other lifestyle items?
Are there lifestyle adjustments that might make tuition feasible?
WEALTH
Do you own your home?
Did you receive financial support from family/inheritance to buy your home?
Do you have inherited wealth?
Did you attend college? Did you receive support from family/inheritance to pay college tuition?
Does your family have invisible resources and hidden supports that are not visible in your current outward financial statement?
Do you have emergency savings?
EMPLOYMENT
How often do you work? (Nia House requires that all applicants work full-time/ 32 hours or more, or attend full-time school/ job training Families of color disproportionately depend upon full time work than white families.)
Do you have job security?
Does your employer offer paid sick-leave?