Membership Financial Aid makes it possible for families in financial hardship to still enjoy the full benefits of HSLDA membership for a year, through the generosity of donors and support of other members.
How Membership Financial Aid (MFA) Works
Families complete a short Membership Financial Aid application (instructions below). Upon approval, you will receive a discount code via email to activate one year of free membership.
Your membership is NOT active until you redeem the code online through our online membership application.
Eligibility
In order to qualify, you must be:
- Experiencing financial hardship. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the monthly membership fee of $14/month is prohibitive for their family at this time.
- Within 90 days of next yearly membership payment (for current HSLDA members). If you pay for membership once per year, your next membership payment must be scheduled within 90 days. Non-members or members paying monthly may apply at any time.
Documentation
The application requires the following financial documents to be uploaded electronically, as it pertains to your current household income and financial situation:
- One full month of current, consecutive paystubs*
- First 2 pages of last year's IRS Form 1040
- Social Security statements for survivor’s benefits or disability (including children’s benefits)
- Food and/or housing assistance benefit letters
- Child support or alimony documentation
- Student aid loans
- Letters from family/churches citing either their monthly support amount OR the value of what they provide
- Any other forms of financial support, benefits, or income
The application will ask for a description of your current financial circumstances. Be sure to write at least four (4) sentences. This helps avoid delays that can arise if we need additional information from you to clarify something on your application.
- Types of self-employment income received
- Monthly net profit/loss from self-employment**
- IRS Form 1040 Schedule C
Timeline and Application Status
Processing Time: 2–3 weeks
Please wait the full three (3) weeks before inquiring about the status of your financial aid application.
Before inquiring about your application’s status, check your email, including your spam/junk folder, for an email from “HSLDA Membership Financial Aid” (mfa@hslda.org).
PLEASE NOTE:
- If seeking membership to be eligible for a Curriculum Grant, try to apply for MFA at least one month before any upcoming grant deadline.
- If you must file a state-specific legal form (that HSLDA provides for members) within 21 days, please email mfa@hslda.org AFTER you have submitted your MFA application. We will do our best to process your MFA application and help you meet your deadline.
Ready to apply?
We recommend using Chrome. If you use Safari on an Apple device, you may see a login screen instead of a confirmation screen when you submit your application. If you do NOT see a confirmation screen after submitting your application, please email mfa@hslda.org so we can confirm we received it.
You may be prompted to log in or create a free HSLDA account to access this application.
** The information linked does not constitute endorsement or recommendation. It is your responsibility to verify and investigate providers and services. Please consult your own professional advisor for all advice concerning legal or financial matters.