Student Financial Need Guidelines

What Student Financial Need Supports 

• Medication through the Green Shield Canada Medical Needs Fund       
• Eyeglasses (please visit the link to our Glasses for Classes program)
• Groceries/food/lunches/cafeteria vouchers          
• School trips and excursions (cost to participate). Field trips up to a maximum of $50.00/year.
• Elective school subjects & course fees          
• School supplies like backpacks & binders          
• School-based extra-curricular activities (participant fees, sport-specific equipment up to a maximum of $50/term)          
• Clothing, footwear, hygiene needs            
• Clothing needs for co-op placements           
• Teen mother and baby needs           
• Personal identification (excluding passport)  
• Post-secondary applications (where Life After High School funding is not available)   
• Emergency family situations 
• Other (special circumstances, as discussed with the Foundation)

What Student Financial Need Does Not Support 

• Food or groceries at home where a family provides   
• Clothing for graduation, Prom or formal events, where Prom Project is in place to serve this need  
• Co-operative placement and workplace clothing (St. Catharines and West Niagara areas where the The ReGift Depot Program is in place to serve this need)   
• Extra-curricular activities that happen outside school hours, off school property and in no way tied to school  
• External community recreational programs - please visit Jumpstart Charities or Kidsport Niagara   
• Music program needs outside scope of curriculum     
• Transportation costs for an entire class or even a large % of the class population  
• Initial school registration fees  
• School Program expenses i.e. would like to offer an more field trips and hands on opportunities, which would mean the entire class would need subsidy  
• Transportation assistance to a school that exists outside the student boundary, unless an extraordinary circumstance  
• Graduation photos, school photos or activities outside of school or yearbook



Procedure - FOR DSBN USE ONLY

Approval or denial will be made and communicated to applicant and Principals via email within 1 week. Details of family situation must be provided and the Principal shall complete and sign the form. Any other signatories will not be accepted.  Once approved, the school can then make the purchase. The school will not receive advance funds but instead be reimbursed for expenses incurred, once the receipts have been received by the Foundation office.