ALCOAST 283/19 - SEP 2019 CY19 COAST GUARD FOUNDATION EDUCATION GRANT (CGFEG) PROGRAM

united states coast guard

R 050905 SEP 19
FM COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA//FC-C//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS//N01560//
ALCOAST 283/19
COMDTNOTE 1560
SUBJ: CY19 COAST GUARD FOUNDATION EDUCATION GRANT (CGFEG) PROGRAM
A. Reserve Policy Manual, COMDTINST M1001.28 (series)
1. This ALCOAST announces the receipt of a gift fund from the Coast Guard
Foundation and prescribes the application process for eligible members to
apply for a Coast Guard Foundation Education Grant (CGFEG).
2. The CGFEG program is designed to assist eligible personnel in their
academic or technical development by providing funding for tuition, fees, and
miscellaneous expenses incurred in completing off-duty voluntary education.
The CGFEG program is a reimbursement program, requiring members to expend
funds prior to applying for a CGFEG. The maximum payable reimbursement is
currently $500.00 per person.
3. Effective 01Oct2019, the Education and Training Quota Management Command
(ETQC) will begin accepting CGFEG applications. All applications will be
processed on a first come, first served basis.
4. Eligible Members:
    a. Coast Guard Active Duty enlisted members serving in pay grades E-3
through E-6.
    b. Selective Reserve (SELRES) members on long-term active duty orders of
180 days, or more.
    c. SELRES members must meet and maintain satisfactory participation
requirements per the provisions of Chapter 4 of REF (A).
    d. All applicants must be participating, or have participated, in a
professional development, licensing, certification, college, undergraduate,
or graduate level course, within 12 months of the date of the application.
    e. There is no time in service requirement; however, members must complete
the course(s) for which the application is being submitted prior to release
from active duty, discharge, or retirement.
5. Eligible Expenses:
    a. Costs associated with professional development, licensing,
certification, undergraduate, and graduate (Master’s and Doctorate) level
courses, which includes tuition (not covered by a tuition assistance
program), any and all fees, textbook costs, taxes and shipping charges.
    b. Direct expenses, such as computers, supplies, transportation, or other
necessities needed to complete a member’s educational goals may be included
in the computation of education expenses covered by CGFEG. CGFEG may cover
the cost of tools, manuals, protective or other equipment, which become the
property of the student. The student must provide documentation, along with
their CGFEG application from the institution, stating the student is required
to purchase the tools, manuals, protective or other equipment, and that the
institution does not provide them for the student.
    c. Expenses must be submitted for reimbursement no later than 12 months
from date of the expenditure.
6. CGFEG is not authorized for:
    a. Any course for which the applicant is receiving assistance under a
federally funded program where such payment would constitute a duplication of
benefits. This includes, but is not limited to: Coast Guard Mutual Assistance
Supplemental Education Grants, Pell Grants, Montgomery GI Bill/Veterans
Education Assistance Program, or other Government funded education programs.
A member earning student aid via a loan, such as a student loan, Sallie Mae,
Stafford loan, etc. is still eligible for CGFEG. In cases where Federal grant
monies are credited to the student’s institution account, the credited
portion may not be calculated into the CGFEG application.
    b. Expenses previously reimbursed by CGFEG.
    c. Applicants in a duty-under-instruction status, where the applicant’s
educational fees are being paid by the Coast Guard.
    d. Coast Guard members that are inmates in military prisons.
7. To apply, members will complete and electronically sign the CGFEG
Application Form, ETQC-1560-10A, and forward it, along with expense receipts
and proof of enrollment in an eligible program, to their servicing Education
Services Officer (ESO).
8. ESOs will electronically endorse the CGFEG Application Form, ETQC-1560-
10A, as verification of eligibility requirements and will submit the
completed application to ETQC via e-mail to: ETQC-SMB-FoundationGrants@uscg.mil.
9. If an application does not meet the minimum standards, ETQC will return
the application back to the member and their respective ESO, unprocessed. If
a member believes their application was returned erroneously, members may
dispute the decision by submitting a memo to Commanding Officer, ETQC, no
later than 30 days after receiving the denial notification.
10. Additional details and the CGFEG Application Form, ETQC-1560-10A, can be
found at: http://www.forcecom.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/FORCECOM-UNITS/ETQC/
Voluntary-Education/Education-Service-Officers/.
11. For field level questions, please refer to your ESO. Questions from ESOs
should be directed to CWO2 Anthony D. Nash at (757) 413-7449 or email at:
ETQC-SMB-FoundationGrants@uscg.mil.
12. RDML B. K. Penoyer, Commander, Force Readiness Command, sends.
13. Internet release is authorized.