MLA Financial Aid

Minnetonka Youth Lacrosse (MLA) wants to provide the opportunity for every child to play lacrosse regardless of his or her financial situation. To that end, MLA maintains a Financial Aid Fund (FAF) to provide financial assistance to girls' and boys' youth lacrosse players whose families can demonstrate a financial need under MLA's FAF program guidelines.

FINANCIAL AID FUND INFORMATION

• MLA budgets funds to help offset player's fees who need financial assistance with youth lacrosse registration fees.
• Funding for the scholarship program comes from donations and annual operating income.
• Applicants must be eligible to play in the Minnetonka program, be a member in good standing with MLA, and exhibit a definite financial need.
• MLA grants financial-aid requests on a per session basis; applicants must reapply each season. E.g., a player who receives FAF support during the spring season must reapply for support for the summer season. 
• The total amount of any given FAF subsidy will not exceed 50% of a player's total registration fee, except in extreme hardship situations as determined by the MLA Financial Aid Committee (i.e., the MLA president, vice president, and treasurer).
• Financial aid subsidies do not cover USA Lacrosse Registration fees, uniform fees, or equipment costs.
• Preference will be given to applicants whose families qualify for public assistance programs, e.g., school lunch subsidies, public medical assistance, and unemployment insurance, and to families experiencing long-term hardships, e.g., long-term parental illness or disaster recovery.
• Families receiving scholarships will be asked, but not required, to volunteer in some capacity to support MLA.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Applicants must submit a confidential financial aid application to the MLA President.
2. Applications must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the applicable season-registration deadline.
3. Applications submitted after team rosters for a given season have been finalized may not considered.
4. The Financial Aid Committee, which comprises the MLA President, Vice President, and Treasurer will review all applications to determine eligibility based on applicants' need; the total number of applicants; the amount of available funds; and other factors that the Committee deems relevant.
5. The Financial Aid Committee reserves the right to request additional information when considering any given application for financial aid.
6. Scholarship decisions will be communicated to the applicant's family within two weeks of receiving the application.

Applicant's names and all personal and financial information provided in support of an application for financial aid will be kept strictly confidential. Only the three members of the Financial Aid Committee will review the applications.