Public School Counselor Membership Fund
NACAC is proud to launch the Public School Counselor Membership Fund, a new initiative that will increase access to NACAC membership in 2027 for counseling professionals serving students in Title I public schools.
This one-year opportunity is made possible through the extraordinary generosity of an anonymous funder who seeks to support school counselors in the nation’s most resource-constrained educational environments.
NACAC knows that the knowledge needed to guide students in their journeys from secondary to postsecondary education is vast and requires constant professional development. For school counselors at Title I schools, where funding is most limited, access to that professional development can be hard to come by. This fund was created to help address that challenge and expand access to the support counselors need to serve students effectively.
Through this initiative, eligible schools can receive a fully funded NACAC organizational secondary membership, which provides access to up to eight counseling professionals per school. NACAC expects to grant 275 organizational memberships through this initiative, ultimately supporting more than 2,000 individual counselors nationwide.
A NACAC membership connects counselors with the association’s professional network, educational programs, ethical guidance, and resources that support college, career, and postsecondary planning. By investing in the professionals who guide students through important educational transitions, the fund advances NACAC’s longstanding commitment to equity, access, and opportunity.
Who is Eligible?
Applicants must:
- Be employed as a public-school counselor, serving students in grades six through 12.
- Work at a U.S. public school designated as Title I or a community-based organization that operates within a Title I public school.
- Not have an active NACAC membership paid for by their school or district.
- Agree to NACAC’s ethical practices in college admission.
How the Fund Works
NACAC will distribute awards on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is exhausted. Each award covers the full cost of a 2027 NACAC organizational secondary membership, supporting up to eight counseling professionals at an eligible institution. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The application will close when the fund is exhausted or by the application deadline on Jan. 29, 2027, whichever comes first.