Now it is the facility manager’s job to evaluate the client’s transcript, application, and any other supplemental documentation provided in order to make a recommendation to the regional manager/equivalent.
The process contains 3 key steps:
- Determine family size and income from transcript.
- If necessary, move either/both numbers up or down based on any documented changes.
- Use Calculator to determine what, if any, assistance they are entitled to.
In the meantime, once the completed application has been received and verified by the Facility Manager, an applicant who wishes to register for classes while their Fee Assistance application is under review is allowed to do so at a price equal to 10% of the program’s full value.
The basic workflow of the fee assistance approval process remains the same. Review the documentation submitted by the applicant, make a recommendation on what assistance they’re entitled to, and forward the application “up the chain” for final review and approval. It is the Facility Manager’s responsibility to initiate the review process in a timely manner since the entire cycle should take no more than three weeks total.
Facility Managers
- Pull up the household. Double-check that all of the written application information matches that on the account. If address, phone #, etc. have changed, update the household core fields accordingly.
- Make sure that all family members are verified with proper age verification documentation.
- Confirm that the residency verification is attached (we ask to see residency again to make 100% sure that the information is accurate and current).
- Ensure that the correct IRS Return Transcript(s) or Verification(s) of Non-Filing have been included.
- Use the Fee Assistance Calculator or refer to Appendix D to determine what years are currently acceptable
- Compare transcript to clients listed on the application and on the account. All should match.
- If the applicant did not file taxes, they instead need to submit a Verification of Non-Filing (VNF) instead. This must be obtained for every family member over the age of 18 using their Social Security Number. Confirm that all VNFs are included. All family members in addition to the applicant must have a proof of relationship from Section 2 submitted on their behalf as well.
- If a VNF is supplied, the client’s AGI will be calculated as $0.
- If a person is listed on the transcript/application but is not a family member on the account, make a note to confirm his/her absence in Section 2 and follow up later.
Deactivate any clients who should no longer be on the account:
- Does the transcript reflect applicant’s current financial status?
- Does the transcript reflect all of applicant’s family members?
If the answer is yes for both, there is no additional documentation required and the processor can continue to the recommendation calculation. If the answer is no for both/either, additional documentation is required. If anything is missing, processor should not continue. Instead, notify the client of what is needed immediately.
If the client’s transcript did not include every person they claim to be a member of their family (or included some they claim no longer should be), they can provide supplemental information via “Fee Assistance Supplement: Form 2: Change in Family Size”. They must provide specific government documentation to verify that the individual either legitimately joined or left their household between filing their last taxes and today.
The document requirements have been made as specific as possible; however, if confronted with an unfamiliar document (for example, a court order not listed as approved custody verification), please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
- A common scenario might be a child born after December 31. If the applicant attaches the supplemental form and references a new birth, it must be accompanied by a new family member being added to the PARKS DIRECT account.
Although the original birth certificate is required to add the client to the household in PARKS DIRECT, a copy must be included with the Fee Assistance application in order to verify the information again.
The reverse side of supplemental form lists the specific documents accepted to verify family size change scenarios.
If the client’s transcript did not reflect what they believe to be their current income, they can provide supplemental information via “Fee Assistance Supplement: Form 3: Change in Income”. They must provide specific government-issued documentation to verify that an income-providing adult has left the household or lost their job and is now receiving unemployment benefits from the government.
The reverse side of supplemental form lists the specific documents accepted to verify family size change scenarios.
The applicant should have signed their agreement to our policies. Again if this or any of the other elements is missing after the processor finishes his/her review, the client must be notified that their application is incomplete, that their application will remain incomplete until they supply the necessary document(s), and that they must pay in full for all registrations in the meantime.
Protect confidentiality by blacking out sensitive information on documents.
All Social Security numbers must be blacked out after you have used the information to match up individuals on the transcript(s) to family members in PARKS DIRECT, for confidentiality’s sake. Use a black Sharpie to hide all but the last 4 digits of each SSN/ITIN (in case you need to reference the number later).
Calculate a recommendation based on AGI and family size.
Simplifying the application to two numbers (AGI and family size) is the hard part. Once the numbers are finalized, compare them to figure out if the applicant qualifies for assistance and, if so, at what percentage. Do this by hand using the annual Fee Assistance Chart (found on inSite) or use the Fee Assistance Calculator.
Complete the “Facility Manager” section of the application with your recommendation and send the full paperwork packet to the Regional Manager (or equivalent) either by email (preferred) or via interoffice mail.
Notify client that the application is pending and update account.
Regional Managers (Or Equivalent)
The Regional Manager will receive the pending application either by email (preferred) or via interoffice mail. Using the tools provided on inSite, go section by section through the application to perform the review.
If Regional Manager disagrees:
- Disagree because the paperwork is incomplete: send back to the Facility Manager with notes on what is missing and expectation of what else is needed in order to review (additional documentation of a new family member, different tax year’s transcript, etc.).
- Disagree because the income/family size calculation done incorrectly: send the updated calculation to the division office for review. Contact the Facility Manager and explain how a different conclusion was reached. Determine where in the process the confusion arose so that future applications are assessed accurately from the start.
If Regional Manager agrees:
Complete the “Regional Manager/Equivalent” section of the application with the recommendation and send the full paperwork packet to the program superintendent/assistant division chief either by email (preferred) or via interoffice mail.
Forward the recommendation to the division office for final review and approval.
Division Office
Division Office will receive the pending application either by email (preferred) or via interoffice mail. At this point, the Facility Manager should have verified the completeness of the application, placed the account in a “Pending” state as he/she waits for division approval, and reviewed the paperwork in order to provide his/her recommendation on approval and percentage. The Regional Manager then reviewed that recommendation and either agreed and forwarded the calculation to Division Office or disagreed and sent their revised recommendation instead.
Using the tools provided on inSite, Division Office will go section by section through the application to perform the review.
If Division Office disagrees:
- Disagree because the paperwork is incomplete: send back to the Facility and Regional Managers with notes on what is missing and expectation of what else is needed in order to review (additional documentation of a new family member, different tax year’s transcript, etc.).
- Disagree because the income/family size calculation done incorrectly: document the updated calculation on the application and send back the final decision. Contact the Regional Manager and explain how a different conclusion was reached. Determine where in the process the confusion arose so that future applications are assessed accurately from the get-go.
If Division Office agrees:
Complete the “Division Office” section of the application with the recommendation and send a copy of the full paperwork packet back to the Facility and Regional Managers either by email (preferred) or via interoffice mail.
- Approval date should be the date the Division Chief signs the paperwork.
- Expiration date should be one year from that date minus one day.
PLEASE NOTE: The Fee Assistance is effective as of the date that the Division Chief signs and approves the paperwork. Any registrations made prior to the approval date should be left in the cart with partial payment (See section on “Program Registration with Fee Assistance” (https://pgparks.screenstepslive.com/a/802280-program-registrations-with-fee-assistance). These registrations should be updated once the application is approved.
Fee Assistance CANNOT be backdated for programs prior to the approval date UNLESS that registration was left in a pending status during the application process.
When a decision has been made by the division office, the Facility Manager and Regional Manager will receive the application back via email or interoffice mail.
- The “Division Office” application portion will spell out the approval level and dates (if approved).
- Any registrations the client wants to do between the Approval and Expiration dates will be eligible for their fee assistance award.
The Facility Manager’s job is to update the PARKS DIRECT account to reflect the decision.
Sell the appropriate Fee Assistance Membership to the household. The fee is $0.00 but will allow discounts for appropriate registrations.
Use the Global Sales Selection Matrix to add Fee Assistance to all applicable family members.
It is the Facility Manager’s responsibility to notify clients of application decisions using the appropriate template. All letters - Approval, Denial, and Incomplete Application - are available as fillable PDFs in both English and Spanish. Enter the client’s information along with your own, save a copy, and send via email and/or U.S. mail (email preferred).
All six templates are now located on a single SharePoint page. View the full set here.
Clients may not appeal a decision that has been made. If the application is denied, they may not submit a new application until they have new income and/or family size documentation to support a reevaluation (ex. new tax transcript for the next tax year, new divorce document, etc.).
PG Parks Fee Assistance Page:
http://www.pgparks.com/324/Fee-Assistance-Program
Fee Assistance Calculator:
http://www.mncppcapps.org/pgparks/feeassistancecalculator/index.html
Fee Assistance Document Flowchart: