The Academic Enrichment Fund is a need-based fund that helps union members with the costs of supplemental academic activities for their children, ages 5 to 18. This includes activities such as tutoring, summer classes, SAT prep courses, and college application fees. Each award period covers September 1st of the previous year to August 31st of the current year (a year’s worth of expenses), so you are being reimbursed for costs that have already occurred. This award cycle will help members with eligible Academic Enrichment costs that occurred between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024. The application deadline was October 31, 2024.Â
Eligibility
In order to apply for the Academic Enrichment Fund, you must be part of the HUCTW bargaining unit and have a child/children, aged 5-18, enrolled in a supplemental academic program.
Eligible Programs
The types of programs that are eligible include things such as: academic tutoring or summer school classes, academic-based extra-curricular activities, academic summer camps, college prep classes or standardized test prep classes, college application fees or standardized test fees, etc. Unfortunately art, music, & sports programs as well as travel, room and board expenses are not eligible. If you would like to know if a particular program is eligible please email us and include link to a description of the program (huctw.childcare@huctw.org).
Deadline
The deadline for the 2023 – 2024 fund is October 31, 2024.
Award Amount
Awards are determined based on your household income and the total cost of your children’s academic enrichment programs. Awards only cover a portion of the expenses for each applicant. This portion may vary somewhat from year to year depending on the number of applicants in any given year. All eligible applicants who apply on time and have eligible expenses will receive an award.
By law, the award is considered “extra compensation” and tax will be withheld by Harvard at approximately 38%, but a portion of the tax withheld can generally be recovered when award recipients submit their annual tax returns to the IRS.
Award Notification
Award letters will be emailed to you approximately one month after the deadline.
Award Delivery Method
Your award will be delivered to you by the HUCTW office through your mid December paycheck. The award is considered “extra compensation” and will be taxed at approximately 38%, but a portion of the tax withheld can generally be recovered when award recipients submit their tax returns for the year to the IRS.
How to Apply
You need to complete two steps in order to apply for the Fund:
- Complete one Academic Enrichment application per eligible child. As part of the application, you will be asked to upload proof of payment for programs.
- Along with your application materials, send us the first page of your latest 1040 federal tax return. Your child/children must be listed as a dependent on this form. Those married filing separately, please attach both tax return forms. Example of a 1040 tax form: http://www.huctw.org/fund_childcare/1040_sample.html
For further information you can contact us at: huctw.childcare@huctw.org or 617-610-2553 (please ask to speak with Tasha about the Academic Enrichment Fund).