A. The first step to becoming a Capital IDEA participant is to attend a free Orientation Session. Then follow the application process outlined in the next FAQ topic.
Orientations are held three times a year, generally in April, August, and December.

A. The application process is five-steps:

1. Orientation- Orientation introduces potential participants to Capital IDEA, covering all the information about the application process, how to chose a career that’s right for you, understanding the time commitment needed to complete your education and what information you will need to provide to Capital IDEA in order to be awarded sponsorship.

2. Testing Sign-up & Application Pick-up- This step is only open for those who have already attended an orientation. Information on where to go for this step is handed out at orientation.

3. Testing- All applicants are required to under go initial testing for Capital IDEA, regardless of their education status. Testing lasts up to three hours and assesses a number of skills as well as reading and math levels. Capital IDEA has a minimum requirement of a 5th grade reading and math level.

4. Interview with a Career Guidance Counselor- This is a critical step in the process. At this point, applicants sit down with a Career Counselor to discuss their test results, their chosen career path and how the applicants will adjust their lives and their budgets to include a full-time school schedule. Counselors and applicants talk about how they will balance home, work and school life. The counselor determines at that time whether or not to recommend an applicant to move to the final step.

5. Interview with a Director- This is the final step to the application process. This is a meeting between the applicant and one of the Capital IDEA Directors. This interview lasts 20 to 30 minutes and is a final assessment of the applicant’s commitment to their education and to giving back to the community. The Director makes the final decision whether or not to accept an applicant. If accepted, they go on to enroll in classes!

A. From the time you attend an Orientation session to enrollment is between 6 and 12 weeks.
This can vary depending on your circumstances. In most cases, those awarded sponsorship will be ready to enroll in classes within one or two semesters.

A. To be accepted as a Capital IDEA participant, your household income must be at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Each situation is assessed on an individual basis. Occasionally, there are questions about who is or is not a part of your household. All questions will be addressed during the application process. The Federal Poverty Guidelines can be found here: income guidelines here.

A.We keep Orientation information updated on the Orientation page. Please visit the Orientation page to view the Orientation schedule.

A. Capital IDEA assists with child care expenses. Most participants will still have to pay a portion of their child care bill. Click here to learn more.

A. Capital IDEA sponsorship covers academic expenses for our participants: books, tuition and academic fees. All participants receive this full assistance. Capital IDEA assists with child care and in some urgent cases, can also help with transportation costs upon the approval of a counselor.

A. Yes and no. To be eligible for Capital IDEA you need to be a current resident of one of the 10 counties that Capital IDEA accepts participants from (see below.) By the time you turn in your application you need to prove that you are currently residing in one of these counties but it does not matter how long you have lived there. Please check the Orientation page to find out which counties Capital IDEA will be recruiting from.

Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Travis, Williamson

A. That depends on the career path you have chosen and at what level you need to begin your education. For example, if you are in need of ESL courses or college preparation courses BEFORE you begin training in your career path, it could take four years or more to complete your program. However, we do sponsor some shorter term certification programs, in which case you could be finished in as little as three semesters. Either way, you will be dedicating a significant amount of time to going back to school and learning the skills for a new occupation. It's a big commitment. We encourage you to explore the careers we sponsor and learn more about how long each educational program may take.

A. Yes! Capital IDEA has sister organizations that operate throughout Texas and Arizona (listed below), and similar programs to Capital IDEA have been popping up around the country, including in Louisiana and California.

• Capital IDEA Houston, Houston, TX, Houston website coming soon.
• Project Quest in San Antonio, TX www.questsa.org
• Project VIDA in Mission, TX www.projectvida.org
• Project ARRIBA in El Paso, TX www.projectarriba.org
• Job Path in Tucson, AZ www.jobpath.net

A. In certain emergency cases Capital IDEA can help with utility bills for Capital IDEA participants only.
For individuals not enrolled in Capital IDEA, Capital IDEA can not assist you, but we can recommend that you contact Caritas (http://www.caritasofaustin.org/).