According to a survey of 500 institutions released by NASFAA in 2022, 80% of respondents indicated that they were concerned about their financial aid office's ability to remain "administratively capable" in the future to adhere to the Department of Education's requirements for Title IV programs. What’s more, 56% of respondents said they were concerned with their ability to meet the needs of students given their current staffing levels.
Anecdotally, many financial aid directors have expressed concern that they are left out of key decisions on campus, which results in additional compliance issues and leaves them unable to adequately advocate for the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. In discussions at the June 2022 NASFAA Board of Directors meeting, it became clear that more was needed to help current and future aid directors advocate within their campus.
The purpose of this toolkit is to provide a resource for financial aid directors to use within their offices to ensure they have a seat at the institutional decision-making level. This toolkit includes:
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| Justification for professional development and training | Staffing and succession planning resources | |
Ready to get started?
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NASFAA would like to extend a big thank you to our Advancing the Profession Task Force members for helping us create this toolkit. Send your thoughts, questions, and comments regarding this toolkit. We'd love to hear what you think.
Annual Business Meeting and Policy Update
Aspiring Director Group Coaching - April 2027
Aspiring Director Group Coaching - April 2027: Aspiring Director Group Coaching - April 2027
Professional Development Panel: Maintaining Morale when Change Fatigue is Real
Policies and Procedures Group Coaching - February 2027
New Director Group Coaching - October 2026
New Director Group Coaching - October 2026: New Director Group Coaching - October 2026
New Aid Officer Training Webinar Series 2026-2027
New Aid Officer Training Webinar Series 2026-2027: New Aid Officer Training Webinar Series 2026-2027
Let's Talk: Virtual Summit Debrief
Let's Talk: Virtual Summit Debrief: Let's Talk: Virtual Summit Debrief
Fundamentals of Student Financial Aid - July 2026
FAAC® Exam Preparation Online Workshop - Spring 2026 Resources
Executive Leadership Collective 2026-27 Task Force Charter
Executive Leadership Collective
Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Program Registry
Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Program Registry Map
Meet the 2026-27 Executive Leadership Collective
May State & Regional Association Updates
Returning Slack Users Instructions
New NASFAA Analysis Examines Institutional AI Policies
Annual Business Meeting and Policy Update
Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Financial Aid Office
Findings from a Review of Institutional AI Policies
Certification Exam Preparation Online Workshop
2026 PATH Scholarship Now Available for Institutions Supporting Students in Financial Distress
Case Study: Southern Methodist University
Financial Aid Competency: Commitment to College Access and Student Success






