<p>SBDad - I hope you’re right, but I just don’t think so. We have only two choices: either the Byrds are funded for the 2007-2008 school year from the FY2007 appropriations or from the FY2008 appropriations. Based on the following, I believe that the Byrd scholarships for the 2007-2008 school year come from the FY2008 budget.</p>
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<li><p>The federal budget process is notorious for being so late passing an appropriations bill that stopgap measures need to be taken. As a former government employee, I can speak from personal experience that every October, it was iffy as to whether we were going to get paid or be sent home pending stopgap legislation. The federal government just isn’t used to funding things ahead of time. You’ll find references all over the Internet regarding grants or programs being put on hold until the funding is passed in October. If they were a year ahead, this wouldn’t be an issue. </p></li>
<li><p>Every reference I can find regarding the federal budget process indicates that a federal FY begins in October of the previous year (i.e. October 2007 for FY 2008). The following is from “Ben’s Guide”: “Fiscal Year: A twelve month accounting period used by the Federal Government that goes from October 1st to September 30th. Currently, the Government is in FY07, which goes from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007.” It’s clear from the Senate appropriations website I included above that the Senate is now working on the FY 2008 budget to fund programs beginning Oct. 1. 2007.</p></li>
<li><p>Students who already receive Byrd appear to get their actual money late in the year - Oct or Nov - which would make sense if that’s when the appropriation is made. If this money had been approved during the prior fiscal year, why is it so late? </p></li>
<li><p>MN’s website had this posted: “As of April 26, 2007, the federal appropriation for this program has not been made. As soon as the appropriation has been received and processed, our office will notify all applicants of the results for this year by letter.” Why would MN put an item on their website specifically stating that funding hadn’t been approved yet in April 2007 if it was actually funded way back in October 2006? Even if the Dept. of Education was actually holding onto previously appropriated money until the last minute, why would MN not notify students that they had won scholarships if funding was guaranteed? </p></li>
<li><p>Posters from Texas and Connecticut both stated that their award letters specifically indicated that their awards were contingent on funding. If funding was already approved, why the reference?</p></li>
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<p>I suppose it’s possible that some states guarantee the Byrd with state funds if the feds don’t come through - maybe Michigan is one of those. I think it’s more likely that they go ahead and send award letters in order to have the process completed when the money does come through because they’re so used to it coming through that they’re fairly confident it will. Not to mention that here it is July already and students would be understandably upset with the states if they hadn’t heard anything yet for a school year that for many of them starts in a little over a month.</p>
<p>I’d be curious as to whom you spoke with at the Michigan DOE - were they an upper-level administrator intimately familiar with the appropriations process or a phone-answerer who thinks sending an award letter means the program is funded?</p>
<p>Again, I really hope you’re right - that would mean it looks like Byrd is funded for both the 2007-2008 school year and the 2008-2009 year. I guess I just have a more jaded view of our government’s ability to do things ahead of time.</p>