NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 21, 2006 CONTACT Nora Bruce 916.526.8438 EDFUND Grants Nearly $1 Million to Support Campus-Based Default Prevention Programs RANCHO CORDOVA— EDFUND, the nation's second largest provider of student loan guarantee services, today announced that it granted nearly $1 million this fiscal year to colleges through its EDSHARE® program. EDSHARE grants support campus-based programs focusing on borrower education, default prevention and debt management. “Schools receiving EDSHARE grants have found that student populations of all types respond positively to efforts to build their financial and debt management skills,” said EDFUND President Sam Kipp. “We're delighted that a growing number of EDSHARE programs are making budgeting and credit management skills a mandatory part of learning for students.” EDSHARE is a competitive grant program offering colleges up to $40,000 per year — renewable for up to three years — to develop borrower education, debt management and default prevention programs. EDSHARE has provided more than $6.5 million in grant funds to 72 colleges, universities and vocational schools since the program began in 2002. While renewal grants continue to be funded, EDFUND has completed the initial-grant phase of the program and is now turning to evaluation and dissemination of successful concepts. Successful EDSHARE projects focus on innovative ways to help students complete their education and successfully repay their loans. Examples include everything from peer assistance counseling programs to student retention strategies and early intervention for delinquent borrowers. For more information on EDSHARE and to see a list of grant recipients, please visit www.edfund.org. From the Quick Links menu on the home page, select "EDSHARE.” ### EDFUND, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, is the nation’s second largest provider of student loan guarantee services under the Federal Family Education Loan Program. EDFUND offers students a wide range of financial aid and debt management information while supporting schools with advanced loan processing solutions and default prevention techniques. Operating as an auxiliary corporation of the California Student Aid Commission, EDFUND processes more than $7.8 billion in student loans annually (including consolidation loans) and manages a portfolio of outstanding loans valued at $26 billion. EDFUND is headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California with regional offices located throughout the nation. EDFUND and its associated graphic are registered trademarks of EDFUND.   Legal Information | Security and Browser Information Copyright 1998-2006, EDFUND. All rights reserved.