FREE Power Hour: Setting Up Pre-Application: Make the First Step Easier for Families and Staff

A Simpler First Step. A Better Experience for Families. A Smarter Enrollment Process.

For many families, applying for Head Start or Early Head Start is their first interaction with your agency. That experience can shape how they feel about your program before their child ever enters a classroom.

But when the first step involves lengthy applications, unfamiliar questions, and multiple documentation requirements, families may feel overwhelmed before they've even begun.

At the same time, ERSEA teams are balancing recruitment, incoming applications, eligibility requirements, follow-up communication, and the need to keep the enrollment process moving.

What if the first step could be easier for families and more manageable for your staff?

Make a Great First Impression With GoEngage Pre-Application

Join us for a FREE 60-minute GoEngage Power Hour focused on setting up and using Pre-Application to create a more welcoming, organized, and efficient intake experience.

GoEngage's two-step application approach gives agencies the opportunity to separate the initial expression of interest from the more detailed application process. Instead of asking families to complete everything at once, agencies can consider a simpler starting point that helps staff begin connecting with interested families.

During this session, we'll explore the purpose of Pre-Application, important configuration considerations, and practical ways to design an intake workflow that supports both families and ERSEA staff.

Whether your agency is considering Pre-Application for the first time or looking to improve its existing setup, this Power Hour will help you think through how the process should work before putting it into practice.

What You'll Learn

1. Understand the Purpose of Pre-Application - Explore how Pre-Application fits into the broader Head Start recruitment and enrollment process.

Learn why agencies may choose a two-step application approach and how a simpler initial experience can help families take the first step toward accessing program services.

2. Create a More Family-Friendly First Step - Consider the experience from a parent's perspective.

What information does your agency really need during the initial inquiry? Which questions can wait until later? How can you make the process easier to understand and complete?

We'll discuss practical considerations for reducing unnecessary complexity while still collecting the information your staff needs to begin the intake process.

3. Review Key GoEngage Configuration Considerations - Explore important setup decisions that can affect how Pre-Application works for your agency.

Learn what to consider when preparing the initial intake experience, organizing the information families provide, and determining how the process connects to your agency's broader application workflow.

4. Plan the Transition From Pre-Application to Full Application - A successful two-step process requires more than a short initial form.

Your team also needs a clear understanding of what happens after a family submits a Pre-Application.

We'll discuss how to plan the next steps, establish staff responsibilities, and develop a consistent approach to communicating with families and moving them through the application process.

5. Identify Opportunities to Improve Your Current Workflow - Take a fresh look at how your agency handles initial inquiries and applications today.

Are families being asked for too much information too early? Are staff spending unnecessary time following up on incomplete applications? Are responsibilities for reviewing and responding to inquiries clearly defined?

Discover practical considerations that can help your agency create a more organized and manageable intake experience.

Recommended Setup for Hands-On Participation

For the best experience, we recommend using two screens or devices—one to watch the live Zoom workshop and another to work directly in GoEngage.

Don't have two monitors? No problem! Join Zoom from a tablet or second device while keeping your computer available for the hands-on activities.