This report examines some school district characteristics as predictors of Federal aid applications. In the elementary school districts of one northern California county, the author tested hypotheses that applications for Federal aid were functions of (1) the school district awareness of Federal aid programs, (2) the rate of growth and financial needs of a school district, (3) the school district capability to write applications for Federal aid, and (4) the amount of internal conflict and personnel turnover in a district. (JF)