Utilization of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF II) Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA): Initial Fund Report
1. An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the initial Certification and Agreement Grant Award Notification (GAN) required for participation in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the assurance that the institution shall provide at least the same amount of funding in emergency financial aid grants to students as was required to be provided under sections 18004(a)(1) and (c) of division B of the CARES Act.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) received notification on January 15, 2021 of receipt of supplemental CRRSAA HEERF II funds pursuant to Section 314(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021.
No signature action was required on the part of the university as the additional funds were amended to the original Grant Award Notification (GAN) signed by the institution on April 14, 2020. Draw down of these funds indicates IUP’s commitment to use
no less than $5,025,231 of the funds (per sections 18004(a)(1) and (c) of division B of the CARES Act) received through the CRRSAA Act to provide financial aid grants to students for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency
costs that arise due to the coronavirus, such as tuition food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.
2. The total dollar amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Financial Aid Grants to students.
IUP received a total of $5,025,231 from USDE for the sole purpose of providing financial grants to our students. Priority was given to those students who demonstrate exceptional need, such as Pell Grant recipients. Funds will also be utilized to provide
emergency grants to assist with emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus such as tuition, food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare.
3. The total dollar amount of Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA. This also includes any unspent grant funds awarded previously pursuant to Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act which are used consistent with the provisions of the CRRSAA Section 314(c)(3) for obligations incurred on or after December 27, 2020, subject to the requirements in the CRRSAA Section 314 (d)(5).
As of March 31, 2021, IUP has distributed a total of $4,921,500 to eligible students from our CRRSAA allocation. An additional $62, 400 was awarded to students from ‘leftover’ CARES funding. Remaining CRRSAA funds are available to students on an individual basis via the Student Assistance Fund. The student form is located in MyIUP.
4. The estimated number of students at the institution enrolled for at least one credit in either degree or non-degree programs who meet U.S. citizenship eligibility criteria and are thus eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants under Section
314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA.
As of February 8, 2021, IUP determined that there were 8,776 students, both undergraduate and graduate level, eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA.
5. The total number of students who have received an emergency financial aid grant to students under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA.
As of March 31, 2021, 6,884 IUP students have received an emergency financial aid grant under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA. This number will continue to grow as students apply for assistance in meeting emergent needs for tuition, food, housing, course
materials, technology, health care and child-care related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive financial aid grants and how much they would receive under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA.
The university CARES Act Committee, comprised of representatives from Student Affairs, Institutional Research, University Advancement, Financial Aid, Student Billing and IT Services, created an initial distribution plan to provide assistance to students
who were enrolled in at least one class for the Spring 2021 semester, filed a 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and met U.S. citizenship eligibility requirements.
Since federal guidelines for awarding the CRRSAA funds require universities to prioritize students with “exceptional need,” the decision was made to utilize students’ Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to ensure an equitable distribution of CRRSA funds.
Students’ EFC’s are calculated by USDE upon submission of their FAFSA application at https://studentaid.gov.
Students who appeared to meet the CRRSAA eligibility requirements but who had not yet completed a 2020-21 FAFSA application were notified by email of the need to complete their application no later than March 17th in order to receive automatic
consideration for the emergency financial aid grant.
Approximately 75% of IUP students received some amount of CRRSAA funding without the need to apply for grant assistance. The distribution breakdown is as follows:
- 0 EFC: $1,200 grant
- 1-5,711 EFC: $1,000 grant
- 5,712-7,000 EFC: $800 grant
- 7,001-16,000 EFC: $400 grant
- 16,001+ EFC: $300 grant
CRRSAA funding remaining after March 17th was allocated to the Student Assistance Fund to support students who experience emergent financial needs related to the pandemic. As of March 31, 2021, $103,731 was allocated to this fund for use in
awarding individual student applications. IUP students may apply for these funds via the Student Assistance Fund. The form is located in MyIUP.
IUP will continue to review students’ needs and award emergency financial aid grants until such time as the CRRSAA funds are exhausted.
7. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Students were provided this guidance from Tom Segar, Vice President of Student Affairs.
Email Samples
The Financial Aid Office sent this email notifications to U.S. citizens who were enrolled for one or more credits and had not yet completed their 20-21 FAFSA application.