Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II
Federal Emergency Grant: Student Distribution
Congress, through
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, included additional COVID-19
relief through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations
Act. This relief included monies for
colleges and universities to access through the Higher Education Emergency
Relief Fund II (HEERF II). This is a second
appropriated allocation noted often as HEERF II.
Seattle Pacific
University has received a HEERF II allocation to provide emergency financial
aid grants to students. The grants can
be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency
costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health
care (including mental health care) or childcare. Students
must have exceptional need and students qualifying for the Federal Pell Grant
will receive priority consideration.
The Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the primary way that SPU determines
exceptional need, but there was an option for students to document need that
may not be captured through the FAFSA.
SPU received
$1,445,238 in emergency grant funds through HEERF II to distribute to
qualifying students.
As of March 30,
2021, $1,445,238 was allocated to eligible students.
The estimated
total number of students eligible to receive an emergency grant was 3,179 students.
1,091 students
received emergency grants.
The awarding methods,
student amounts, and guidance is below.
Distribution
process
1.
Selected
Student Recipients
a.
Eligible
Students
i. Undergraduate
ii. FAFSA Filer
iii. EFC less than or equal to $10,000
iv. Unmet Need greater than or equal to
$3,000
v. Amount: $1,200, Pell grant eligible; $1,000,
all other students
b.
Process
i. Notification began Thursday, March 11th
ii. Students will receive an authorization
form to complete to indicate to have the grant to pay their account or receive
the funds directly. To be completed by March
18th. Students who did not
respond were provided the funds directly.
2.
Application
a.
All
students, excluding international and undocumented students, received access to
an application to be considered for the emergency grant by completing an
application.
b.
Students
were permitted to complete one application.
c.
Notification
of available application occurred on Thursday, March 18th. Students were notified that the application
would be available for one week, until end of Day Thursday, March 25th.
d.
Applicants
will be able to identify the costs/expenses that need assistance.
i. Tuition/Fees
ii. Housing
iii. Food
iv. Travel
v. Course Materials
vi. Technology
vii. Health Care
viii. Childcare
ix. Other
e.
Applicants
can provide additional information that may be helpful in establishing need.
f.
Total
grant requested: requested amounts are not guaranteed
g.
Authorization
to pay account or directly to the applicant
h.
Certification
of information, acknowledgement of no guarantee of funds and balance owed SPU,
and consequences of providing falsehoods.
3.
Distribution
of Available Funding to Applicants
a.
Applications
were reviewed on Friday, March 26th.
b.
Pell
Grant and FAFSA filers were prioritized.
c.
Amounts
varied based on financial need and available funding.
i. Pell Grant students received $1,000,
$1,500, or $2,000 based on unmet financial need and amount requested
ii. Non-Pell Grant eligible students who
filed a FAFSA received $1,000 or $1,500 based on their unmet financial need and
amount requested.
iii. Students who did not file a FAFSA
received $500.
d.
Distribution
of grants to applicants was completed on March 30th.