Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF Funding)

CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability Act (CARES Act) and has allocated $2.7 million dollars to Fredonia to be used as direct aid to our students that were impacted by COVID-19.

Who is eligible for CARES funding?

In order to be eligible for CARES funding you must have been enrolled in credit bearing course(s) at Fredonia during the current Spring 2020 term and have filed a 2019-2020 Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) or be deemed eligible for Title IV aid.

What are considered allowable expenses a student can request funding for due to the disruption of campus operations tied to COVID-19?

• Food
• Housing
• Technology & Computer
• Health Care
• Course Materials
• Dependent Care
• Transportation

How much CARES funding may a student request?

Based upon your request, Fredonia will review your application and determine an initial CARES Act award in the amount that will not exceed $1,500.  After the priority deadline of 07/15/20 available funding will be reviewed and additional supplemental awards may be made up to the student's full request but not to exceed $6,195.

Application Process

Eligible students must complete the on-line form.  All applications will be reviewed by the CARES committee on a biweekly basis.  CARES funding will be paid directly to the student by check or direct deposit (if you signed up for electronic deposit).  

For Additional Information

Please email: Cares.Act@fredonia.edu or call 716-673-4710. (Please note that this program is now closed and the funds have been exhausted.)

Required Reporting for HEERF I Student Aid

30-Day Report – July 10, 2020:

• As of July 10, 2020, Fredonia State University of New York has distributed $1,096,500 to students.  The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant as of July 10, 2020 is 971.

45-Day Report – August 24, 2020:

• As of August 24, 2020, Fredonia State University of New York has distributed $1,453,550 to students.  The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant as of August 24, 2020 is 1,262.

Quarterly Report – September 30, 2020: (Final quarterly report posting which covers all HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.)

• As of September 30, 2020, Fredonia State University of New York has distributed $2,756,795 to students.  The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant as of September 30, 2020 is 1,457 (unduplicated).
• From August 24, 2020 (our last reporting date), to September 30, 2020, 1,257 students (195 unduplicated) have received Emergency Financial Aid Grants totaling $1,303,245.

Total Student Aid funds of $2,756,795 received by Fredonia State University of New York have been fully distributed to 1,457 (unduplicated) students.

Quarterly Report - December 31, 2020: All funds were exhausted in the prior quarter.

Fredonia State University of New York acknowledges an authorized representative of the institution has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

Fredonia State University of New York has received or will receive Total amount of $2,756,795 of HEERF funds for student Aid from the Department of Education pursuant to the Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

Fredonia State University of New York has distributed Total amount of $2,756,795 Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of 09/30/2020 (Date of Web Posting & Report to the Department of Education)

Fredonia State University of New York has determined that 3918 students are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

1457 students (unduplicated) have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of 09/30/2020 (the Date of Web Posting & Report to the Department of Education)

Fredonia State University of New York has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner (methodology)

Methodology

Student Eligibility:
In order to be eligible for CARES funding, a Fredonia student has to be enrolled in credit-bearing courses and deemed eligible for Title IV federal aid.  Eligibility will be determined using the 19-20 or 20-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the online student application.

Eligible Expenses:
Fredonia will award CARES funding on a first come first serve basis in the initial incremental amount not to exceed $1,500.  Allowable costs included:

• Food
• Housing
• Course Materials
• Technology & Computer
• Health Care
• Dependent Care
• Transportation

Awarding Amounts:
The initial award amount will be no more than $1,500 and will not exceed $6,195 for the 19-20 academic year and $6,345 for the 20-21 academic year.

• Priority 1- Fredonia will use the funds to meet the emergency needs of students who have been impacted by COVID-19 who are: 
  • Pell recipients (Fredonia will allocate $1,500 to be awarded immediately upon review for all Pell-eligible students for the 2019-2020 academic year.)
  • Students with the lowest EFCs 
• Priority 2- Fredonia will use remaining funds to meet the emergency needs of students who have been identified as impacted by COVID-19 including: 
  • Undergraduate students who are Title IV eligible and are willing to complete a FAFSA
  • Graduate students who are Title IV eligible and are willing to complete a FAFSA 
  • Students with the lowest EFCs 

Fredonia will work to distribute these funds as quickly as possible to affected students.

Under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, students received awards ranging from zero to $3000.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. This fund allows Fredonia to provide emergency grants to students for expenses related to any component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.

Fredonia received Student Aid funding under the CRRSAA section 314(a)(1) program. This program, with some changes, provides supplemental funds to the CARES Act section 18004(a)(1) program. Fredonia signed and returned to the Education Department a Certification and Agreement as required under the CARES Act section 18004(a)(1) program. We acknowledge that by drawing down the CRRSAA funds, our institution agrees to be bound by the conditions set forth in the CRRSAA Supplemental Agreement including using 100 percent of these funds to provide emergency aid grants to students. The Grant Award Notice was approved on 02/23/2021.

Fredonia has received $2,756,795 from the Department of Education pursuant to the Supplemental Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the CRRSAA Act.

Fredonia has distributed the following CRRSAA Act funding to students under Section 314 (a)(1) of the CRRSAA Act.

Fredonia has determined an estimated 2,780 students at the institution are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 314 (a)(1) of CRRSAA Act. This number was then applied to our own methodological framework for disbursal of funds to produce a final total of 1591 (unduplicated) eligible students.

Spring 2021

Awarding Methodology

Fredonia has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Pell eligible recipients starting with students having the lowest Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

The Base Grant for eligible full-time students is $976 and the Base Grant for eligible part-time students is $488. The final grant award amounts were determined as follows using a template provided by the State University of New York (SUNY) that takes into consideration a student's status as full or part-time and their EFC range.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible at the time of distribution, a student must have been enrolled in credit bearing courses at census for the spring 2021 term, filed a 2020-2021 Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), and had a valid EFC ranging from 0 - 5,711.

HEERF II Student Aid funds may be used by students 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 deemed eligible for an Emergency Grant will receive an email notification regarding their award. CRRSAA Grant funds will be auto-refunded regardless of any outstanding account balance with the college unless a student affirmatively "opts in" to apply the funds to their outstanding balance. The funds will be distributed by paper check or sent electronically for those enrolled in Direct Deposit.

Repayment

Students do not need to repay a Federal CRRSAA Emergency Grant.

Impact on Financial Aid

This funding will not have any effect on a student's current or future financial aid eligibility.

Student Communication

Dear Name,

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, funds have been made available through the CRRSAA Act to award emergency grants to students for expenses related to any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.  Eligible expenses include tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or childcare.

The Campus has deemed you eligible to receive an emergency grant in the amount of $XXXX. This is not a loan and will not need to be paid back and will not affect your financial aid award amounts for academic year 2021-2022. Students must understand it is their responsibility to notify the institution at cares@fredonia.edu immediately if they will not incur expenses that meet or exceed the amount of their emergency grant.

Sincerely,

Fredonia Cares Act Committee

Cares.Act@fredonia.edu

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) is authorized by the American Rescue Plan, 2021 (ARP), signed into law on March 11, 2021. This fund allows Fredonia to provide emergency grants to students for expenses related to any component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.

By drawing down the funds, Fredonia acknowledges that the institution has used, or intends to use, 100 percent of the supplemental funds received under Section 2003 (a)(1) of the American Rescue Plan to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. The Grant Award Notice was approved on May 20, 2021.

Fredonia has received $7,274,893.00 from the Department of Education pursuant to the Supplemental Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the American Rescue Plan.

Fredonia has distributed the following ARP funding to students under Section 2003 (a)(1) of the American Rescue Plan.

Awarding Method

Discretionary Awards

Eligible Dream Act students received awards of $2,750.  Eligible international students completed an application.  After review, those approved received awards of $1,500.

(Posted 1/7/2022)

(Posted 4/7/2022)

The State University of New York at Fredonia is required to complete quarterly reports regarding HEERF Institutional Funds.

First Quarterly Report - 09/30/2020  (Posted 9/28/2020)

Final Quarterly Report - 12/31/2020 (Posted 12/30/2020)

Effective 07/08/2021 this quarterly report was revised to indicate that this report was marked final which pertains to CARES HEERF I funds only.  There will be subsequent reporting of the supplemental HEERF funds received under CRRSAA (HEERF II) and ARP (HEERF III)

Quarterly Report - 03/31/2021 (Posted 3/30/2021)

Quarterly Report - 06/30/2021 (Posted 6/30/2021)

Quarterly Report - 06/30/2021 (Revised 6/30/2021)

Quarterly Report - 09/30/2021 (Posted 10/7/2021)

Quarterly Report - 09/30/2021 (Revised & Posted 3/31/2023)

Quarterly Report - 12/31/2021 (Posted 1/5/2022)

Quarterly Report - 03/31/22 (Posted 4/8/22)

The 03/31/22 quarterly report is the final report for the HEERF I, II, and III funds.