Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting – Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students

Following upon the CARES Act and Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I) on December 27, 2020, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) (HEERF II), the President of the United States signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) which provides additional emergency relief funds (HEERF III) to organizations and individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This is the second and final report describing Concordia College’s use of HEERF III funds for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

1.     CERTIFICATION

Concordia College signed and returned to the Department of Education the Funding Certification and Agreement on April 24, 2020. ARP did not require Concordia to sign an additional Funding Certification and Agreement.Concordia College intends to use no less than $2,096,167 of the funds received under section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. 

2.     AWARD

Concordia College will receive a total of $4,192,333 under Section 2003(a)(1) of the HEERF III.  At least $2,096,167 will be distributed directly to students impacted by campus disruptions due to the coronavirus. These funds are from the Department of Education and pursuant to our Funding Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. 

3.     FUNDS DISTRIBUTED

As of August 6, 2021, Concordia College has distributed $2,096,167 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 2003(a)(1) of ARP. 

4.     ESTIMATED NUMBER OF STUDENT RECIPIENTS

Concordia College estimates there will be 1800 student recipients of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 2003(a)(1) of ARP. 

5.     NUMBER OF STUDENT RECIPIENTS

 As of August 6, 2021 Concordia College has distributed Emergency Financial Aid Grants to 1,804 students.

6.     METHODOLGY

Tiers representing students Expected Family Contribution (EFC) are used to determine how much funding students are to receive.  Below are the tiers and corresponding amounts. 

EFC Range   Grant Amount
$0-$5,711 1 1500
$5712-$13,999 2 1400
$14,000-$20,999 3 1300
$21,000-$26,999 4 1200
$27,000-$44,999 5 900
$45,000-$999,999 6 800
NA 7 800

In addition, for our graduate and non-traditional students, a flat rate grant of $600 was distributed to each student.  International students were awarded a flat rate grant of $1,250.Undocumented students were awarded a flat rate grant of $1,400.Funds were distributed directly to student accounts bypassing any outstanding balances and deposited via direct deposit to student bank accounts. Students had the option to opt-in to leaving the funds on their student accounts to pay outstanding or future balances. Students for whom direct deposit was not set up, or for whom banking information was not available, had checks mailed to the home address on record.

7.     INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO STUDENTS

The following emails were sent to all students eligible to receive funding under 2003(a)(1).