Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants Required Disclosures

The CARES Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES Act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund and provided funding to universities to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus. Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) filed a Certification and Agreement with the US Department of Education to receive funds under the CARES Act. One of the requirements of the agreement is that SVSU make the following disclosures on our website:

Required Disclosures

1. SVSU acknowledges that the institution signed and returned to the US Department of Education the Certification and Agreement on April 28, 2020. SVSU assures that the university 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.

2. SVSU will receive $3,455,532 from the US Department of Education pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement which will be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to eligible SVSU students.

3. The following is the total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act:

Winter 2020 Semester:

May 28, 2020 (cumulative): -0-
July 12, 2020 (cumulative): 3,211
August 26, 2020 and September 30, 2020 (cumulative): 3,827

Fall 2020 Semester:

November 20, 2020: 4,105

4. The estimated total number of students enrolled at SVSU for Winter semester 2020 as of March 13, 2020, that are, or could be, 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: 6,766 – This excludes students enrolled exclusively online as of March 13, 2020.

The estimated total number of students enrolled at SVSU for Fall semester 2020 as of Officials that are, or could be, 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: 7,347 – This excludes students enrolled in an exclusively online program.

CARES Act Eligible Students Unduplicated Count (48KB)

5. The following is the total amount of emergency financial aid grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of:

Winter 2020 Semester:

May 28, 2020 (cumulative): -0-
July 12, 2020 (cumulative): $1,369,418.95
August 26, 2020 and September 30, 2020 (cumulative): $1,632,165.95

Fall 2020 Semester:

November 20, 2020: $1,823,366.05

6. The following is the method used by SVSU to determine which students receive emergency financial aid grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act:

Winter Semester 2020 - On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, SVSU sent emails to 6,764 potentially eligible students informing them of the availability of the CARES Act emergency financial aid grants. The email provided a link to an online application the student could use to certify that they met certain eligibility requirements and had eligible expenses and to indicate the amount being requested, up to $450. When the application was received, the university determined eligibility and awarded the amount requested, up to $450.
Fall Semester 2020 - On Monday, October 5, 2020, SVSU sent emails to potentially eligible students informing them of the availability of the CARES Act emergency financial aid grants. The email provided a link to an online application the student could use to certify that they met certain eligibility requirements and had eligible expenses and to indicate the amount being requested, up to $450. When the application was received, the university determined eligibility and awarded the amount requested, up to $450.

7. The following are copies of instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

Winter 2020:

Email to potentially eligible students. The CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants Email Announcement (84KB)
CARES Act Chatbot Communications (212KB) sent to potentially eligible students that had not yet applied for the CARES Act emergency financial aid grant.
CARES Act Follow-up Email Reminder (46KB) to potentially eligible students that had not yet applied for the CARES Act emergency financial aid grant.
Frequently Asked Questions for SVSU Students: SVSU Frequently Asked Questions - CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants (130KB)

Fall 2020:

Email to potentially eligible students. The CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants Communication Fall 2020.pdf (138KB)
CARES Act Chatbot Communications FA20 (546KB) sent to potentially eligible students that had not yet applied for the CARES Act emergency financial aid grant.
CARES Act Follow-up Email Reminder FA20 (139KB) to potentially eligible students that had not yet applied for the CARES Act emergency financial aid grant.
Frequently Asked Questions for SVSU Students: SVSU Frequently Asked Questions - CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants Fall (94KB)

Other CARES Act Grants

The University also received a Higher Education Emergency Institutional Relief Funding grant in the amount of $3,455,532 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act and a Title III Strengthening the Institutions Relief Funding grant in the amount of $342,446 under Section 18004(a)(2) of the CARES Act. The required reports can be accessed below:

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report for the Period Ended September (184KB)

CARES Act Quarterly Budget and Final Report for the Period Ended Dec 31, 2020 (183KB)

Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF)

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) was authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) was authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law on March 11, 2021. HEERF II and HEERF III funds are in addition to funds authorized by the CARES Act, Public Law 116-136.

One of the requirements of the Acts is that SVSU make certain required disclosures on our website.

CRRSAA and ARP Required Disclosures – Student Aid Grants:

1. SVSU acknowledges that the university previously signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement required by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. SVSU assures that it has used or will use the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSSA and ARP programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

2. The University will receive $3,455,532 from the US Department of Education pursuant to the university’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and $9,980,353 under the ARP which will be used to provide financial aid grants to eligible SVSU students.

3. The following is the amount of financial aid grants distributed to students under the CRRSAA and ARP:

CRRSAA

Winter 2021 Semester:

Through March 31, 2021: $106,250
April 1 - June 30, 2021: $3,343,500

CRRSAA/ARP - Summer 2021 Semester – July 2021: $547,875
ARP

Fall 2021 Semester – September 2021 - $3,572,325
Fall 2021 Semester (application format) - Quarter ended December 31, 2021 - $2,316,304
Winter 2022 Semester - Quarter ended March 31, 2022 - $3,300,200
Winter 2022 Semester (application format) - Quarter ended March 31, 2022 - $203,460

4. CRRSAA - There were 7,336 students enrolled at SVSU for the Winter 2021 semester. Of those, 5,776 students had an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from having a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the University. Based on the guidance that had been issued at the time the University was going to make the grants, the University determined that the students with an EFC were eligible for a grant under the CRRSAA. Accordingly, the University made an award to each student enrolled in the Winter 2021 semester with an EFC.

CRRSAA/ARP - Summer 2021 - 1,005 of the 1,431 students enrolled had an EFC and were issued awards.
ARP - Fall 2021 – 5,900 of the 7,523 students enrolled had an EFC and were issued awards.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2021, the University had an application process through which any student enrolled in Fall 2021 could apply for a federal emergency financial aid grant up to $500 if they had need.

There were 6,912 students enrolled in the Winter 2022 semester as of Officials. 5,514 of the students had an EFC and were issued awards. The remaining students were eligible to apply for an award if they had need. All Winter 2022 awards were issued during the quarter ended March 31, 2022.

5. The following is the total number of students to date who have received a Financial Aid Grant under the CRRSAA and ARP:

CRRSAA - Winter 2021 Semester:

Through March 31, 2021: 125
April 1 - June 30, 2021: 5,651

CRRSAA/ARP – July 2021, 1,005 students were awarded for Summer 2021.
ARP - In September 2021, 5,900 students were awarded for Fall 2021. During the quarter ended December 31, 2021, 4,658 students were awarded for Fall 2021 through the application process. During the quarter ended March 31, 2022, 5,514 students enrolled in Winter 2022 that had an EFC were issued awards and an additional 545 students enrolled in Winter 2022 were awarded through the application process.

6. The CRRSAA required that the University prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who received Pell grants, in awarding financial aid grants to students. As such, the University made grants to students enrolled in the Winter 2021 semester who had filed a FAFSA. To take into consideration socioeconomic circumstances the University used the following methodology to determine the grant amount for each student:

$850 - Pell Recipients
$700 - Other students with an EFC of zero
$500 - Students with an EFC>$0 but <$15,000
$375 - Students with an EFC of $15,000 or greater

This same methodology was used for Summer 2021 and the first round of grants for Fall 2021 and Winter 2022.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2021 the University provided a second grant opportunity for Fall 2021. It was an application process and students could apply for an emergency financial aid grant of up to $500 if they had need. The application required them to certify that they were an enrolled student, to select the types of eligible expenses they had and to request an amount up to $500.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2022, the University provided an application process for students that had not filed a FAFSA and therefore did not receive the initial Winter 2022 award. Students could apply for an emergency financial aid grant of up to $375 if they had need. The application required them to certify that they were an enrolled student, to select the types of eligible expenses for which they required assistance and to request an amount up to $375.

7. The following are copies of the email notifications that went to students concerning the student aid grants issued under CRRSAA and ARP: