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Financial Aid

HEERF INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS

Below is the required quarterly reporting for HEERF Institutional Funds made available through CARES, CRRSAA, and the ARP:

Required Web-based Report for HEERF II Student Aid

HEERF Student Aid Funds

The Federal Government established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability Act (CARES) on March 27, 2020, a portion of which, Student Aid Funds, is to be used to provide emergency assistance to students. Supplemental funds were later authorized through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA)/(HEERF II) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP)/(HEERF III) to continue support for institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. SUNY Niagara has been allocated HEERF Student Aid Funds to provide emergency grants to students experiencing financial hardship specifically due to the COVID-19 pandemic for expenses related to any component of the student’s cost of attendance and/or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus. As a recipient of HEERF Student Aid Funds, SUNY Niagara is required by the federal Education Department (ED) to report the following elements on a quarterly basis: 1. An acknowledgment that the certification agreement was signed and returned to the federal Education Department (ED) and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, all of the Student Aid Funds to provide emergency grants to students. 2. The total amount of HEERF Funds that the institution will receive or has received. 3. The total amount of emergency grants distributed to students. 4. The estimated total number of students eligible to receive an emergency grant. 5. The total number of students who received an emergency grant. 6. The method the institution used to determine which students will receive emergency grants and how much funding they will receive. [Awarding Methodology] 7. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the emergency grants.

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 SUNY Niagara 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, SUNY Niagara acknowledges that the institution has used, or intends to use, 100 percent of the supplemental funds received under Section 314 (a)(1) of the CRRSAA Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. The Grant Award Notice was approved on Jan. 19, 2021.
  • SUNY Niagara has received $1,799,455 from the Department of Education pursuant to the Supplemental Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the CRRSAA Act.
    • SUNY Niagara has distributed the following CRRSAA Act funding to students under Section 314 (a)(1) of the CRRSAA Act.

Date: March 31, 2021
Reporting Requirement: Quarterly
Update: SUNY Niagara has distributed all Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. THIS IS SUNY Niagara’s FINAL HEERF II Report

  • SUNY Niagara has determined an estimated 2031 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 1,327 eligible students.

Spring 2021

Awarding Methodology

SUNY Niagara 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 $778 and the Base Grant for eligible part-time students is $389 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.

student award chartEligibility

In order to be eligible at the time of distribution, a student must have been enrolled in credit-bearing courses at the 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 received a mail notification including their award amount in the form of a paper check. CRRSAA Grand funds were 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.

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.

Please contact the Cashiers or Financial Aid Office with questions related to the CRRSAA Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds II.

Student Communication

Student Aid Funds – Direct Emergency Grants to Students

The $1.9 trillion Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSSA) recently signed into law includes a provision for direct emergency grants to students for expenses related to any component of a student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.  Eligible costs include tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.

SUNY Niagara deemed you eligible to receive an emergency grant, as per an e-mail sent to your attention on 4/1/2021.  This is not a loan and will not need to be paid back.  In addition, this grant will not affect your financial aid award amounts for the academic years 2021-2022.  You must notify the Cashiers Office (716-614-6443; cashier@niagaracc.suny.edu) immediately if you did not or will not incur expenses that meet or exceed the amount of the emergency grant.

The attached check represents your full emergency grant award unless you directed to use a portion of your award to pay your account balance.

Contact

Foundation/Scholarship Office
Phone:
716-614-5910
Fax: 716-614-5913
Email: found@niagaracc.suny.edu
Location: Foundation Office (A-201)
Hours: Mon-Fri; 8:00am – 4:00pm