HEERF Funding

The College of Mount Saint Vincent signed and returned the Department of Education’s Certification and Agreement for emergency grants funded by the CARES Act on April 11, 2020. The College was required to award $1,296,174 in emergency grants. On May 11, 2020 the College allocated emergency grants to 1,482 full time undergraduate students known to be Title IV Eligible.

The number of students allocated emergency grants is the College’s known full-time Title IV eligible population minus 23 individuals, who were exempted because they were receiving full-tuition scholarships. The base grant was $900. Information from the FAFSA and other indicators of need were utilized to determine the amounts in addition to the base award. The total amount of emergency grants allocated was $1,545,411.

A check was issued for each emergency grant. Students were required to accept the award in the College’s information management system and acknowledge that the funds were for expenses that are part of the cost of attendance. As of June 30, 2021, 1,471 students have accepted the award and acknowledged the purpose of the funds.

The College also received institutional funding through the CARES Act. Those expenditures are documented in the Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3).

Through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), enacted in December 2020, Congress appropriated $1,296,174 million to the College to assist students with educational expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March 2021, the College has offered emergency grants to 1,419 full-time undergraduate students. Pursuant to the legislation’s prioritization of students with exceptional need, amounts varied based on assessment of need, utilizing information in each student’s FAFSA for the 2020-2021 academic year. Traditional undergraduate students with an EFC of $0 received a base award of $1,000. All other traditional undergraduates received a base award of $700. Additions to the base awards were made with evidence of financial hardship due to the pandemic, including documentation of a change in household income or employment status, and unmet student account balances since the start of the national emergency in March, 2020. Based on these indicators, students with an EFC of $0 to $5,711 could receive up to $500 additional grant funds, and students with an EFC of more than $5,711 could receive up to $275 in additional funds. Accelerated Nursing students received a base award of $750. The cumulative value of the initial awards offered by the College totaled $1,225,325. Students were required to accept the award in the College’s information management system and acknowledge that the funds were for expenses that are part of the cost of attendance. As of June 30, 2021, 1,405 students have accepted the award and acknowledged the purpose of the funds.

Students are able to appeal for a larger emergency grant by providing evidence of financial hardship due to the pandemic. CRRSA funded emergency grants totaling $22,500 have been issued as a result of such appeals (as of June 30, 2021), with additional appeals in review. In all, $1,247,607.50 in CRRSA funded grants have been offered.

The College utilized institutional funds appropriated through CRRSA and the American Rescue Plan. Those expenditures are documented in the CMSV HEERF Quarterly Report for Period Ending on June 30, 2021.