VCSU Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (CRRSA Act)
HEERF II
The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA Act)
Download a PDF version of the Student 2021 Quarter 1 Report
The second round of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) funds were authorized by Congress in the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act which was signed into law on December 27, 2020. VCSU will use at least 50% of the funds received under Section 314(c)(3) of the CRRSA Act to provide Emergency Grants to students.
| EMERGENCY GRANTS TO STUDENTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Funds Available | Date Application Submitted | Date Application Approved | Date Funds Drawn Down |
| $226,471 | NA | NA | 4/02/2021 |
Guidance indicated that “institutions are required to prioritize grants to students demonstrating exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Pell Grants, when awarding relief grants.” This CRRSAA round also allows grant awards to students exclusively enrolled in distance education programs.
VCSU agreed that our Graduate program students would be a cohort given consideration as they were excluded in the first round. We also established two additional groups of students. Pell-eligible students were identified as the students with exceptional need. Another population recognized as having need were the students with an EFC (Expected Family Contribution from their FAFSA) above Pell Grant range and lower than the institution Cost of Attendance. We determined that 515 students were eligible. Distributions were processed on March 10, 2020. The break-down of the three groups is:
Relief Grants to Graduate Students:
| 30 Half-time students ($300/each) | $9,000 |
| 1 Full-time student ($572) | $572 |
Relief Grants to Pell-Eligible Students:
| 62 Half-time students ($300/each) | $18,600 |
| 186 Full-time students ($550/each) | $102,300 |
Relief Grants to Non-Pell below COA Students:
| 23 Half-time students ($238/each) | $5,474 |
| 213 Full-time students ($425/each) | $90,525 |
Students were sent an email to their VCSU email notifying them of the disbursement. Students who did not have direct deposit established were emailed by the VCSU Business Office to pick up their check or provide a mailing address to have it sent to them.
VCSU’s allocation of HEERF II CRRSA Act has now been totally expended.
Initial Report: 4/02/2021