CRRSAA (HEERF II) Grant Student Information
Certification and Agreement Acknowledgement:
HEERF I – Hesston College acknowledges that a signed Certification and Agreement was submitted to the Department of Education on April 14, 2020 for HEERF I grant funding. This agreement indicated our commitment and assurance that Hesston College would use no less than 50% of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) (HEERF I) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
HEERF II (CRRSAA) – The CRRSAA requires that institutions receiving funding under section 314(a)(1) (HEERF II) provide the “same amount” of funding in financial aid grants to students that it was required to provide under its original Student Aid Portion (HEERF I) allocation amount.
Funds Received per the HEERF Grant:
Hesston College received a total of $222,233 for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds for students grants. The funds were received on January 20, 2021.
Distributed Grants:
As of May 1, 2021 student grants totaling $223,583 have been allocated and distributed to students. This includes the entire Student portion of the CRRSAA grants plus an additional $1,350 from the Institutional portion of the CRRSAA grant funding.
Student Eligibility:
A total of 258 students at Hesston College were eligible to participate in the program under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Grants Awarded:
All 258 students eligible to receive an Emergency Financial Aid Grant received a grant.
Distribution Methodology:
To Determine the distribution method for the HEERF II Grants, the same formula was used that was developed and used for the distribution of HEERF I grants. For the HEERF I grants, a team of six Hesston College faculty and staff members was created. The team determined that all students should receive grant funding as all students were impacted financially in some way from the disruption of campus operations related to COVID-19. To determine grant amounts distributed, a formula was selected to address two factors, part-time and full-time status as well as a need-based analysis according to a completed FAFSA. Below is the formula that was created and used to identify student grant disbursement amounts.
View the HEERF II distribution methodology table image here.
Student Information and Guidance:
The following email was sent to all qualifying students on March 24, 2021 to inform students about the upcoming disbursement:
Dear Student,
This email has information related to an emergency student aid grant that has been awarded to you from a coronavirus relief act passed by Congress. Please read this email in its entirety.
On December 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). This act allocates funding to higher education institutions for the purpose of providing Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) Grants to eligible students. Hesston College has been allocated $222,233 to provide eligible students with emergency student aid which can be used for any portion of a student’s cost of attendance (e.g., tuition and fees, room and board, cost of books, supplies, transportation), or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
Hesston College is awarding HEERF II grants to students enrolled at least half-time in the spring 2021 semester with a valid 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file indicating they meet citizen or eligible non-citizen requirements. To determine grant amounts distributed, a formula was used to address two factors, part-time and full-time status as well as a need-based analysis according to a completed FAFSA with awards up to $1,350 (maximum).
The HEERF II Grant that you have been awarded is $xxxx.xx
The Student Emergency Relief Grant that has been allocated to you can be distributed in two ways. The college can send you a check to the mailing address of your choice or you can choose to put the grant amount on your student account as a payment towards any current balance owed.
IMPORTANT: a survey will be sent to your campus email address on Friday, March 26, 2021. On the survey, you will be asked to identify how you would like to receive your allocation. You MUST complete this form to receive your allocated relief grant. Form responses are due on Friday, April 2, 2021.
Please be on the lookout for the survey email.
Lisa George, CFO
The following email was sent to all qualifying students on March 26, 2021:
Dear Students,
Earlier today you should have received, via your campus email, the survey request related to your CRRSAA Relief Grant Allocation.
As noted, the deadline for survey completion is Friday, April 2. Once the survey window closes, the Business Office will process the requests from the survey data collected and begin working on the distribution of the grant funding.
Our goal is to have the funding ready for distribution the week of April 12-16. During this week, the distribution will be processed by how it has was requested:
- If you requested the funds put on your student account it will occur this week
- If you requested a check sent to a specific address, checks will be mailed during the week
- If you requested a check to be picked up from the Business Office you will receive an email during the week when it is available for pick-up
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Lisa George, Chief Financial Officer
A link to the following survey was emailed to qualifying students on March 26, 2021:
View the CRRSAA Student Emergency Relief Grant Distribution Survey image here.
The following emails were sent to all qualifying students on April 8, 2021 to inform students that grant funds were ready for disbursement:
Dear Hesston College Student,
Thank you for responding to the “CRRSAA Student Emergency Relief Grant Distribution Survey Spring 2021”. Because a greater than anticipated response rate occurred, the process to distribute grant checks was expedited.
Your allocated grant funding has been processed.
If, on the survey, you chose to pick up your check at the Business Office, those are ready to be picked up. Please note, we will not be able to cash these checks, however, we can apply the check to your student account if you would choose to do so.
If, on the survey, you elected to have your check mailed to a home or other address, those are being mailed today Thursday April 8, 2021. It may take several days for the USPS to deliver the check.
Thank you,
Lisa George,
Chief Financial Officer
Dear Hesston College Student,
On December 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). This act allocates funding to higher education institutions for the purpose of providing Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) Grants to eligible students. Hesston College has been allocated $222,233 to provide eligible students with emergency student aid which can be used for any portion of a student’s cost of attendance (e.g., tuition and fees, room and board, cost of books, supplies, transportation), or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
Hesston College is awarding HEERF II grants to students enrolled at least half-time in the spring 2021 semester with a valid 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file indicating they meet citizen or eligible non-citizen requirements. To determine grant amounts distributed, a formula was used to address two factors, part-time and full-time status as well as a need-based analysis according to a completed FAFSA.
Per your request on the “CRRSAA Student Emergency Relief Grant Distribution Survey Spring 2021”, your personal disbursement has been applied to your student account to reduce any remaining balance outstanding for the current year.
Blessing to you,
Lisa George,
Chief Financial Officer
