Federal Emergency CARES Act and CRRSAA Grants

As a result of the CARES Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEERF) Certification and Agreement that Colorado State University signed and submitted to the Department of Education in April 2020, Colorado State University received $17,693,711 through the initial Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Of these funds, $8,846,855 was allocated directly to students in the form of emergency financial aid grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. In January 2021, the University received an additional $8,846,856 in funding for students through the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA).

As of December 31, 2020 CSU disbursed a total of $8,731,950 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to 9,131 students. An estimated total of 17,012 students at CSU are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

As a result of the university going to an online format after March 25rd, the university also used these funds to reimburse for refunds provided to students for room and board. In total, the university reimbursed $13,468,166 back to students for room and board (including apartment rents) and dining charges to cover the period after online classes started.

For more information on the HEERF I or HEERF II legislation, please visit the Department of Education’s CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I) page or the CRRSAA: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) page.

View CARES Institutional portion report

Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) Grant

CRRSAA funds will be sent directly to students currently enrolled at CSU who meet the eligibility criteria for the award and who have demonstrated exceptional need based on their FAFSA information. There is no application process and awards will be a fixed amount. Funds will be distributed beginning in February 2021. Recipients will be notified via email.

Eligibility for CRRSAA Grants

Who is eligible for this award?

  • Eligible recipients for spring 2021 will be automatically considered for CRRSAA funds, based on eligibility requirements – no additional application is required.
  • Students must have a FAFSA on file with the university to be considered for CRRSAA funds, as the Office of Financial Aid uses a student’s aid application to determine eligibility for grant funding. In addition, funding prioritization will be directed toward students who demonstrate the most significant financial need.
  • Students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA will not be considered for this award, per federal guidance.
  • Students admitted to online degree programs are eligible to be considered for spring 2021 grant funds.
  • We encourage students who are not eligible for CRRSAA funds to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid if they’ve experienced a financial hardship.

Frequently Asked Questions About CRRSAA

How will students receive this money?

Emergency grants will bypass any existing balance a student may have with the university, and be sent directly to students via direct deposit or mailed check. Students may update their refund preference on the billing page of their RAMweb.

What is the amount of a typical award?

These grants range from $750-$1,750 depending on demonstrated financial need provided in a student’s financial aid application

How do I apply for emergency grant funds?

Eligible recipients for spring 2021 will be automatically considered for CRRSAA funds, based on eligibility requirements – no additional application is required.

When will students receive their refund if granted an award for spring 2021?

For Spring 2021 students should review their RAMweb for any CRRSAA funds that have been awarded. Award notifications will begin to be sent in February 2021. Students will be notified via email if they are granted an award.

I am an online student; can I receive the CRRSAA grant?

Yes, you will be considered for an award if you meet all other eligibility criteria.

Under what circumstances might a student not qualify for this funding?

A student who does not demonstrate financial need or who is ineligible to complete the FAFSA will not be granted this funding. Awards are granted based on availability of funding and demonstrated financial need. Those who do not meet the eligibility criteria for CRRSAA funding but have experienced a financial hardship are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid.

Emergency CARES Act Grant

These funds went to eligible CSU students that completed the online CARES Act Grant application in spring 2020 or who met the eligibility criteria and received an automatic award in fall 2020. CARES awards were sent directly to students enrolled at CSU who met the eligibility criteria and who demonstrated exceptional need based on their FAFSA information.

Eligibility for CARES Grants

Eligible recipients for fall 2020 were automatically considered for CARES Act Emergency Aid funding based on eligibility requirements – no additional application was required. Students were able to apply for grants via the CARES Act Emergency Aid application on RAMweb in the spring of 2020. The CARES Act Emergency Aid Application for spring 2020 closed in the summer of 2020.

Students needed to have a FAFSA on file with the university to be considered for CARES Act Emergency Aid funding, as the Office of Financial Aid uses a student’s aid application to determine eligibility for grant funding. In addition, funding prioritization was directed toward students who demonstrated the most significant financial need.

Students who were not eligible to complete the FAFSA were not considered for this award, per federal guidance. Additionally, students needed to be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and be enrolled through a main campus regular instruction degree program to be eligible. The US Department of Education communicated that students admitted solely to online degree programs were not eligible for these grants during the 2020 aid year.

Frequently Asked Questions About CARES

What is the CARES Act Emergency Aid Grant?

The CARES Act provides funds to institutions of higher education to provide students with emergency financial aid grants to help cover expenses related to the disruption of university operations due to coronavirus. CSU was granted $8.8 million in emergency grant funding in the spring of 2020 that was to be allocated directly to students in need.

How did students receive this money?

CARES Act Emergency Aid funding was sent directly to students who met the eligibility criteria for the award. Emergency grants were able to bypass any existing balance a student may have had with the university, and were sent directly to students via direct deposit or mailed check.

What was the typical award amount?

These grants ranged from $500-$1,500 depending on demonstrated financial need provided in a student’s financial aid application

Were online students eligible to receive CARES grants?

No.

When did students receive refunds if granted a fall 2020 CARES award?

Fall 2020 CARES Act Emergency Aid funding began disbursing directly to students after September 1, 2020.

When did students receive their refunds if granted a spring 2020 CARES award?

For Spring 2020, students began receiving decisions regarding their award status within 5 business days of submitting their application. The application opened May 2020 and closed in the summer of 2020.

Under what circumstances would a student not qualify for a CARES grant?

A student who did not demonstrate financial need, or who was ineligible to complete the FAFSA was not granted this funding. Additionally, those who were admitted solely to online degree programs were not eligible, nor were students who were not making Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Students did have the opportunity to appeal the decision with the Office of Financial Aid if they were initially denied due to not demonstrating financial need.

The CARES Act and CRRSAA Grants do not apply to any outstanding balance owed to the University; 100% of all CARES Act and CRRSAA Grant funds are refunded directly to students.