Federal CARES Act funds available

06/11/2020 

The following document regarding federally funded, emergency student grants is being posted on behalf of the SUNY Cortland Financial Aid Office. The grants have just become available, and the information below will be periodically updated. Questions may be directed to financial.aid@cortland.edu. This program is separate from the donor-funded emergency student grants made available through the Cortland College Foundation.

CARES Act/Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, SUNY Cortland converted all classes to online learning during the spring 2020 semester and also vacated the residence halls. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorizes universities to award emergency education financial aid grants (HEERF) to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses. 

SUNY Cortland acknowledges an authorized representative of the institution has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

SUNY Cortland has received or will receive $3,122,569 of HEERF funds for student Aid from the Department of Education pursuant to the Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

SUNY Cortland has distributed $0 of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of June 3, 2020.

SUNY Cortland has determined an estimated 5,600 number of 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 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

No students have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the June 3, 2020.

SUNY Cortland has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner (methodology)

Under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, students received awards ranging from $200 to $1100

Include any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants:

Based on guidance provided by the Department of Education, students must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to be eligible for emergency relief funding:

• Be enrolled during the spring 2020 semester (on or after March 13, 2020)
• Be eligible for federal Title IV aid as defined by Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965*

• Be maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP);
• Not owe an overpayment (refund) on Title IV grants;
• Not be in default on a Title IV loan;

• Not be matriculated in an exclusively online academic program
• Have or will have allowable expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus

*A valid FAFSA must be on file with the Financial Aid Office by June 1, 2020 to confirm Title IV aid eligibility