CARES Act Funding

Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in April of 2020, Concordia received limited Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF I) to be distributed to students who have been impacted financially with unforeseen expenses due to COVID. In December of 2020, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) provided further relief funds to be distributed to students (HEERF II) as a grant for continued relief through the time of the pandemic. In May of 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) provided additional supplemental grant funds to students (HEERF III) to continue providing relief for students. 

Concordia University, Nebraska signed and submitted the Certification and Agreement Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, in the amount of $1,017,489 on April 26, 2020. At Concordia, we have dedicated $508,745 of the funds to provide emergency financial aid grants directly to eligible students. The remaining funds were used to provide room and board credits to students. Covering expenditures from April 26, 2020, through September 30, 2020. Approximately 1,100 enrolled students at the time of disruption, of which 976 filed a 19/20 FAFSA, are eligible to apply for the emergency grants. To be eligible for the grant the student must be Title IV eligible. The initial reimbursement amount is $400 per student for students enrolled after March 13, 2020. Pending leftover funds, eligible students with larger expenses may be reimbursed beyond $400 with a maximum reimbursement of $2,000. As of February 2, 2021, Concordia University has disbursed $470,953 of HEERF I funds to 497 students. The balance of $37,792 was carried over and added to the HEERF II funds. HEERF I funds are provided to Concordia for students with the following eligible expenses: 

• Food/housing expenses resulting from the move off-campus when campus housing was closed or due to quarantine.
• Technology-related expenses due to courses being offered solely online or hybrid courses.
• Transportation expenses resulting from unexpectedly leaving campus, having to return from a program that was canceled (choir tour, study trips) or returning home due to quarantine.
• Child care
• Course materials
• Health care expenses, including expenses related to COVID testing
• Other unique circumstances related to the transition

The HEERF II funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) CRRSAA ACT provided Concordia with a total of $1,656,961. Concordia dedicated $1,148,216 of the funds for room and board credits to students and replace revenue loss from the decrease in students staying in the residence halls. The remaining $508,745 of the funds plus carryover from HEERF I funds of $37,792, a total of $546,537, went toward providing further emergency financial aid grants to eligible students. Eligible students were determined by those who completed the 2020-2021 FAFSA as of January 31, 2021, and who were enrolled as of February 22, 2021. The amount of funds each student received was based on the students unmet need calculated from the student’s financial aid award and FAFSA. The 231 students who had unmet needs of 11,000 or above, received $900. The 319 students who had unmet needs from 1 to 10,999 received $600. The 429 students below unmet need of 1, received $300. As of March 31, 2021, a total of $528,000 from the balance of the HEERF allocations were disbursed to 979 eligible students. The balance of $18,537 was carried over and added to the HEERF III funds. 

Additional emergency financial aid grants (HEERF III) have been provided to Concordia University through the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (ARP) totaling $3,042,731. Concordia will dedicate $1,521,069 of the funds for campus improvements to suppress the coronavirus and compensate for lost revenue. The remaining  $1,521,662 of the funds plus carry over from the HEERF II funds $18,537, a total of $1,540,199, are going toward providing further emergency financial aid grants to eligible students. The amount of grants for each student will be determined and begin disbursement in July of 2021.