CARES Act Information

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), found in Section 18004 of the CARES Act, provides emergency relief funding to institutions of higher education. This report provides details and public information about the University of St. Francis’s participation in the CARES Act and use of the HEERF Student and Institutional Portions.

Cares Act

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Reporting

The University of St. Francis is providing emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis, many of whom are facing financial challenges and struggling to make ends meet.

  • The University of St. Francis has signed and returned the certification and agreement form to distribute the mandatory student portion of the award to students.
  • The University of St. Francis has received the student portion of CARES Act funding in the amount of $769,837.
  • To date, University of St. Francis has distributed $724,750 of CARES Act funding to undergraduate students.  The university plans to distribute the remainder of the funds on a case-by-case basis until it is fully expended.
  • There are approximately 1,848 students who appear to meet basic eligibility for Title IV funding, of which approximately 627 were attending in solely online programs and thereby ineligible for CARES Act Funding.
  • The University of St. Francis determined that funding would be distributed not solely to the neediest students, but there would be graduated awards that took into consideration the cost to the students and the student’s inherent ability to pay the costs. Differential grouping and amounts delegated appear below:

Group                                       EFC Range                 Amount Delegated                
Residence Hall                       2501-5500                 147,000
Residence Hall                       0-2500                        39,000
Off Campus                            2501-5500                 297,000
Off Campus                            ALL                              78,300
¾ time                                     ALL                              3,600
½ time                                     ALL                              2,200   
Map Residence Hall              ALL                              24,800
Map Off Campus                   ALL                              32,800
Map Part time                        ALL                              600      
No Pell/MAP                          ALL                              102,000
Case-by-case                         ALL                              50,000

INTERIM UPDATE 1: As of 7/1/2020 University of St Francis has distributed $738,620 to 1,073 undergraduate students. After the initial round of awarding, students submitted appeals as per our instructions if they did not feel that the initial distribution amount covered their expenses. After going through approximately 62 appeals, and additional $13,870 was granted to 32 students whose reasons for appeal were within the original guidelines as to the intent of the CARES Act funds in the first place. Currently we have reserved $31,217 in CARES Act funds as either more students appeal, or it is determined that a student was left off of the initial group.

INTERIM UPDATE 2: As of 8/18/2020 University of St Francis has distributed $769,120 to 1,195 undergraduate students. After the initial round of awarding, students submitted appeals as per our instructions if they did not feel that the initial distribution amount covered their expenses. After going through approximately 62 appeals, and additional $13,870 was granted to 32 students whose reasons for appeal were within the original guidelines as to the intent of the CARES Act funds in the first place. Currently we have reserved $31,217 in CARES Act funds as either more students appeal, or it is determined that a student was left off of the initial group. A final group of 124 undergraduate students who met the Title IV eligible criteria were awarded $250 each, which was equal to awards given to their counterparts awarded earlier who did not exhibit significant financial need. Currently we still need to expend $717.00 in order to expend the entire authorization.

INTERIM UPDATE 3: The institution has not spent any additional funding since 8/18/2020.

INTERIM UPDATE 4: The institution has not spent any additional funding since 8/18/2020. The following guidance was given to all students who received the first round of CARES Act Funding:

These emergency grant funds have been given to you as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds are designed to help you with expenses incurred as a result of the disruption of campus activities due to Coronavirus.  Specifically these funds are to help cover such expenses as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare.

The amounts of these grants were determined using an average cost method. If you feel your expenses were significantly more than the grant funds you received, you may email us at finaid@stfrancis.edu and request additional funding. The subject line should read CARES Appeal Request. In your email, please include your name and Student ID number, as well as an itemized listing of your expenses. Please understand that we will review all of the requests we receive within the next 10 days, in the order in which they are received, and will respond to you by email with our determination. These funds are limited, so we cannot guarantee that any additional funding will be available, nor can we estimate when available funding will be exhausted.

Thank you for your interest in University of St. Francis!  Please continue to meet the shelter at home guidelines of your particular state and keep you and your family safe.

INTERIM UPDATE 5:  The institution expended the remaining $717.00 as a hardship request on 12/4/2020.  The remaining funds were drawn down from G5 and the entire allotment of CARES Act funds for students has been expended.  There will be no further updates.

HEERF III Quarterly Report third and final quarter (click for PDF file)

(Updated 10 June 2022)

Certification

The University of St. Francis reviewed, signed and returned the Certification and Agreement for the Institutional Portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the CARES Act to the Department of Education on April 21, 2020. These funds were awarded to the University on June 10, 2020.

Award

The University of St. Francis was allocated a total of $1,539,673 under Section 18004(a) (1). Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students totaling $769,837 will be distributed directly to eligible students impacted by campus disruptions due to the coronavirus. The Certification and Agreement for the Institutional Portion states that the remaining $769,836 may be used to cover institutional costs associated with the coronavirus.

As of September 30, 2020, the University of St. Francis has drawn down a funding total in the amount of $761,532.67 from the HEERF Institutional Portion.

Final update: As of December 31, 2020, the University of St. Francis has drawn down the entire funding total of $769,836 from the HEERF Institutional Portion.

The University of St. Francis was allocated a total of $76,879 under section 18004(a) (2).  As of September 30, 2020, the University of St. Francis has not expended the funding from the HEERF Strengthening Institutions Program.

Click to review USF’s September Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3), if applicable.

Final update: As of December 31, 2020, the University of St. Francis has drawn down the entire funding total of $76,879 from the HEERF Strengthening Institutions Program.

Click to review USF’s December Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3), if applicable.

HEERF

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) provides emergency relief funding to institutions of higher education. This report provides details and public information about the University of St. Francis’s participation in the CRRSAA Act and use of the HEERF II Student and Institutional Portions.

Certification & Award

The University of St. Francis acknowledges that on January 17, 2021, funds from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding II (HEERF II) were awarded in the amount of $2,768,174.  Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students totaling $769,836 will be distributed directly to eligible students impacted by campus disruptions due to the coronavirus. The Certification and Agreement for the Institutional Portion states that the remaining $1,998,338 may be used to cover institutional costs associated with the coronavirus.

As of March 31, 2021, the University of St. Francis has drawn down a funding total in the amount of $100,883 from the HEERF II Institutional Portion.

As of June 30, 2021, the University of St. Francis has drawn down a funding total in the amount of $1,143,920 from the HEERF II Institutional Portion.

The University of St. Francis was allocated a total of $118,531.  As of June 30, 2021, the University of St. Francis has drawn down the entire funding total of $118,531 from the HEERF II Strengthening Institutions Program.