Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA)

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on December 27, 2020. This new law gives the U.S. Department of Education funding to distribute to institutions of higher education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus through the HEERF II. The CRRSAA requires that an institution receiving funding provide the same amount in financial aid grants to students from the new CRRSA Act funds that it was required to provide under its original CARES Act (HEERF I) Student Aid portion award.

Students cannot apply for assistance directly from the U.S. Department of Education. Institutions have the responsibility of determining how grants will be distributed to students, how the amount of each student grant is calculated, and the development of any instructions or directions that are provided to students about the grant.

Institutions must make financial aid grants to students, which can be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or childcare. The CRRSAA grant requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional financial needs, such as students who receive Pell Grants. However, students do not need to be only Pell grant recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants.

Bluefield University acknowledges that the institution signed and returned to the Department of Education the certification and agreement for HEERF II Funds under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA). The University has used or intends to use, the mandated amount equal to the same dollar amount on student grants for HEERF II (CRRSA) student funding as they were required to spend under the HEERF I (CARES Act) funding to provide emergency student grants.

Bluefield University assures that the institution has used the student funds received under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

Bluefield University received $345, 576 from the Department of Education pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

Bluefield University distributed $345, 584 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 314(a)(1) of CRRSAA as of April 14, 2021.

A total of 441 students at Bluefield University were 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 314(a)(1) of CRRSAA.

A total of 441 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 314(a)(1) of CRRSAA.

Bluefield University created a weighted average matrix to calculate the matrix for distributing Emergency Financial Aid Grants. This matrix included 8 tiers factoring in the max Pell grant award a student did receive to the lowest tier of no federal assistance. See the matrix below. The method used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA.

Levels	Amount to Each Student Per Category
Level 8 – received $6,000+ in Pell funds	$1,358.19
Level 7 – received $5,000-$5,999 in Pell funds	$1,207.28
Level 6 – received $4,000-$4,999 in Pell funds	$1,056.37
Level 5 – received $3,000-$3,999 in Pell funds	$905.46
Level 4 – received $2,000-$2,999 in Pell funds	$754.55
Level 3 – received $1,000-$1,999 in Pell funds	$603.64
Level 2 – received $1-$999 in Pell funds	$452.73
Level 1 – received $0 in Pell funds	$301.82
Level 0 – Non-Pell	$150.91

Students received multiple notifications by the institution via email concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants. Students were asked to provide the most current mailing address or if an in-person pick-up for the check was preferred. In these communications, the date of distribution April 14th as well as the matrix was provided to help students determine their level of funding.