Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students (Final Report)

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students (Final Report) | View Full Report

As recipients of HEERF funds of the CARES Act, Ripon College is required to post the following information:

1. Ripon College has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement. Ripon College 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.
2. Ripon College has received $908,784 from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. (Total between CARES and CRRSA.)
3. As of March 31, 2021, Ripon College has distributed all $908,784 of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act and CRRSA Act.
4. There are 709 (as of spring 2021 census date) students at Ripon College who 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.
5. As of March 31, 2021,
   1. 451 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
   2. 581 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CRSSA Act.
6. Methodology:
   1. CARES Act funds:  Students who had incurred eligible expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic were asked to submit a short application form where they could indicate these expenses and request a funding amount.  In determining the amount of funding each student received, we took into account the amount asked for and the rationale given as well as the student’s financial need as determined by financial aid.  Students with higher financial need received more funding than those without, but all students who applied for the funds received some money.
   2. CRSSA Act funds:  Rather than having students apply for these funds, we provided them directly, with the award amount determined by Pell-eligibility and expected family contribution (Pell-eligible students and those with the lowest EFC received the largest grant amount).  
7. Instructions, directions, or guidance:
   1. CARES Act funds:  Students were notified at the time of application that these funds were to be used to offset expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  They were also instructed to contact the office of financial aid if their family situation changed due to COVID-19.
   2. CRRSA Act funds:  In their award letter, students were instructed that, ”These funds may 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 child care.”