JMU acknowledges this has taken place.

JMU has been allocated, and received, $15,914,548 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund – Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students (HEERF III).

As of 9/30/21 – $15,914,548 has been distributed to students.

As of 9/30/21 – It is estimated that 21,280 students may have potentially been eligible to receive a HEERF III Grant.

As of 9/30/21 – 7,959 students have received a grant from this program.

Students Enrolled in Summer 2021 Courses

A block grant of $2,000 was awarded to all students enrolled in at least a half-time basis of courses during the Summer 2021 term (at the time the awarding process was run). No appeal options were available for students enrolled in this term. Pell Grant recipients in Summer 2021 defined as exceptionally needed.

Students Enrolled in Fall 2021 Courses

Exceptional Needy in Fall 2021– JMU is defining this based on two populations of students:

• First – Group 1 students are all students with a 2021-22 FAFSA on file and an EFC below $26,001 (the FAFSA does not have to be verified).
• Second – Group 2 students (outline below) may be determined exceptionally need based on their appeal.

Group 1: Fall 2021 students enrolled in an at least a half-time basis of courses at the time the award is made with an EFC from the FAFSA less than $26,001. A $2,000 award was made to these students.

Group 2: Students enrolled in an at least a half-time basis of courses during the term in which they are appealing, and who were not awarded in Summer 2021 or Group 1 during the Fall 2021 term, could submit an individual appeal for up to $2,000.

Students may not receive more than $2,000 in total from HEERF III funding, so individual appeals were not accepted for any student who received the $2,000 award in Summer or through the Group 1 awarding process.

a) Group 1 students were sent an award notice that stated the following:

Notice:
As a result of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), JMU has been allocated emergency student aid funds. These funds are referred to has HEERF II Grants. According to guidance provided by the Department of Education (ED), “Emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their 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. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.”

You appear to meet the eligibility criteria, as outlined ED, to be considered for assistance. As such, you can log into the 2021-22 financial aid section of your MyMadison account and see an award made for $2,000.

Your next steps:

• If you meet the criteria outlined above, no action is needed on your part.
• If you do not meet the criteria to receive these funds, you must e-mail us at fin_aid_covid@jmu.edu to request it be canceled.
• You have the option to e-mail us at fin_aid_covid@jmu.edu if you would like to reduce the amount of the award, which would make funds available for another student.

By accepting the refund this award will generate, you are acknowledging that you have a need for these funds to help with your educational costs, or that you have incurred emergency costs that arose due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.

Students will receive their award through the refund process established in the University Business Office. If you have questions about setting up the refund process, please review the website at www.jmu.edu/ubo. These funds will not be held and applied to any JMU charges. Once received, students may use the funds to assist with the designated expenses, including using them to make a payment to JMU for tuition charges. These are grant awards, with no expectation of being repaid.

For additional information about this award and HEERF III funding, please visit the JMU ARP (HEERF III) Emergency Aid website.

b) Group 2 students completed an appeal form that contained the language below. Additionally, they received a follow-up award notice that is also shown below:

HEERF III Emergency Aid Appeal
As a result of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), JMU has been allocated emergency student aid funds. These funds are referred to has HEERF III Grants. According to the act, “Emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their 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. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.”

Students submitting an appeal must be enrolled at least half-time.

Students will not be approved for more than $2,000 in total HEERF III Grants. Individuals who already received $2,000 from this program in Summer 2021 or Fall 2021 should not submit an appeal.

Award
Maximum of $2,000

Deadline
05/01/2022

Supplemental Questions

1. I am requesting funding from HEERF III to help cover the following expenses (Check applicable box):

2. If the expense you are requesting the funding for is not listed above, please indicate your other reasons here:

3. In detail, explain why you are requesting these funds and how they will be used.

4. By submitting this appeal, I acknowledge the following: • The information reported on this form is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. • These funds do not need to be repaid. • The submission of this request does not guarantee that I will receive funding. • A limited amount of funding exists and the full amount requested may not be awarded. • These funds will not be held and applied to your JMU charges. • If the appeal is approved, students will receive these funds through the refund process established in the University Business Office.

Award Notice

We’re happy to report that your HEERF III Emergency Aid Appeal has been approved!

No additional action is required on your part for this grant to be awarded and processed by our office. You should be able to log into the Financial Aid section of your MyMadison account and see the award listed there.

The next step is for the funds to be disbursed to the University Business Office. We cannot tell you exactly when that will occur, but we can say that our goal is to get this money to students as quickly as possible.

If you determine that you need less than the $2,000 HEERF III Grant you have been awarded, you may e-mail us at fin_aid_covid@jmu.edu and request a reduction in your award amount. Any reduction to your award will provide funds for additional students to receive assistance.

You will receive a refund of this grant through the refund process you established in the University Business Office. This is the same process you have set up for all other refunds sent to you by that office. If you have questions about the refund process, please review the website at www.jmu.edu/ubo.

These funds will not be held and applied to any JMU charges. Once received, you may use the funds to assist with the designated expenses, including using them to make a payment to JMU for tuition charges. These are grant awards, with no expectation of being repaid.

For additional information about this award and HEERF II funding, please visit the JMU ARP (HEERF III) Emergency Aid website.