CARES Funding

Students: Visit IRIS to learn about Financial Assistance Resources available.

Reporting update, December 31, 2022

CARES Act Reporting

Colorado Mesa University signed and returned the Department of Education’s Certification and Agreement with the assurance that the institution intends to use no less than 50% of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1)of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The total amount of the funds that Colorado Mesa University will receive pursuant to the Certification and Agreement is $7,068,379 of which $3,534,190 is to be utilized for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

To date, Colorado Mesa University has issued $3,534,190 to 3,549 students. It was expected that Colorado Mesa University will be able to assist 2,500+ students with these funds. This marks HEERF I, CARES Act reporting as final as of March 31, 2021.

CARES Fund Current Programs

Colorado Mesa University has currently expended all funds in the CARES Act allocation.

CARES Fund Past Programs

Colorado Mesa University has funded the following programs to assist students with COVID-19 related expenses.

Funds to assist students with emergency situations.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with emergency situation that have occurred due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Student completes an online form declaring the emergency funding reason. The amount of funding is based upon the students request and, in some cases, verified via student meetings with CMU IRIS Advisors.

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled in Spring 2020 and enrolled in Fall 2020 and express financial hardship (i.e.: food, health care, childcare, etc.) that cannot be resolved by other means. Student has exhausted all financial aid options and cannot work through the student employment program.

Instructions given to Student:

Utilizing an online form, students can request up to $250 by explaining the student’s emergency funding needs due to COVID-19. Students can request from $251 to $1000 by meeting with a CMU IRIS Advisor.

Funds to assist students with emergency situations.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with emergency situation that have occurred due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Student works with Admissions Counselor to complete an online form declaring the emergency funding reason. The amount of funding is based upon the students request and, in some cases, verified via student meetings with CMU Admission Counselors.

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled in Fall 2020 and express financial hardship (i.e.: food, health care, childcare, etc.) that cannot be resolved by other means. Student has exhausted all financial aid options.

Instructions given to Student:

Utilizing an online form, students can request up to Cost of Attendance, not to exceed the maximum PELL Grant amount.

Funds to assist students displaced by housing closure.

Expense Covered:

The Emergency housing funding is utilized to assist students that needed to relocate due to the closing of residence halls. Funds are used for room and food necessities. Students that were deemed to have no other living arrangements were allowed to stay on campus.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Funds allocated to students were calculated on the remaining days that were allowed for room and board costs from the closing of the residence hall upon checking out and the remaining days left in the semester. The amount of the adjustment for housing was prorated on the amount the student actually paid for housing. Students that did not actually pay for housing and food were not allotted funds.

Student Criteria:

Student must be in housing during the Spring 2020, have indicated to Residence Life they are moving out, and have greater out of pocket housing costs than scholarships and grants applied to housing.

Instructions given to Student:

Fund to be utilized for housing and food expenses due to having to relocate.

Funds to assist students that struggle with online format for classes.

Expense Covered:

Costs incurred due to for students that struggled with classes being switched to online format.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Student completes an online form declaring the classes the student desired to withdraw from and retake at a later date. The amount of funding is based upon the cost of the classes withdrawn.

Student Criteria:

Student must be enrolled in Spring 2020 semester, and request a withdraw and refund within the electronic form process.

Instructions given to student:

Student instructed to complete online request to withdraw from class. The student must certify that the cause of the learning issue is due to the change to online learning due to COVID-19. Funds can be utilized for future face to face class learning in upcoming semesters.

CRSAA Act Reporting

Colorado Mesa University received and additional allocation from the Department of Education from Section 314(a)(1) of the CRSAA Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The total amount of the funds that Colorado Mesa University will receive pursuant to the Certification and Agreement is $12,116,155 of which $3,534,190 is to be utilized for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

To date, Colorado Mesa University has issued $3,534,190 to 2,692 students. It was expected that Colorado Mesa University will be able to assist 2,500+ students with these funds. This marks HEERF II, CRSAA Act reporting as final as of September 30, 2021.

CRSAA Fund Current Programs

Colorado Mesa University has currently expended all funds in the CRSAA Act allocation.

CRSAA Fund Past Programs

Colorado Mesa University has funded the following programs to assist students with COVID-19 related expenses.

Funds to assist students with emergency situations.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with emergency situation that have occurred due to COVID-19, such as food, housing, healthcare, mental healthcare or childcare and/or any component of the cost of attendance such as tuition, dorm, meal plan, books, supplies, and technology.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled in Spring 2021, must be a citizen, must not have reached the maximum CARES funding amount of $6345, express financial hardship (i.e.: food, health care, childcare, etc.) related to COVID-19.

Instructions given to Student:

Utilizing an online form, student can request up to $2,500 (not to exceed account balance) automatic, if requesting to pay their balance down. Student can request $1,000 automatic, if requesting direct payment to student. If student meets with IRIS/Financial Counseling appointment, and the counselor determines there is a need greater than $2500 for COA support or greater than $1000 for emergency hardship support, the counselor can send the unique form link to the student and request up to the maximum $6345.

Funds to assist students with past due balances.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with past due balances that have occurred due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled from March 13^th though Spring 2020 and have a student accounts balance and express financial hardship (i.e.: food, health care, childcare, etc.) that cannot be resolved by other means. Student has exhausted all financial aid options.

Instructions given to Student:

Utilizing an online form, students can request up to $3500 by explaining the student’s emergency funding needs due to COVID-19.

ARP Act Reporting

Colorado Mesa University received and additional allocation from the Department of Education from Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The total amount of the funds that Colorado Mesa University will receive pursuant to the Certification and Agreement is $21,400,763 of which $10,773,906 is to be utilized for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. It is expected that Colorado Mesa University will be able to assist 4,500+ students with these funds.

As of the reporting date, Colorado Mesa University has issued $10,773,906 to 6,303 students. It is expected that Colorado Mesa University will be able to assist 4,500+ students with these funds.

ARP Fund Past Programs

Funds to assist students with past due balances.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with past due balances that have occurred due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Student criteria:

Instructions given to Student:

Utilizing an online form, students can request up to $3500 by explaining the student’s emergency funding needs due to COVID-19.

Funds to assist students Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 On-Campus Housing.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 On-Campus Housing due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Flat amount of $3000 for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. Student must complete an online form attesting to COVID Hardship and choosing an option to pay to CMU student accounts or direct in hand.

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 as a student, Have a housing deposit for the 2021-2022 year, and attest to having a COVID Hardship.

Instructions given to Student:

Fill out online form after making a housing deposit and attest to COVID Hardship.

Funds to assist students Fall 2021 and Spring 2022.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 with an EFC 250% of Pell or less with a COVID Hardship, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Flat amount of $2000 for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. Student must complete an online form attesting to COVID Hardship and choosing an option to pay to CMU student accounts or direct in hand.

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 as a student, Have a EFC 250% of Pell or less, and attest to having a COVID Hardship.

Instructions given to Student:

Fill out online form choosing an option to pay to CMU student accounts or direct in hand.

Funds to assist students Fall 2021.

Expense Covered:

Funds to assist students with Fall 2021 due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.

How the amount of grant was calculated:

Flat amount of $500 for Fall 2021. Student must complete an online form attesting to COVID Hardship and choosing an option to pay to CMU student accounts or direct in hand.

Student criteria:

Must be enrolled for Fall 2021, no existing merit scholarship, and attest to having a COVID Hardship.

Instructions given to Student:

Fill out online form attest to COVID Hardship.