Federal CARES Act funding: Student distribution
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund is intended to support RIT students with expenses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 national emergency.
CARES Act Emergency Grants have been fully distributed. The following is for informational purposes only.
The university has distributed nearly $5.2 million of the funding to provide Emergency Grants to our neediest students in accordance with federal guidelines.
“The well-being and success of our students remain our top priorities. We are committed to doing all that we can to support them during the pandemic,” said RIT President David Munson. “These federal funds will assist in mitigating the financial and emotional impact that our students and their families have experienced.”
“We would not be able to assist students without the support of Sen. Chuck Schumer, and all of the members of our congressional delegation including Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Joe Morelle, and Congressman Tom Reed,” said Ian Mortimer, RIT’s vice president for Enrollment Management.
Read the RIT news release on student funding
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting (quarter ending 9/30/2020 – report dated 10/30/2020)
Final Budget and Expenditure Reporting (quarter ending 12/31/2020 – report dated 1/5/2021)
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (the “Act”) was signed into law on March 27, 2020. Section 18004 of the Act created the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”) for distribution to colleges and universities, intended to help offset costs to students and institutions resulting from campus disruptions due to the Coronavirus. This report is required by Section 18004(e) of the Act and is published here pursuant to the guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
As required by Section 18004(c) of the Act, Rochester Institute of Technology intends to use no less than 50% of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. The Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants for Students under the Act was signed and returned to the Department of Education on May 4, 2020.
RIT received $5,190,240 from the Department of Education pursuant to the RIT’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
As of the date of this report, 7/1/2020, a total of $5,190,240 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants have been distributed to students under Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act. The required portion for emergency grants to students under the CARES Act has been fully distributed.
RIT estimates 9,800 students at the institution are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus may be eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
The total number of students who have received a CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grant is 7,728.
The methods used by Rochester Institute of Technology to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they receive under Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act are described in the FAQ information below.
A sample of the CARES Act Emergency Grant Application is available