Lumberjack CARES Act Grant

Northern Arizona University will use the $11.7 million it received as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to directly assist eligible students who are facing financial hardship as it relates to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The university seeks to help students meet COVID-19 related costs to enable them to continue their education. The university will award grants in two phases, with approximately 75% of the funds being used in the first phase, and the remaining 25% to be awarded later in summer 2020 after the completion of phase one.

Phase 1: NAU will require eligible students, based on the criteria below, to complete the simple, two question Lumberjack CARES Act Grant Form that will be emailed to your NAU email, requiring CAS authentication.

For students that do not have a FAFSA on file, but believe they are eligible based on the criteria below, a FAFSA for the 2020-2021 academic year should be completed referencing the Northern Arizona University school code: 001082. Students are required to complete the FAFSA by June 1, 2020, to be eligible for funds in phase one.

Phase 2: NAU will release a Lumberjack CARES Act Grant in the late summer/early fall to award funds based on an application process. Eligible students will be notified by email when the application is available. All students will be required to have a 2020-2021 FAFSA on file, and meet the criteria below at the time they apply for funds in phase two.

How much will I receive? To activate the How much will I receive? tab, press your spacebar.

Once the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant Form is complete, a direct deposit or check will be sent to you, within 7-10 days. Amount of the award is $400 or $500 and dependent upon Federal Pell Grant eligibility based on the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 FAFSA. Pell eligible, full-time students will receive $500, all other full-time students will receive $400.

Who is eligible to receive the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant? To activate the Who is eligible to receive the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant? tab, press your spacebar.

Student must have a current (2019-2020) or future (2020-2021) academic year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file to confirm eligibility for the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant.

Students must be Title IV eligible under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act requiring institutions to confirm eligibility of the following items:

- Determined from information on the FAFSA:
  - Not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans.
  - Not be in default on a Title IV loan.
  - Be a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident, or other eligible non-citizen.
  - Have returned fraudulently obtained Title IV funds if convicted of, pled guilty to, or no contest to charges.
  - Not have fraudulently received Title IV loans in excess of annual or aggregate limits.
  - Have repaid Title IV loan amounts in excess of annual or aggregate limits if obtained inadvertently.
  - Have Selective Service registration verified if the student is a male between the ages of 18-26.
  - Have Social Security Number verified.
  - Not have a federal or state conviction for drug possession or sale, with certain time limitations.
  - File “as part of the original financial aid application process” a certification that includes a statement of educational purpose if requested by the Department of Education.
- Determined by the institution:
  - Be enrolled as a full-time graduate or undergraduate student in a degree granting program on March 13, 2020, the day the national emergency was declared.
  - Not be enrolled in an elementary or secondary school.
  - Be making satisfactory academic progress, if currently enrolled.

More information about the CARES Act and Student eligibility can be found here.

Who is not eligible to receive the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant? To activate the Who is not eligible to receive the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant? tab, press your spacebar.

Students not eligible include:

Part time students carrying less than 5 credit hours for graduate students, and less than 7 for undergraduate students.
International students
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) students
Non-degree, graduate or undergraduate, students
High school concurrent students
Students enrolled in an Online program on March 13, 2020 or the date of application in phase two
Those students who are not making satisfactory academic progress

How are the funds distributed? To activate the How are the funds distributed? tab, press your spacebar.

If you are eligible to receive the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant, funds will be distributed to the direct deposit you have on file in LOUIE, or a live check will be sent to the mailing address you have on file in LOUIE. To check or update your information in LOUIE, login in here.

FAQS

What is the CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund? To activate the What is the CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund? tab, press your spacebar.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES Act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund, which affords the opportunity for NAU to provide emergency grants to students to help defray expenses related to COVID-19. There is additional funding for universities for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic.

When will CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds be available? To activate the When will CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds be available? tab, press your spacebar.

NAU applied for funding from the federal U.S. Department of Education based on the guidelines in the CARES Act. We received funding on May 6, 2020 and have emailed notifications to potentially eligible students. After you submit your CARES Act Grant request forms, grant money will be sent to you within 7-10 days.

What documentation is required to be submitted with the application? To activate the What documentation is required to be submitted with the application? tab, press your spacebar.

The CARES Act Grant request form will be emailed to students who have FAFSAs on file. You will need to complete the form verifying that your direct deposit information and mailing address in your LOUIE account are correct, as well as answer one question that seeks to learn how your academic life has been affected by the pandemic. Students who do not receive an email may contact (844) 293-3159.

What constitutes eligible expenses to qualify for emergency funding? To activate the What constitutes eligible expenses to qualify for emergency funding? tab, press your spacebar.

Eligible expenses could include a variety of expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on your academics. Some potential examples are: money spent for unanticipated travel, emergency child care due to extended school closures, and technology expenses.

Are the federal grants to students taxable? To activate the Are the federal grants to students taxable? tab, press your spacebar.

No. According to the IRS: Emergency financial aid grants under the CARES Act for unexpected expenses, unmet financial need, or expenses related to the disruption of campus operations on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as unexpected expenses for food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, or childcare, are qualified disaster relief payments under section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code. This grant is not includible in your gross income.

Do I have to repay a Federal Emergency Aid Grant? To activate the Do I have to repay a Federal Emergency Aid Grant? tab, press your spacebar.

No. Grants are a type of financial assistance that do not need to be repaid.

Would this funding reduce my financial aid? To activate the Would this funding reduce my financial aid? tab, press your spacebar.

No, this fund does not negate or replace financial aid. It is a one-time grant.

Will I still receive funds if I have a charge on my student account? To activate the Will I still receive funds if I have a charge on my student account? tab, press your spacebar.

Yes. CARES grant funds will be sent directly to you even if you have a balance on your account. This grant does not require your account to be at a $0 balance.

I need more funding. Can I reapply for more than what I originally received? To activate the I need more funding. Can I reapply for more than what I originally received? tab, press your spacebar.

We will hold a percentage of the remaining funds to assist with expenses for students who have been hardest hit by the effects of the pandemic. Late summer/early fall, we will launch an application process for these students. We will share more details as that process comes online.

How does NAU plan to use the institutional grant funds made available through the CARES Act? To activate the How does NAU plan to use the institutional grant funds made available through the CARES Act? tab, press your spacebar.

NAU will receive a second, different, institutional grant through the CARES Act. NAU will use these institutional funds to recover costs associated with the significant changes brought on by the global pandemic.

Who do I contact if I have additional questions? To activate the Who do I contact if I have additional questions? tab, press your spacebar.

If you have additional questions, please call 844-293-3159.