CARES Act Award Programs

As a result of the passage of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a funding source was established for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.  This fund directs institutions of higher education to use no less than 50 percent of funds received to provide emergency financial aid grants to students who incurred “expenses related to the disruption of campus such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care expenses.”  The emergency relief funding that is to be directly distributed for Radford University students is $4,546,102.    

Radford University will award in a manner to best address the requirements and intent of the funding to ensure students receive the support needed in a fair, equitable, and expedient manner.  In so doing, two funding mechanisms that account for both an automatic award program (Radford CARES Grant Program) that will be disbursed first, as well as an application-based award program (Emergency CARES Grant Program) that will be available according to the schedule below.

Award Programs

Radford CARES Grant Program - This award is based on the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as established by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the Spring 2020 semester.  The awards will range from $250-$1,000 and are based on EFC ranges with the highest need students receiving the higher awards.  These awards will be automatically processed to students.  This program is available to undergraduate and graduate students in accordance with the schedule below.

Emergency CARES Grant Program -

As of February 15, 2021 Radford University will no longer accept Emergency CARES Grant requests.  All requests that are submitted by 11:59:59 PM on February 15, 2021 will be reviewed for the maximum award eligibility.  No revisions or additional requests will be processed after this time.

As of November 5, 2020 Radford University has modified the award maximum available to students.  All students who were previously eligible and received a Radford CARES Grant award can now apply to receive a maximum of $1,500 in CARES program funding.  Students are now eligible to request up to $1,250 in the Emergency CARES grant program.  If a student has previously submitted an Emergency CARES award application and was not eligible to receive the funding, the student will be required to submit a new Emergency CARES award application to be reconsidered.  No one student total from both the Radford and Emergency CARES programs will exceed $1,500.

This award is based on unique student circumstances and will be an application-based program available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The maximum award for this program will be $250 and will be distributed, as funds are available, for needs demonstrated as a result of additional unanticipated expenses due to COVID-19 displacement beyond the Radford CARES Grant Program allocation awarded.  No one student total from both the Radford CARES Grant Program and the Emergency CARES Grant Program will exceed $1,000.  The application and award process for this program will be available following the initial distribution of the Central Award Program.  Additional information will be forthcoming regarding the application process.

Student Eligibility

In reviewing guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Radford University has determined the following eligibility requirements: 

a. Enrolled for the Spring 2020 semester at Radford University Main Campus or Radford University Carilion (RUC) as of March 6, 2020, in an on-ground (not fully online) program;

b. Title IV eligible (defined as having a completed financial aid analysis from the 2019-2020 FAFSA on file from the U.S. Department of Education) as of March 6, 2020;

c. Radford CARES Grant Program – A student must meet above eligibility criteria and be an undergraduate or graduate student.  Awards are based on students enrolled in six or more hours with additional adjustments for students less than six hours; and

d. Emergency CARES Grant Program – A student must meet above eligibility criteria and be an undergraduate or graduate student.

Radford CARES Grant Program awards will be distributed over the course of the next two weeks.  Funds will be distributed via direct deposit (if established) or via check to be mailed to the permanent address on record.