NWMSU Board Of Regents Approves Federal Funding Distribution Model For Student Grants

Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents approved the distribution model of more than $6.8 million in federal emergency grant funds authorized by the American Rescue Plan for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III.

Northwest received the money in May and is required to prioritize students with exceptional needs. Northwest plans to base a student’s level of need on one of three tiers. The largest portion of the HEERF III funds will be disbursed to undergraduate Pell recipients at Northwest. The second tier will assist undergraduate students with a FAFSA on file and an annual expected family contribution (EFC) less than $30,000. The third tier will assist students with a FAFSA on file and an annual EFC greater than or equal to $30,000 as well as students with no FAFSA on file, graduate students and international students.

Dual credit students and other non-degree-seeking students are not eligible for the grant funds.

The ARP HEERF III student emergency grant funds are not considered Federal Title IV Student Aid and will not be included in the cost-of-attendance calculation. The payments are a pass-through stimulus to students and will not be used directly by Northwest to pay outstanding account balances.

Northwest distributed a portion of the funds to more than 500 Pell-eligible, undergraduate, continuing students enrolled in summer 21. The University also plans to use the three-tier model to disburse student emergency grant funds this fall and next spring, based on its census.