Emergency Financial Aid Grant distribution criteria and methodology - ARP
Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO) is the recipient of funds resulting from a provision in the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) The purpose of a portion of the funding is provide emergency financial aid grants to eligible students. This report provides details of MTSO’s process on the allocation and disbursement of the funds received under funding opportunity number ED-GRANTS-051321-001 and MTSO’s application number P425E203935-20B.
Certification
MTSO will receive $92,611 under section 314(a)(1) and at least $46,306, will be distributed to eligible students.
Student eligibility
MTSO has 103 students who are eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants:
A. Masters degree seeking student who attended at least one class in the January 2021 or Spring 2021 term.
B. Not a MTSO benefits eligible employee.
Distribution method
MTSO prioritized students with exceptional need when determining the award amount per student. That means the amount of emergency financial aid grants will not be the same for each student or the same as other colleges.
MTSO determined exceptional need based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) amount from Federal Title IV Funding Guidelines.
Group 1: 25 eligible students with an EFC of $0 received $900.
Group 2: 18 eligible students with an EFC of $1 to $10,000 received $550.
Group 3: 60 eligible students with an EFC >$10,001 or MTSO did not have a FAFSA from the student received $300.
Instructions to eligible students
MTSO sent an email to all eligible students’ school email address May 28, 2021. The communication informed the student of eligibility for the emergency financial aid grant and the dollar amount of the award.
This letter was sent via email:
Hello,
MTSO is the recipient of funds resulting from a provision in the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), the purpose of which is to provide financial aid grants to eligible students. It has been determined you are eligible to receive a portion of these funds. Please note that eligibility criteria for this grant are different from criteria used in awarding previous federal coronavirus-related grants, and not every student will receive the same amount from ARP.
As an eligible MTSO student, you will receive a check for [insert $300 or $550 or $900] in early June. The funds will be sent to your home address on file in Populi.
The ARP funds are intended to help you with expenses related to the disruption of campus operation due to coronavirus. These expenses can include tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Sarah Mouch
Controller
Check distribution to eligible students
MTSO sent checks to all eligible students on June 2, 2021, accompanied by an explanatory letter. This is the letter that accompanied each check:
Dear Student,
Enclosed is financial aid grant check. These funds are from a grant MTSO received from a provision in the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), the purpose of which is to provide financial aid grants to eligible students.
The ARP funds are intended to help you with expenses related to the disruption of campus operation due to coronavirus. These expenses can include tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
If you have any questions, please contact me at smouch@mtso.edu.
Thank you,
Sarah Mouch
Controller