MOORHEAD— Concordia will be receiving a $100,000 grant spread evenly accross two years that will allow the school to increase the amount of financial assistance they are able to provide students in the case of financial emergencies.
The grant, which was obtained through the Minnesota office of higher education, is through the Emergency Assistance for Postsecondary Students (EAPS) program.
On their website, the office of higher education details that Grant funds are intended to meet immediate student needs related to housing, food and transportation that would otherwise prevent students from completing their term.
While Concordia already has a fund in place for aiding students in the case of a financial emergency regarding a basic need, this additional funding will permit Concordia to offer increased help to students.
“We applied hoping we could increase the amount of financial assistance offered for students in situations where their basic needs were not being met and impeding their academic success.” Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the Center for Student Success, Heidi Rogers said in an email to The Concordian.
In addition to Rogers, Nathalie Rinehardt, who acts as the Assistant Dean of Students and the Director of Student Engagement, and Jillain Veil-Ehnert from Concordia’s grants office worked to apply for this grant.
Currently, there is a lack of information on how students will apply for financial assistance and what a request process will look like.
“We’re just on the process right now of figuring out all of the grant requirements and how we have to accept applications, how we have to report and whatnot, but we’re super excited,” said Rinehardt at the November 30th Student Government Association meeting.
In an email with Rogers, she explained that, “Members of the Center for Holistic Health are key players for how this grant (will be) accessed by students.”
Concordia will not receive the grant funding directly.
“The school does not receive the money, any grants are reimbursed by the state and the college is eligible to start receiving and approving grant requests now,” Rogers, said.
Students are unlikely to receive payment directly either, as the office of higher education prefers that the vendor be paid without an intermediary.
However, “In some instances, students might be eligible for reimbursements,” Rogers said.
Some basic needs that may be eligible to be covered are things like rent or mortgage payments, emergency shelter, utility bills, transportation to/from campus or work, gas, automotive repairs, groceries, hot meals, childcare items, hygiene products, medical devices like eyeglasses and medical services.
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