Sacramento State receives $17.8 million in federal coronavirus grants to give to students

California State University, Sacramento, will begin distributing more than $17 million in federal aid next week to eligible students to help cover expenses related to campus closures and school disruption amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Sacramento State students are finishing their semester online. Eligible students will receive funding that will help them with expenses like food, housing, course materials, health care and child care.

The money was provided through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund which was authorized by the CARES Act pushed through by Congress earlier in April.

“Throughout this process, we have worked to ensure that all eligible students receive some relief,” read a statement from the university President Robert Nelsen. “We have been working with the Department of Education and the CSU system on how to determine the eligibility for and the size of the grants.”

The U.S. Department of Education determined Sac State’s share of funding by determining how many students at the school were eligible for Pell Grants, and how many students were enrolled at the school overall. More than 29,000 students are enrolled at the university, and university officials say 28,673 students are eligible for the grant. Students in need are prioritized for the funds.

The university set $1.6 million aside to help any students in crisis, according to an email sent out by Nelsen. And donors have come forward to help students who need additional aid. Students can apply for emergency grant and emergency housing programs through the university.

The university also said it set up a separate fund for students who do not qualify for the federal grant including international students, students who file for the California Dream Act, and students who were enrolled in classes online before the pandemic.

The University of California, Davis, also said it expects to receive about $34 million in aid. Half of that money, almost $17 million, will be used to financially support students. An additional $17 million will be used to address the “operational impact of COVID-19 on the campus,” according to university officials. UC Davis said it estimated the pandemic in March caused $80 million in unanticipated expenditures and losses.

Both UC Davis and Sacramento State announced all classes were moved online in mid-March, and students at both universities will finish the school year virtually.

Both universities are planning virtual commencements in June, in response to local stay-at-home orders and safety concerns caused by the coronavirus. Sacramento State’s ceremonies were scheduled May 15 through May 17 at Golden 1 Center downtown.

This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 2:03 PM.