SDEAf Grant to Institutions

As a decentralized post-secondary grant program, our objective is to empower colleges and universities with funding to provide financial assistance to students. SDEAF partners with the colleges and universities to administer the grant program to students, rather than SDEAF selecting individual student recipients. Once a college or university is approved for an SDEAF grant, the decision-making process is delegated to the individual school.

SDEAF's guiding principles are to:

  • Meet the goals of the mission statement.
  • Provide campus financial aid administrators substantial flexibility to meet the goals of the Foundation and address the unique needs of each campus cohort of students.
  • Minimize rules and regulations for the management of the program.
  • Allocate grant funds to institutions using a transparent formula that uses accepted, verifiable higher education data elements that institutions report to credible agencies.
  • Require reasonable reporting and accountability requirements for the expenditure of grant funds.

  1. Schools apply for SDEAF funds by submitting a proposal.

    All South Dakota colleges and universities are eligible to apply for SDEAF grants. Each college or university submits a proposal outlining the unique financial needs of their students, how they will use SDEAF funds to meet those needs, and how they will determine student eligibility for SDEAF funds.

  2. Proposals are reviewed and approved by SDEAF.

    SDEAF reviews the proposals and approves funding. Upon approval, each school is expected to award individual grants according to the criteria included in the approved proposals.

  3. Schools determine and notify individual student recipients.

    Each school selects recipients using their defined criteria, application procedures, deadlines, and student eligibility requirements*. Schools will notify recipients of SDEAF grant awards using their normal award notification process.

  4. Schools award and disburse funds to students.

    All decisions regarding allocation of funds to individual students are determined by each participating college or university.

*Due to the variations in school requirements, student inquiries about SDEAF should be directed to the individual college or university.

Minimum SDEAF Student Eligibility Guidelines

To be eligible for an SDEAF Grant, the student must:

  • Be enrolled at least half time as an undergraduate student.
  • Demonstrate financial need by completing a FAFSA. In determining financial need, the institution uses standard cost of attendance and financial aid awarding policies.
  • Attend a participating South Dakota institution. If a participating institution has campuses outside South Dakota, the recipient must be attending the South Dakota campus.
  • Meet the institution's satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Amount of Grant

  • There is no minimum grant amount.
  • The maximum grant may not exceed the cost of attendance minus the expected family contribution, and federal, institutional, and other grant/scholarship aid.
  • SDEAF grant funds are not intended to replace scholarship and grant funds for which the student might otherwise be eligible.

A separate application to SDEAF is not required. Each college or university may, but is not required, to have a separate application. Each school will consider students for SDEAF grants in their normal financial aid awarding process.

Program Results
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