DeKALB — NIU will be receiving $14.8 million in federal funding in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

The funding, announced April 13 by 14th District Representative Lauren Underwood, will come as a result of the recently passed CARES Act, or Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Among other public four-year universities in Illinois, NIU ranks fourth in the amount of funding it will receive. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is receiving the most federal funding in Illinois, will see $31.4 million under the act. 

The University of Illinois at Chicago will receive $29.8 million, and Illinois State University will receive $16.1 million, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. 

Receiving less funding than NIU will be Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale which will receive $9.6 million and $8.8 million, respectively. Eastern Illinois University will receive $4.5 million in emergency relief funding. 

According to the act, at least half of the funding each institution receives must be used in the form of emergency cash assistance grants to help students pay for housing, food and other essentials. For NIU students, that equates to $7.4 million in student relief funding.

NIU set up a Student Emergency Fund prior to and separate from the announcement of federal funding. That fund went into effect March 30 with the intent to provide resources to students in need.

The Northern Star will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.