What is GrantUs?

GrantUs is a new system that will modernize how we administer the PA State Grant Program and over 20 other special programs at PHEAA.

In 2022, we embarked on a transformational project, in alignment with our vision and strategy, to reimagine our future-state. Through our modernization project, we began developing a premier solution that will enhance our approaches and administration of the 20+ financial aid programs that we administer for the Commonwealth.

Our new platform is an off-the-shelf, cloud-based product that is highly configurable and best aligns with our guiding principles. This new system, named GrantUs, is our future. It will:

• Streamline application processes for students and families
• Modernize award processing
• Centralize PHEAA systems used for program administration

Monitor this page over the next few months as we meet our project milestones.

Students & Families

Once the student submits their 2024-25 FAFSA^®, they will receive an email from NoReply@grantus.pheaa.org with a link to activate their GrantUs account. The account activation link within the email is time-sensitive, so students must take action promptly. Students who completed their FAFSA prior to the launch of GrantUs will receive an email after we process their FAFSA information.

• First-Time PA State Grant Applicants: After creating a GrantUs account, first-time applicants should complete the PA State Grant Form and High School Form via GrantUs.
• PA State Grant Renewal Applicants: After creating a GrantUs account, renewal applicants should not need to take additional action. We will email the student if further action is required.
• Special Program Applicants: After creating a GrantUs account, we will notify special program applicants about any additional actions they must take. Students participating in special programs like the PA Targeted Industry Program, Chafee Education and Training Grant Program, etc. should pay careful attention to our communications and follow the instructions.

Parents or contributors who provided information on the student's FAFSA may need to provide additional information for us to evaluate the student's eligibility. We will notify the student if we need more information from them. They will need to use their unique, valid email address to begin the process. Each user (parent, student, and spouse—if applicable) must use their own individual email address to access GrantUs.

Organizations

The new GrantUs platform will launch with select functionality for the PA State Grant Program. We will add additional functionality for the PA State Grant Program over the coming months. We will add functionality for special programs over the next year.

Each program that we administer will migrate into GrantUs using a phased implementation approach. Organizations that do not participate in the PA State Grant Program will be added to the platform at a later date. We will communicate with each organization when we are ready to bring them into GrantUs.

As we add programs, users may need to navigate new and old systems depending on their unique needs. Once we fully implement GrantUs, we expect the new platform to replace and centralize use of legacy tools like Alec, PageCenterX, Rocket Terminal Emulator (Rocket TE), and others.

Individual user account activation will begin with the authoritative source for the organization. The current authoritative source at the organization will receive an email from NoReply@grantus.pheaa.org. After they activate their GrantUs account, they can begin assigning roles to other staff at the organization. Throughout the GrantUs rollout, additional roles may be added for specific programs. That means each organization may need to adjust access levels and permissions in the future.