ALBANY, NY (WENY)--LAST YEAR IN NEW YORK OVER $220 MILLIOn IN PELL GRANTS WERE LEFT UNCLAIMED. The State University of New York or SUNY IS DETERMINED TO NOT LET ANY AID GO UNUSED.  

THIS WEEK SUNY CHANCELLOR JOHN KING ANNOUNCED $500,000 FROM ECMC, A HIGHER EDUCATION FOUNDATION, TO HELP BOOST FAFSA APPLICATIONS.  
 
DUE TO FEDERAL DELAYS WITH THIS YEAR'S APPLICATION, KING SAID NEW YORK’S SUBMISSION RATE IS DOWN ABOUT 12 PERCENT COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR.  
 
“That’s a real worry because the FAFSA is the gateway to federal and state financial aid,” said King. 
 
KING SAid THE ECMC GRANT WILL ALLOW SUNY TO EXPAND THEIR OUTREACH PROCESS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN RUN FAFSA INFORMATION EVENTS.  
 
HE ALSO STRESSEd 52 PERCENT OF SUNY STUDENTS ATTEND TUITION FREE because OF FEDERAL AND STATE FINANCIAL AID.  
 
HE ALSO SAid STUDENTS WILL OFTEN GET ENOUGH FINANCIAL AID TO NOT ONLY COVER THEIR TUITION BUT TO COVER A SHARE OF THE COST OF ROOM AND BOARD.  
 
“So, we need students to complete that FAFSA so they can access those resources. It’s almost like if you bought a lottery ticket and you put it in your wallet and you never looked at it and never checked your numbers. We want to make sure that folks are figuring out how much they’re entitled to,” said King. 
 
KING IS HOPING THIS GRANT CAN HELP THEM HELP AS MANY STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE COMPLETE THE FAFSA BEFORE THE ACADEMIC YEAR STARTS IN JUST SIX WEEKS.