CARES ACT – Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Report
Last updated January 10, 2022
This report provides information regarding Lake Erie College’s receipt and expenditure of the CARES Act HEERF I Fund, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental and Appropriations (CRRSA) Act HEERF II Fund, and America Rescue Plan (ARP) HEERF III, Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds.
The College has signed and returned the Recipient’s Funding Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Lake Erie College provides its assurance that the institution has utilized the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
The total amount of funding available for the Student portion of the HEERF funding is $1,944,083. The institution has administered $1,362,706 in grants to students as of December 31, 2021. The remaining funds will be administered to students prior to the end of the grant period.
CARES ACT – HEERF I
April 2020: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act established and funds the HEERF I. This act directs institutions of higher education to use no less than 50 percent of funds received under Sections 18004(a)(1) and 8004(c) of the CARES Act to provide emergency financial aid grants to student for expenses related to the disruption of campus operation due to coronavirus. These expenses could include housing, food, course materials, technology, health care and child-care services.
Lake Erie College opted to award the funding to students who had either resided on campus or had a meal plan during the Spring 2020 semester as these students were directly impacted with a disruption. In most cases, the students returned to live with their families and incurred additional living and technology expenses.
Lake Erie College CARES Act Grants were awarded to students based on guidelines from the Department of Education. Students had to file a 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA. The College determined it would provide a larger grant to Pell eligible students.
Total number of estimated students eligible was 773.
406 students received HEERF I funding.
CRRSA ACT –HEERF II
December 2020: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 included additional COVID-19 relief through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. This new COVID stimulus bill included $23 billion for higher education institutions and students, using the same HEERF model established in the CARES Act.
Unlike the CARES Act/HEERF I funds, the CRRSA does not require that 50% of an institution’s funds be spent on student grants. It does, however, require that institutions spend the same amount on student grants as they were required to spend under the CARES Act.
Lake Erie College administered the HEERF II student grants by utilizing an application for enrolled undergraduate students. Students received a check for their grant and in some instances, the students granted permission to allow their award to be applied to their student account balance. The institution used the student account as a conduit to award and remit the payment to the students. All recipients have the ability to see the award posted to their student account. Although a FAFSA was not required to receive the grant, priority was given to students with exceptional need. Students were made aware of the application process through various communication channels, such as emails, flyers around campus, and the College’s intranet.
Applicants were reviewed by representatives from the Financial Aid office and the Business office to determine eligibility and prioritization according to student need and qualified expenses. Maximum HEERF II grants were given to students who were Pell eligible and demonstrated highest need based upon FAFSA results.
Total number of estimated students eligible was 580
227 students received HEERF II awards.
ARP – HEERF III
March 2021: The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) is authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law on March 11, 2021, providing $39.6 billion in support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar to the CRRSA/HEERF II funds, the HEERF III funds include no student eligibility requirements either. However, institutions are required to prioritize grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Pell Grants.
HEERF III funds were awarded to students enrolled for Fall 2021 semester. Grants were awarded to students based on guidelines from the DOE. Lake Erie College continued an application process for awarding these limited emergency funds to students. Printed applications were available in the student life office, financial aid and the athletic center. Student life staff, athletic staff and academic deans were made aware of the HEERF emergency grant to help inform students of the grant availability as well as direct email to students, flyers around campus and the College’s intranet. Eligibility was not limited to completing the 2021-2022 FAFSA, however, priority was given to Pell eligible students. As not all HEERF III funds were spent in the Fall of 2021, the College opted to provide Pell students with awards to those who had not previously completed the application for the grant.
The remainder of HEERF III grants will continue to be expended to students enrolled in the Spring 2022 semester. No application will be required and grants will be issued to students based upon previous criteria established for need.
Total number of estimated students eligible was 629
578 students received HEERF III funding through March 31, 2022.
HEERF – Institutional share
Lake Erie College received $2,420,784 in HEERF funding for institutional purposes. Institutions are permitted to use their funds to defray expenses associated with COVID-19, including lost revenue, reimbursements for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with the transition to distance education, faculty and staff training, and payroll. Institutions may also use their funds to carry out student support activities authorized by the Higher Education Act (HEA), or to provide emergency grants to students (including those enrolled exclusively in distance education). The grants may be used to cover any component of a student’s cost of attendance (COA), or for emergency costs that arise due to COVID-19, including tuition, food, housing, health care and child care.
The following are the institutional share quarterly reports. Lake Erie College anticipates utilizing the remaining funds prior to the end of the grant period.