HEERF II & III Emergency Grants
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II)
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III)
Quarterly Report: For the quarter ending September 30, 2021
Published: October 10, 2021
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) was authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), which was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The CRRSAA authorizes a total of $82 billion in support for education, with $23 billion allocated to the HEERF II program.
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) was authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2. It was signed into law on March 11, 2021, and provides $40 billion in support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CRRSAA and ARP funds are in addition to the $14 billion authorized through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These funds are intended to “assist public and private nonprofit colleges and universities in preparing for, preventing, and responding to coronavirus,” and to provide temporary emergency financial assistance to eligible students who are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Notre Dame de Namur University has signed and returned the Certifications and Agreements for the grants to the U.S. Department of Education and intends to use no less than $2,175,908 of the funds received under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
- Under CRRSAA section 314(a)(1), Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) was allocated $1,836,201 in HEERF II funding. Of this amount, a minimum of $560,725 must be used for emergency financial aid grants to students (CFDA 84.425E Student Aid Portion Allocation), and a maximum of $1,275,476 can be used by the institution to defray expenses associated with coronavirus (84.425F Institutional Portion Allocation).
- Under ARP section 2003(a)(1), Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) was allocated $3.2 million in HEERF III funding. Of this amount, Notre Dame de Namur University will receive $1,615,183 for emergency financial aid grants to students (CFDA 84.425E Student Aid Portion Allocation) and $1,612,898 can be used to defray expenses associated with coronavirus (CFDA 84.425F Institutional Portion Allocation).
- As of September 30, 2021, the total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is $689,775.
- The total estimated number of students at the institution that are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is approximately 580 students.
- The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is 526 students.
- Students who are enrolled at NDNU in spring 2021, summer 2021, fall 2021 and/or spring 2022 are eligible to receive the grant. Similar to the previous HEERF funding, the U.S. Department of Education requires institutions to prioritize CRRSAA HEERF II and ARP HEERF III grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as Pell Grant recipients. In compliance with this directive, NDNU has developed an CRRSAA HEERF II and ARP HEERF III grant allocation matrix based on students’ Pell status, Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated in the FAFSA, as well as academic level and enrollment status. Grants ranged from $300 to $4,000.