Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
HEERF I (CARES)
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or, CARES Act, was passed by Congress on March 27th, 2020. This bill allotted $2.2 trillion to provide fast and direct economic aid to the American people who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that money, approximately $14 billion was given to the Office of Postsecondary Education as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, or HEERF.
Review appropriations and student awarding for CARES
Malone University and CARES Act funding
In the coming weeks, Malone University will begin awarding funding received from the federal government as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Read below to understand how these funds will be used to support current Malone students and their families in response to the impact of the Coronavirus.
Background
On April 9, 2020, Malone University received notification from the United States Department of Education that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds would be disbursed to institutions of higher learning. Over the past 30 days, the DOE has been providing guidelines for the distribution of the funds. We are now ready to move forward with the process. The methodology used by the Department of Education was based on student enrollment. Malone signed and returned the Certification and Agreement to the US Department of Education. Malone’s federal allocation of CARES Act Emergency Aid Grant Section 18004(a)(1) was $1,247,915. Malone will allocate no less than 50 percent of the funds to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students or $623,958.
Funding will be used to provide direct emergency relief grants to students whose lives and education have been disrupted by COVID-19.
Eligibility
- Enrollment in a degree-seeking (undergraduate and graduate) program during Spring semester 2020. Students enrolled in exclusively online programs cannot be considered.
- Title IV federal aid program eligibility as determined by the FAFSA.
- Students enrolled in College Credit Plus courses are not eligible.
- Funds are for eligible students who have experienced a disruption of campus operations due to Coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child-care expenses.
Application
The application period for CARES Act funding is now closed.
Distribution of Funds
- Starting on June 8, funds will be distributed on a weekly basis for verified applications.
- Payments will be made in the form of a check or eRefund.
- To establish an eRefund account, visit ePioneer via Malone Xpress.
How much am I eligible for/what methodology was used for determining grant values?
Following the guidelines issued by the federal government, Malone University reviewed the eligible population of students and determined a distribution methodology based on a student’s level of financial need. Our desire is to help all eligible students while recognizing that students with higher need may require more assistance.
Can a student apply more than once?
This is a one-time cash grant payment to eligible students.
Do I need to pay back the CARES Act Grant?
If you are awarded a grant, repayment is not required.
What if I have not filed a FAFSA or haven’t received a CARES Act grant distribution?
If you did not file a FAFSA for the 2019 – 2020 academic year, you are encouraged to file one for the 2020 – 2021 academic year and apply for emergency aid by contacting our Financial Aid Office at 330-471-8159.
Is there a deadline to apply?
- Malone has one year to disburse the federal allotment.
- Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis until all funds are depleted in the order applications are received.
- The University’s goal is to distribute funds as widely as possible to assist as many students as possible.
Who should I contact with questions?
If you are listed as “not eligible”, please call the Financial Aid Office at 330-471-8159. All other questions should be directed to the Business Office at studentbills@malone.edu or 330-471-8117.
How much has been disbursed to date and to how many students?
- The certification form opened on Friday May 29, 2020 with distributions starting the week of June 8, 2020.
- From April 24 through September 30, 2020, we have disbursed $295,740 (47%) of our CARES Act student allotment to 525 students.
- From October 1 through December 31, 2020, we have disbursed $139,799 (23%) of our CARES Act student allotment to 243 students.
- From January 1, 2021 through March 30, 2021, we have disbursed $5,770 (1%) of our CARES Act student allotment to 10 students.
- As of April 1, 2021, we disbursed the remaining $182,649 (29%) of our CARES Act student allotment to 583 students.
Approximately how many students are eligible to participate in this federal program?
Malone University has determined that approximately 960 students have met the Department of Education’s eligibility requirements for participation in the CARES Act program.
Malone’s Institutional portion of CARES ACT funding
The other 50% of Malone’s federal allocation of CARES Act Emergency Aid Grant Section 18004(a)(1) was $623,957. These funds were used to provide reimbursement for tuition, room and board and other fees to students. Malone also received $61,879 under 18004(a)(2) which was used to offset lost revenue from non-tuition sources. All funds were expended by December 30, 2020.
HEERF II (CRRSAA)
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion expeditiously provided last spring through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136.
Review appropriations and student awarding for CRRSAA
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion expeditiously provided last spring through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136.
Malone’s federal allocation of CRRSAA Section 18004(a)(1) was $2,039,528, which was received on January 20, 2021. Malone will allocate 31% of the funding, or $623,958, to provide direct emergency relief grants to students whose lives and education have been disrupted by COVID-19.
Eligibility
- Enrollment in a degree-seeking (undergraduate and graduate) program during Spring semester 2021, including students exclusively enrolled in online programs.
- Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CCP) courses are not eligible.
- Funding may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.
Application
There is no application needed for CRRSAA awards.
Distribution of funds
- On June 2 students who met the criteria to receive an automatic disbursement were notified through their Malone emails.
- Funds will be distributed on June 2.
- Payments will be made in the form of a check or eRefund.
- To establish an eRefund account, visit ePioneer via Malone Xpress.
How much am I eligible for and what methodology was used for determining grant values?
Following the guidelines issued by the federal government, Malone University reviewed the eligible population of students and determined a distribution methodology based on a student’s level of financial need. The awards are tiered based on the student’s FAFSA score and Pell eligibility, prioritizing those students with exceptional need. However, a FAFSA score or Pell status is not required to be eligible for an award. Our desire is to help all eligible students while recognizing that students with higher need may require more assistance.
Can a student apply more than once?
This is a one-time cash grant payment to eligible students.
Do I need to pay back the CRRSAA Grant?
If you are awarded a grant, repayment is not required.
What if I have not filed a FAFSA or haven’t received a CRRSAA grant distribution?
The completion of a FAFSA form is not required for eligibility. However, those students who did not complete a 2020-2021 FAFSA were only eligible for the lowest award tier. If you believe you should have received an award and did not, please contact the Business Office at studentbills@malone.edu or 330-471-8117.
Approximately how many students are eligible to participate in this federal program?
Malone University has determined that 1,098 students have met the Department of Education’s eligibility requirements for participation in the CRRSAA program.
How much has been disbursed to date and to how many students?
As of June 2, we disbursed the entire CRRSAA award amount of $623,958 (100%) to 1,098 students.
Malone’s institutional portion of CRRSAA
Malone University received $1,415,570 under CRRSAA Grant Section 314(a)(1), and $86,696 under CRRSAA Grant Section 314(a)
These funds were used to offset lost revenue.
HEERF III (ARP)
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.
ARP funds are in addition to funds authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260 and the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136. Emergency funds available to institutions and their students under all emergency funds total $76.2 billion.
Review appropriations and student awarding for ARP
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.
ARP funds are in addition to funds authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, and the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136. Emergency funds available to institutions and their students under all emergency funds total $76.2 billion.
Malone’s federal allocation of ARP Section 314(a)(1) was $3,494,820 which was received on May 16, 2021. Malone will allocate 51% of the funding, or $1,774,154, to provide direct emergency relief grants to students whose lives and education have been disrupted by COVID-19.
Eligibility
- Enrollment in a degree-seeking (undergraduate and graduate) program during the 2021/22 academic year, including international students and those students exclusively enrolled in online programs.
- Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CCP) courses are not eligible.
- Funds for students may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.
Application
There is no application needed for APR awards.
Distribution of funds
- On November 19 students who met the criteria to receive an automatic disbursement were notified through their Malone emails.
- Funds will be distributed no later than November 24, 2021
- Payments will be made in the form of a check or eRefund.
- To establish an eRefund account, visit ePioneer via Malone Xpress.
How much am I eligible for and what methodology was used for determining grant values?
Following the guidelines issued by the federal government, Malone University reviewed the eligible population of students and determined a distribution methodology based on a student’s level of financial need. The awards are tiered based on the student’s FAFSA score and Pell eligibility, prioritizing those students with exceptional need. However, a FAFSA score or Pell status is not required to be eligible for an award. Our desire is to help all eligible students while recognizing that students with higher need may require more assistance.
Can a student apply more than once?
This is a one-time cash grant payment to eligible students.
Do I need to pay back the ARP Grant?
If you are awarded a grant, repayment is not required.
What if I have not filed a FAFSA or haven’t received an ARP grant distribution?
The completion of a FAFSA form is not required for eligibility. However, those students who did not complete a 2021-2022 FAFSA were only eligible for the lowest award tier. If you believe you should have received an award and did not, please contact the Business Office at studentbills@malone.edu or 330-471-8117.
How much has been disbursed to date and to how many students?
Malone University has determined that 1,152 students for Fall 2021 and 1,074 students for Spring 2022 have met the Department of Education’s eligibility requirements for participation in the ARP program.
Approximately how many students are eligible to participate in this federal program?
As of November 24, we disbursed the ARP award amount of $883,850 (50%) to 1,152 students. As of March 15, 2022, we disbursed the remaining ARP awards in the amount of $890,303 (50%) to 1,074 students.
Malone’s institutional portion of ARP
Malone University received $1,720,666 under ARP Grant Section 314(a)(1), and $154,543 under ARP Grant Section 314(a)(2). These funds were used to offset lost revenue.