American Rescue Plan
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.