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Tuition and Aid

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)

Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds - HEERF III

>>All HEERF Funds have been exhausted and are no longer available.<<

The Higher Educational Emergency Relief Fund, or HEERF, was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, & Economic Security (CARES) Act in spring 2020. Additional funds were allocated to HEERF as authorized by the Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021,(CRRSA) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP).

On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (P.L. 116-260). This new law gives the
U.S. Department of Education (Department) approximately $22.7 billion to distribute to
institutions of higher education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus
through the HEERF.

Notably, similar to CARES, the CRRSAA includes no student eligibility requirements, however, institutions are required to prioritize grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Pell Grants. 

Because HEERF funds have been allocated in separate phases, the funds distributed for student and institutional support in spring 2020 are referred to as CARES or HEERF Phase I and those distributed in spring 2021 are referred to as HEERF Phase II of CRRSA/Phase III is known as HEERF III under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (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. 

Taken together, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (Pub. L. 116–136), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (Pub. L. 116-260), and the ARP represent HEERF I, HEERF II, and HEERF III, respectively. 

New required uses of grant funds: The ARP has two new required uses of HEERF III Institutional Portion grant funds for public and private nonprofit institutions in which, if the Institutional Portion is not used entirely for emergency financial grants to students, a portion of funds must be used to: (a) implement evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with public health guidelines; and (b) conduct direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial aid adjustment due to the recent unemployment of a family member or independent student, or other circumstances, described in section 479A of the HEA.

1.     Lasell University acknowledges that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used 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.

2.     Lasell University received $823,971.00 from the Department pursuant to the institution's Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs. Lasell has awarded and disbursed all CRRSAA funding. 

3.     Lasell University received a total amount of ARP/HEERF III funds from the Department of $4,332,410.00. Lasell must provide grants to eligible students at least 50% of allocation. The amount allocated for the student portion of ARP/HEERF III is $2,170,314 and the institution portion is $2,162,096

4.    Lasell University has distributed the following amounts to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the initial report and every calendar quarter thereafter).

  • As of April 9, 2021 Lasell University awarded CRRSAA $774,236 to 969 students.
  • As of July 7, 2021 Lasell University awarded CRRSAA $776,981 to 972 students. 
  • As on October 5, 2021 Lasell University awarded CRRSAA $819,697 to 997 students.
  • As on October 5, 2021 Lasell University awarded ARP $952,100 to 804 students.
  • As of January 8, 2022 Lasell University awarded CRRSAA $$823,971 to 999 students. 
  • As of January 8, 2022 Lasell University awarded ARP $1,302,397 to 831 students. 
  • As of March 31, 2022 Lasell University awarded ARP $2,123,897 to 876 students. 

4.   Lasell University estimates 1,405 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.

CRRSAA/HEERF II has been awarded to 999 students in the amount of $$823,971 and is now closed as of January 2022. 

ESF Reporting - HEERF - Year One

ESF Reporting - HEER - Year Two

June 30th Quarterly Public Reporting Form

March 2022 Quarterly Public Reporting Form Institutional Portion

December 2021 Quarterly Public Reporting Form Institutional Portion

October 2021 Quarterly Public Reporting Form Institutional Portion

July 2021 Quarterly Public Reporting Form for (a)(3) Institutional Portion

What is the CARES Act?

The CARES Act is federal legislation that provides a variety of financial support to individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to provide emergency financial aid grants. One part of this federal program allocates money to Lasell University, and a portion of that allocation can be awarded to students who are experiencing expenses due to the coronavirus and the disruption to the semester.