HEERF/CRRSAA and ARP Grant Programs - Student Portion

Long Island University has received funding from the federal government for a grant under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act as part of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

Section 314(d)(5) of CRRSAA requires that an institution receiving funding under section 314(a)(1) provide the same amount in financial aid grants to students from the new CRRSAA funds that it was required or which it would have been required to provide under its original Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Student Aid Portion award. The ARP, with some changes, is a continuation of the CRRSAA programs. Under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) programs, student portion funds must be used to provide financial aid grants to students (including students exclusively enrolled in distance education) which 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. In making financial aid grants to students, an institution of higher education must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants.

The Certification and Agreements for the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) funds provide that each institution applying for HEERF funds must promptly and timely provide a detailed accounting of the use and expenditure of the funds in such manner and with such frequency as the Secretary may require. The following information must appear in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public and must be updated no later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter (September 30, December 31, March 31, and June 30) thereafter:

  1. An acknowledgement 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.

Long Island University has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement.

Long Island University has distributed emergency financial aid grants to students, and intends to use 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.

  1. The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received 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.
  2. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed 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).
  3. The estimated total 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.
  4. 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.
  5. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs.

The Department of Education has given colleges and universities discretion to determine how this emergency assistance will be disbursed to eligible students. In accordance with the directive from the Secretary, institutions are to prioritize funding for those students with the greatest need, while distributing grants as widely as possible for maximum impact.

The University’s rubric for distributing CRRSAA grants to eligible students during the Spring 2021 term was as follows: