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Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provides for emergency student grant funds to colleges and universities for certain expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

In accordance with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, Butler awarded CARES Act Emergency Grants in two phases:

  1. Prioritized funds to the highest need students – those who received Federal Pell Grant for the 2019–2020 academic year.
  2. By application.
  • CARES Act Emergency Grants are intended to assist ONLY with real expenses you have incurred as a disruption of your studies due to campus closure because of COVID-19.
  • Eligible expenses for the CARES Act Emergency Grant include:
    • Food
    • Housing
    • Travel
    • Course materials
    • Technology
    • Health care
    • Child care.
  • Some examples of reasonable expenses that might be covered include:
    • Computer equipment, internet connectivity, books and supplies;
    • Payment of fees, interest, penalties, and deposits for labs, trips, subscriptions, and activities that have been cancelled due to COVID-19;
    • Travel expenses to return home;
    • Shipping and packing expenses related to securing your belongings;
    • Emergency childcare, housing, food, or vehicle expenses related to the crisis; or
    • Other expenses that are reasonably tied to the disruption of your education.
  • Items NOT eligible for the CARES Act Grants include:
    • Student account balances
    • University charges (tuition, room, board, fees, etc.)
    • Replacement of lost income.
  • Expenses from Monday, March 16 through the summer term may be included in this application.
  • Funds are limited and maximum grant amounts may apply.
  • Students must be eligible for federal financial aid based on the Free Application for Federal Student (FAFSA). A completed 2019-2020 FAFSA must be on file for this application to be reviewed.
  • The application is no longer available. CARES Act Emergency Grants were all awarded. 
  • You should receive a response from the Office of Financial Aid within 3 – 5 business days via the email you provided on the application.
  • Documentation of expenses may be requested prior to grant approval.
  • If your application is approved, funds will be disbursed directly to the student via check from the Office of Student Accounts mailed to the home address in my.butler.edu. Please confirm your home address for prompt delivery.

The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) allocated funds to colleges and universities to assist with COVID-19 related expenses. Butler University signed and submitted the Certification and Agreement form on May 1, 2020 to receive the $3,000,000 that was awarded to Butler. Approval was received May 10, 2020.

The CARES Act restricts at least fifty percent of those funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to be used for immediate emergency grants to students for certain expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis. Accordingly, $1,500,000 will be used for emergency financial aid grants dependent on student requests for these funds. Students must be Title IV (Federal student aid) eligible to receive these funds which encompasses 3000 undergraduate and graduate students at Butler University.

Date Check was Issued Number of Checks Issued Amount
5/11/2020 576 $826,900
5/19/2020 11 $7,839
5/26/2020 180 $204,132
6/2/2020 176 $236,262
6/9/2020 61 $75,571
6/16/2020 53 $74,236
6/23/2020 63 $75,060
6/30/2020 2 $2,652
Totals 1,122* $1,502,652

All funds were disbursed by June 30, 2020.

* This number represents the total number of checks issues. Some students have received multiple checks. Therefore, the 1,122 checks represents 1,001 unique students.

The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provides for emergency student grant funds to colleges and universities for certain expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.  In accordance with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, Butler will award CARES Act Emergency Grants in two phases:

  1. Prioritized funds to the highest need students – those who received Federal Pell Grant for the 2019–2020 academic year.
  2. By application.

Website

Additional Online Resources that were available during the awarding period

Communications & Announcements

  • May 12, 2020 – Pell Grant recipients automatically awarded received letter of explanation with funds
  • May 20, 2020 – Email sent to all students and parents inviting them to apply
  • May 21, 2020 – Email sent to spring 2020 study abroad students who were displaced due to campus closures due to COVID-19
  • June 3, 2020 – University announcement to faculty and staff explaining the CARES Act Emergency Grant
  • June 3, 2020 – Notification push from the Butler App

The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provides for emergency student grant funds to colleges and universities for certain expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

  • CARES Act Emergency Grants are intended to assist ONLY with real expenses you have incurred as a disruption of your studies due to campus closure because of COVID-19.
  • Eligible expenses for the CARES Act Emergency Grant include:
    • Food
    • Housing
    • Travel
    • Course materials
    • Technology
    • Health care
    • Child care.
  • Some examples of reasonable expenses that might be covered include:
    • Computer equipment, internet connectivity, books and supplies;
    • Payment of fees, interest, penalties, and deposits for labs, trips, subscriptions, and activities that have been cancelled due to COVID-19;
    • Travel expenses to return home;
    • Shipping and packing expenses related to securing your belongings;
    • Emergency childcare, housing, food, or vehicle expenses related to the crisis; or
    • Other expenses that are reasonably tied to the disruption of your education.
  • Items NOT eligible for the CARES Act Grants include:
    • Student account balances
    • University charges (tuition, room, board, fees, etc.)
    • Replacement of lost income.
  • Expenses from Monday, March 16 through the summer term may be included in this application.
  • Funds are limited and maximum grant amounts may apply.
  • Students must be eligible for federal financial aid based on the Free Application for Federal Student (FAFSA). A completed 2019-2020 FAFSA must be on file for this application to be reviewed.
  • You should receive a response from the Office of Financial Aid within 3 – 5 business days via the email you provided on the application.
  • Documentation of expenses may be requested prior to grant approval.
  • If your application is approved, funds will be disbursed directly to the student via check from the Office of Student Accounts mailed to the home address in my.butler.edu. Please confirm your home address for prompt delivery.

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Reporting – October 30, 2020

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Reporting – December 31, 2020 (FINAL)

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) provides funds to students to offset institutional costs incurred by the pandemic.

In accordance with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, the CRRSAA Grant has been awarded by the Office of Financial Aid using financing information to refund the awards appropriately to students. Eligible students had the CRRSAA Grant post to their student account and a check for the same amount was mailed to them.

A new Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, referred to as HEERF II, authorized funding under section 314(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA). Since Butler University had previously received grants under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, the University automatically received an additional $1,502,652 to award directly to students to offset costs incurred by the pandemic, including institutional expenses. Students must be Title IV (Federal student aid) eligible to receive these funds which encompasses 3000 undergraduate and graduate students at Butler University.

Disbursement of CRRSAA Grants

Date Check was Issued Number of Checks Issued Amount
3/22/2021 698 $1,356,309.48
4/5/2021 19 $49,400
4/15/2021 7 $60,585
4/23/2021 6 $28,358
4/27/2021 3 $6,500
5/5/2021 1 $1,499.52
Totals 734* $1,502,652.00

All funds were disbursed by May 5, 2021.

* This number represents the total number of checks issues. Some students have received multiple checks. Therefore, the 734 checks represents 727 unique students.

All students awarded the CRRSSA Grant received a check mailed directly to them for the award amount. 

In accordance with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, the CRRSAA Grant has been awarded by the Office of Financial Aid using financial information, including financial need, to refund the awards appropriately to students.

Eligible students were required to have:

  • A completed 2020–2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Eligibility for Federal Student Aid.
  • An Expected Family Contribution (EFC) less than Butler’s Cost of Attendance (COA).

Priority was given to:

  • Recipients of the Pell Grant for the 2020-2021 academic year.
  • Students with outstanding cost of attendance items for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Website

Communications

  • Refund Check Letter – mailed with each CRRSAA Grant recipient.
  • Email to CRRSAA Grant recipients with a student account balance
    • Sent March 25, 2021.
    • Reminded students that they could choose to apply the CRRSAA Grant funds to their student account by signing over their check to the University.
    • Reminded students to contact the Office of Financial Aid about a special circumstance if COVID-19 has caused a job loss.

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Reporting – June 30, 2021 (FINAL)

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) is authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, providing support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2) represents the third stream of funding appropriated for Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Since Butler University had previously received grants under the CARES Act (HEERF I) and under CRRSAAA (HEERF II), the University received $4,010,416 to award directly to students. As of  fall census 2021, 5544 students are eligible to receive these funds.

Additionally, ARP required HEERF funds to be used to 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.

Date Check was Issued Number of Disbursements Amount
8/9/21 89 $272,624
9/29/21 66 $234,200
10/18/21 1 $4,000
10/21/21 2 $4,000
10/27/21 38 $82,165
11/2/21 1 $3,000
11/3/21 3 $4,500
11/10/21 4 $9,765
11/29/21 1 $2,000
11/30/21 1 $4,000
12/2/21 1 $2,000
12/16/21 1395 $2,461,707.84
12/21/21 4 $6,400
12/22/21 5 $9,200
12/23/21 2 $2,400
1/3/22 18 $36,000
1/4/22 2 $3,200
1/5/22 5 $9,200
1/6/22 2 $4,000
1/7/22 2 $4,000
1/10/22 4 $8,000
1/11/22 2 $4,000
1/12/22 2 $4,000
1/14/22 3 $6,000
1/18/22 4 $8,000
1/20/22 1 $2,000
1/25/22 1 $2,000
1/26/22 3 $5,200
1/28/22 1 $2,000
2/8/22 1 $2,000
2/15/22 14 $20,718
2/24/22 1 $3,000
3/2/22 1 $5,000
3/8/22 1 $4,126
3/9/22 4 $8,900
3/23/22 3 $7,300
3/30/22 4 $15,000
4/6/22 4 $9,700
4/13/22 1 $2,000
4/26/22 4 $2,315.82
4/27/22 1 $955.41
5/9/22 1 $2,000
5/24/22 1 $1,856
6/7/22 1 $500
6/30/22 1 $1,200
7/5/22 1 $2,000
7/6/22 1 $2,000
7/11/22 1 $2,000
8/16/22 2 $3,200
8/19/22 1 $500
8/23/22 1 $1,200
8/26/22 2 $3,200
8/30/22 2 $4,000
9/1/22 1 $2,000
9/7/22 1 $1,301
9/8/22 1 $2,000
9/12/22 2 $2,250
9/19/22 1 $2,000
9/21/22 2 $14,200
9/29/22 1 $1,200
10/10/22 2 $15,300
10/12/22 3 $13,500
10/24/22 3 $3,000
10/25/22 1 $2,000
11/8/22 525 $420,000
11/14/22 2 $2,000
11/16/22 2 $9,907.82
11/17/22 3 $16,000.54
11/18/22 9 $54,749.48
11/28/22 2 $1,500
11/29/22 1 $750
11/30/22 26 $28,960.75
12/1/22 1 $1,000
12/6/22 4 $33,767.63
12/8/22 2 $14,364.86
12/9/22 1 $7,000
12/13/22 161 $191,607.70
12/19/22 1 $500
12/22/22 2 $1,000
3/14/23 11 $15,923.15
Totals 2411* $4,010,416

* This number represents the total number of disbursements.  A student is eligible for more than one disbursement. This represents 1773 unique students who have received grant funds.

Students awarded the ARP Grant were given the option to receive a check mailed directly for the funds or apply the funds to their student account. Students opting to have the funds applied to their student account were required to complete an online form granting permission. Students who did not specify their option, were sent a check mailed directly to them for the award amount.

In accordance with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, the ARP Grant has been awarded by the Office of Financial Aid using financial information to award appropriately to students.

Factors considered and prioritized:

  • A completed Free Application for Federal Student aid (FAFSA) for 2020-21, 2021-22, or 2022-23.
  • Exceptional financial need.
  • Attended Butler since the date of declaration of the national emergency of March 13, 2020.

Award Recipients

  • Student receives personalized email with award amount
    • Email includes reminder that student can request review for professional judgement.
  • Email indicates approximate 10 day deadline for student response using Butler University ARP Funds Recipient Selection
    • This is a secure Google form requiring Butler University login where students select their choice of refund or credit applied to their account.
  • After deadline to respond has passed:
    • Student who selected apply award to account will have it posted directly to their student account/University balance.
    • All other students are issued a check mailed by US Post along with a grant letter.
      • Letter includes reminder that student can request review for professional judgement.

Professional judgement communication

  • Postcard was mailed to all 21-22 FAFSA filers on October 8, 2021.

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – September 30, 2021 

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – December 31, 2021 

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – March 31, 2022

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – June 30, 2022

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – September 30, 2022

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – December 31, 2022

Quarterly Budget Expenditure Report – March 31, 2023 (FINAL)