American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III).
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.
Eligible expenses include:
- any component of their cost of attendance
- emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as: tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental), and childcare.
Institutions are required to prioritize grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Pell Grants.
LRSC American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) Awarding & Disbursement Policy Phase I
- Eligible students must be enrolled for the summer 2021 semester as of June 12, 2021
- Must be a degree-seeking student
- LRSC will distribute HEERF III funds to students with exceptional needs.
- Students receiving Pell grants will receive a block grant in the amount of $1,000. This block grant will be awarded to prioritize those students with exceptional financial needs.
Awarding & Disbursement Policy Phase II
- Eligible students enrolled on or after March 13, 2020, for Spring 2020, Summer 2020, and Fall 2020 semesters. Students must have been degree-seeking students who are currently not enrolled at another institution. LRSC will distribute 25% of the funding it has received for this population of students felt to have suffered the most impact from the COVID-19 emergency. Students will have 90 days from the date of disbursement to cash the funds. If the check has not been cashed it will be voided. The institution will either re-issue to another student or return the funds to the Department of Education.
- Students who were enrolled as degree-seeking students for the Fall 2021 semester (at the time of the census) will receive the following:
- Pell grant recipients: $1,400
- Non-Pell grant recipients: $1,000
- The remaining funding (approximately 3%) will be open for international applicants or students that have a special circumstance caused by the COVID-19 emergency.
- Degree-seeking international students must complete the application on the website.
- Degree-seeking, currently enrolled students that have a special circumstance can email a request to the LRSC HEERF III Committee - Kelsey.Walters@lrsc.edu
- Any remaining HEERF III funds that have not been requested by Jan 31, 2022, will be distributed to eligible enrolled students receiving the Pell grant.
- As of December 30, 2021 LRSC has distributed $883,382 to 1,082 students.
- As of March 31, 2022 LRSC has distributed $883,382 to 1,082 students.