CRRSAA Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) Program

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA)

LIM College is participating in CRRSAA HEERF II Funding

Spring 2021

LIM College (OPEID: 007466) received education stabilization funds designated exclusively for emergency financial aid grants to students under section 314(a)(4) of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) as authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020.

The Department of Education requires to report on the use of funds no later than 6 months after the date of this award in a manner to be specified by the Secretary pursuant to section 314(e) of the CRRSAA. Recipient must also promptly and timely provide a detailed accounting of the use of funds provided by this award in such manner and with such subsequent frequency as the Secretary may require. Recipient will comply with any other applicable reporting requirements including those in Section 15011(b)(2) of Division B of the CARES Act.

The institution is making the following information available for transparency purposes and in compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s (“Department”) HEERF guidance. For questions or concerns regarding this Fund Report, please contact Christopher E. Barto, Vice President of Government Relations and Community Affairs, at christopher.barto@limcollege.edu.

HEERF II – CRRSAA – FINAL Quarterly Fund Report for Period Ending September 30, 2021 – Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students

October 10, 2021 This Final Quarterly report reflects the student portion of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) financial aid grants to students for the third quarter of 2021 (through September 30, 2021) and is inclusive of the cumulative award activity that has occurred since the College’s initial receipt of these funds.

On February 22, 2021, LIM College signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement (CFDA 84.425Q) ((a)(4) Program) for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. The institution has used, or intends to use, 100 percent of the funds received under section 314(a)(4) of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) as authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA).
The total amount of funds that LIM College will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students is $983,049.
The total amount of emergency financial aid grants distributed to students under section 314(a)(4) of the CRRSAA as of the date of this Fund Report is $983,049.
The estimated total number of students at LIM College eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and thus eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants under section 314(a)(4) of the CRRSAA, as of the date of this Fund Report is 971.
The total number of students who have received an emergency financial aid grant under section 314(a)(4) of the CRRSAA as of the date of this Fund Report is 646.
The methods used by LIM College to determine which students receive emergency financial aid grants and how much they would receive under section 314(a)(4) of the CRRSAA are provided at Attachment A.
The instructions, directions, or guidance provided by LIM College to students concerning the emergency financial aid grants are provided at Attachment B.

Attachments

Attachment A

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), 2021 – Sec. 314(a)(4) – Proprietary Institutions Grant Funds for Students: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) – LIM College Student Emergency Aid Approved Process & Criteria for Awarding Funds

February 24, 2021, Updated: March 5, 2021 – Below process & criteria based on U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) guidance through this date.

Project Leads:

Christopher E. Barto, VP of Government Relations & Community Affairs (CRRSAA HEERF II - Institutional Grant Representative)
Erik Paulson, VP of Finance & Controller

Approved Use of Funds and Covered Expenses:

“Under section 314(c)(3) of the CRRSAA, Recipient [LIM College] must make 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.”

LIM College confirmed our total eligible Student CRRSAA Act - Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) Federal allocation = $983,049.
Eligible students:
- Consideration for CRRSAA HEERF II award funds will be given to Title IV eligible students (based on receipt of a valid 2020-21 FAFSA by LIM) who are enrolled during spring 2021 or summer 2021 in all LIM divisions of study. Pending availability of remaining funds, this may extend to fall 2021 enrolled students.
- Based on USDOE recommendations, LIM will give Priority Consideration to students with exceptional need, which LIM is currently defining as Pell Grant recipients, students with unmet financial need, or students who provide a written attestation of such need.

Eligible semesters: Spring 2021, Summer 2021, and Fall 2021 (if funds remain to expend during that term)

Awarding plan & process:
- Award approximately 85% of CRRSAA HEERF II Student Emergency Grant funds in “automatic” awards divided into Two Tiers of demonstrated Exceptional Need to all eligible Pell Grant recipients (Tier I) and students with unmet financial need (Tier II) to distribute most funds as quickly as possible, as follows:
  - Tier I: Pell Grant Eligible Students (Priority Group #1) = 454 Students currently
    - Offer Automatic Awards of $1,375/each = $624,250
  - Tier II: Non-Pell Eligible Students (Priority Group #2) with Unmet Need (based on 2020-21 FAFSA data) = 225 Students currently
    - Offer Automatic Awards of $875/each = $196,875
  - Awarded students will need to complete a CRRSAA HEERF II Certification Form within 30 days, which affirms they will use funds for approved and covered expenses, in order for the funds to be disbursed as a student refund or for students to request specific amounts to be applied towards a tuition balance. Unclaimed Tier I & II funds will be added to the Tier III available funds.
- Award Remaining approximately 15% of allocation = $161,924 in Tier III Student Emergency Grants that will be distributed through an online application, attestation and certification process:
  - Tier III eligible students (with a valid 2020-21 FAFSA on file with LIM) will be required to attest to having exceptional need, certify which covered expenses they have, as well as write a brief impact statement (as was the case in our CARES Act HEERF II process).
  - Members of LIM’s HEERF Emergency Fund Working Group (see below) will review each request and will make and communicate award decisions on a weekly to bi-weekly basis.
    - Standard amounts will be awarded for eligible covered expenses and requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for consideration.
  - Funds will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis with priority consideration given to students who have maximized use of all other available financial aid funding and those with lower EFCs.
  - Maximum total Tier I or Tier II + Tier III awards = $4,000. All approved funds must be refunded to students or students can authorize and approve specific amounts to be applied towards LIM College tuition balances.

CRRSAA HEERF II Emergency Fund Working Group Members:
- Vice President of Finance & Controller o Vice President of Government Relations & Community Affairs
- Associate Director of Financial Aid
- Associate Director of Student Accounts

Award documentation and Reporting:
- The Student Financial Services (SFS) Office, under the direction of the VP of Finance & Controller, will maintain documentation of all CRRSAA HEERF II Emergency Grant awards, applications, and supporting materials. Information regarding all CRRSAA HEERF II Emergency Fund Tier III award decisions made by the Working Group will also be maintained along with the criteria used to determine award amounts.
- The VP of Government Relations & Community Affairs and the VP of Finance & Controller will work with the SFS Office to comply with all reporting requirements from the USDOE on the expenditure of these award funds and any other required information.

Attachment B