American Rescue Plan (ARP): Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III)
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) is authorized by the American Rescue Plan. The ARP requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants or undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances. Institutions are expected to establish a transparent process for assessing need. Beyond Pell eligibility, other ways of prioritizing exceptional need could include students who may be eligible for other federal or state need-based aid or have faced significant unexpected expenses, such as the loss of employment, reduced income, or food or housing insecurity. The Department’s final rule on student eligibility for HEERF states that all students who are or were enrolled in an institution of higher education during the COVID-19 national emergency are eligible for emergency financial aid grants, regardless of whether they completed a FAFSA or are eligible for Title IV.
CAPSTONE COLLEGE signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. The institution has used, or intends to use, 100 percent of the funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Capstone has received $32,821 in emergency grants for eligible students experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We estimate that 112 students are eligible for HEERF II and HEERF III funds. These are one-time grants from the federal government and do not require any repayment. The HEERF III emergency grant provides temporary, short-term, emergency financial assistance to eligible students who are experiencing an unforeseen hardship that could adversely affect their educational success. The main criteria for a grant are the demonstration of a genuine need and that the capacity for continued study may be in jeopardy due to financial hardship.
CAPSTONE COLLEGE received our allocation of HEERF III funds from the U.S. Department of Education on July 15, 2021.
CAPSTONE COLLEGE has distributed $20,289 of these funds to 37 students as of September 30, 2021.
CAPSTONE COLLEGE has distributed the entire grant of $32,821 to 66 students as of December 31, 2021.
Eligibility Criteria
- Currently enrolled and active CAPSTONE COLLEGE students who are not on an LOA.
- Students that subsequently enroll are also eligible until funds are exhausted.
We will begin distributing grants to eligible as quickly as possible, and anticipate checks will be available to pick up at the school in August. Recipients will be notified in class and via school email. We will mail out the check for any student that requests it. Students that return from LOA become eligible and students that begin class in May or later may have to wait until a month or so has passed to receive their grant payment.
CAPSTONE COLLEGE will provide funds in 3 groups.
Group 1: Your 2021/22 FAFSA EFC is 0. You can expect to receive $900.
Group 2: Your 2021/22 FAFSA EFC is 1 or higher. You can expect to receive $400.
Group 3: You do not wish to complete a FAFSA. You can expect to receive $400.
FAQ
Your grant is not taxable income
No, your grant is not taxable income. Emergency financial aid grants are for unexpected expenses, unmet financial need, or expenses related to the disruption of campus operations on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as unexpected expenses for food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, or childcare, are qualified disaster relief payments under section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Your grant will have no effect on your other financial aid
If you receive an emergency grant and later withdraw from CAPSTONE COLLEGE, you are not required to pay it back.
Contact: CAPSTONE COLLEGE if you still have questions
For questions regarding HEERF II (CRRSAA) call the Financial Aid Office at CAPSTONE COLLEGE. Or email Bridget Baumgartner: Bridget@CapstoneCollege.edu