HEERF Emergency Grants Report

ARP/HEERF III Funding Section 2003(a)(1) - Student Portion

Quarterly Report:  For the period ending September 30, 2021

Report Posting Date:  10/04/2021

On March 11, 2021, the President of the Unites States signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2). The ARP appropriated approximately $39.6 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and represents the third stream of funding appropriated for HEERF to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

The following information is provided by Cal Poly Pomona as required by the Department of Education (“ED”) in order to comply with the reporting requirements under the ARP (a)(1) programs.

Acknowledgement:

HEERF III:

Institutions who received HEERF I Grant funds under the CARES Act were not required to submit an application for the HEERF III Grant.  California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) received its HEERF III Grant Award Notification on June 23, 2021. In keeping with the terms of acceptance of these funds, Cal Poly Pomona will use no less than $42,594,664, as stated under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP, to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants directly to students.

Totals:

  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.

HEERF III:

Cal Poly Pomona received a total of $42,594,664 under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP on June 23, 2021, which will be provided as Emergency Financial Aid Grants directly to students with expenses related to the COVID-19 crisis.

  1. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students as of the date of submission.

HEERF III:

Cal Poly Pomona received its HEERF III Grant Award Notification on June 23, 2021.  The university has developed a three phased approach to distributing the funds. 

The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants that has been distributed to students under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP as of September 30, 2021 is $4,416,425.

  1. The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

HEERF III: 

The total amount of students that were eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants during the first phase of distributions of September 30, 2021, was 3,175.

The university has developed a three phased approach to distributing the funds; phase II of the distribution will occur during October 2021.  We estimate over 18,000 students may be eligible for HEERF III funds in phase II.

  1. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant.

HEERF III:

As of September 30, 2021, the total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP at Cal Poly Pomona is 3,175 (under Phase I of our distribution plan).

Method(s) used by the institution to determine who receives Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive.

HEERF III:

The university has developed a three phased approach to distributing the funds. 
Under the first phase, Cal Poly Pomona distributed automatic grants to students with exceptional need enrolled in a least one unit during the Summer 2021 term.  The ARP requires institutions prioritize students with exceptional need when awarding these Grants, such as students who receive a Federal Pell Grant.  However, students do not need to be only Pell recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants. Grant amounts were $1,391, which is the equivalent of one month’s off-campus room & board from the Summer 2020 – 2021 Cost of Attendance budget at Cal Poly Pomona.

To be eligible for an APR Emergency Financial Aid Grant, each student must have been:

  • A degree or credential seeking student
  • Enrolled during Summer 2021 in at least one unit (as of July 28, 2021)
  • Have exceptional need – as demonstrated by the EFC of 0 – 5,711 on 2020 – 2021 FAFSA or Dream Application.

As of September 30, 2021, the second phase of the distribution plan is being finalized.  This includes determining eligibility for an automatic grant and the dollar amounts of grants.

Instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

HEERF III:

The University’s HEERF III website was updated on August 2, 2021, to include information on the Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP. This website includes eligibility requirements for the grant, deadlines, timelines, and FAQS.

All students enrolled in the Summer 2021 term received an email alerting them to the HEERF III Emergency Financial Aid Grants, and directing them to the University’s HEERF III website, at American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III).

Since grants were only being provided to those students with exceptional need (as demonstrated on the FAFSA or CA Dream Application), there was no action required by students in order to receive the grants.

Timeline

  • August 2, 2021: HEERF Website updated to include information about Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP.
  • August 2, 2021: Email notification sent to all eligible students enrolled in the Summer 2021 term.  The email contained information on the grant and the grant amount.  The email also provided information about additional forms of support available through CPP.
  • August 2, 2021: Payments to students eligible for automatic aid payments were processed.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion and (a)(2) Minority Serving Institutions

IHEs must post the Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting Form no later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter, (January 10, April 10, July 10, October 10) apart from the first report for the period ending September 30, 2020, that is due to be publicly posted on an institutions’ website by October 30, 2020.  Once an institution has expended all of their funds, the latest iteration of their quarterly reporting must be marked with a “Final” designation on their webpage.

Quarterly Reporting for California State Polytechnic University, Pomona’s Sections (a)(1) Institutional Portion and (a)(2) Minority Serving Institutions of HEERF I, II, and III are provided below:

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of December 31, 2021 (posted 1/4/2022)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of September 30, 2021 (posted 10/5/2021)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of June 30, 2021 (posted 7/7/2021)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of March 31, 2021 (posted 4/5/2021)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of December 31, 2020 (revised) (posted 1/20/2021)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of December 31, 2020 (posted 1/4/2021)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report as of September 30, 2020 (posted 10/28/2020)