Allegheny College Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Student Aid Report for Quarter Ending 3/31/2022 – Final Quarterly Report

In accordance with Section 2003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARP” or the “Act”), The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (“HEERF III”), Section 314 of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and the guidance issued by the United States Department of Education, including Office of Postsecondary Education’s guidance dated May 6, 2020, Allegheny College submits this report concerning the award Allegheny College received under HEERF I, II and III consisting of funds for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

1. Acknowledgement of Funding and Certification

Allegheny College reviewed, signed and returned the U.S. Department of Education’s Certification and Agreement for HEERF I (CARES Act) funds on April 14, 2020.  Allegheny College received a grant award notification on April 23, 2020, for HEERF I; January 19, 2021, for HEERF II; and May 12, 2021, for HEERF III.

As required by the certification, Allegheny College used no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants directly to students.

We reviewed and sent confirmation of receipt of the CRRSAA funds on January 29, 2021. As required by the certification, Allegheny College provided the same amount in financial aid grants to students from Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA funds that it was required to provide under its original CARES Act Student Aid Portion award.

We reviewed and sent confirmation of receipt of the ARP funds on May 24, 2021. As required by the certification, Allegheny College will use at least half of its allocation under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act to make emergency financial aid grants to students.

2. Funds Awarded for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students

Allegheny College received $871,541 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, $871,541 under Section 314(a)(1) of CRRSAA and $2,315,191 under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act for a total of $4,058,273 in HEERF grants (student portion).

3. Emergency Financial Aid Grants Distributed to Students in the First Quarter of 2022

The $871,541 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act and $871,541 under Section 314(a)(1) of CRRSAA (student portion) were fully disbursed to students prior to the first quarter of 2022. Of the $2,315,191 Allegheny College received under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act designated for distribution to students, which may be used for cost of attendance components or for emergency costs that arise due to COVID-19, Allegheny College distributed $1,159,400, but drew down $1,156,900 in the third quarter of 2021. Allegheny College provided the additional $2,500 awarded. In the first quarter of 2022, Allegheny College distributed $1,155,800 and drew down the remaining $1,158,291. Allegheny distributed $2,491 less than what was drawn down to reimburse the college for part of the extra $2,500 that was distributed in the third quarter of 2021. Overall, although Allegheny College distributed $2,315,200 total, the college distributed $2,315,191 in HEERF funds. The college covered the extra $9 that was distributed.

Because all HEERF funding (student portion) has been distributed, this report serves as our final quarterly report.

4. Eligible Students

Allegheny College had approximately 1,400 students in the first quarter of 2022 who were eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act.

5. Eligible Students Receiving Aid in First Quarter 2022

As of the date of this report, Allegheny College distributed two rounds of funds it received under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act designated for distribution to students, which may be used for cost of attendance components or for emergency costs that arise due to COVID-19. In the first round, which consisted of $1,159,400 distributed in the third quarter of 2021, funding went to 1,127 students. In the second round, which consisted of $1,155,800 distributed in the first quarter of 2022, funds went to 1,427 students, most of whom also received funds in the first round. No students received funds from Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act or Section 314(a)(1) of CRRSAA (student portion) during this quarter, because those funds had already been disbursed.

As stated above, although Allegheny College distributed $2,315,200 total, the college distributed $2,315,191 in HEERF funds. The college covered the extra $9 that was distributed.

6. Distribution Method for Emergency Financial Aid Grants

Allegheny College chose to provide various levels of funds based on demonstrated need to students in two rounds for the 2021-2022 academic year.

In the first round distributed during the third quarter of 2021, the Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act went to students previously enrolled at Allegheny College prior to the start of the fall 2021 semester. The highest-need students who qualified for a Federal Pell Grant received $1,500 each. This group consisted of 312 students, one of which received a duplicate award, so 313 awards.  Students who did not qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, but still demonstrated a significant level of financial need as determined by their 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), received $1,400 each. This group consisted of 98 students. An additional 265 students who demonstrated a moderate level of need received $1,000 each, and 403 students who did not demonstrate need received $600 each. The remaining 51 students were foreign students who were awarded $900 each. There was a processing error that awarded three students two awards each. However, those processing errors were not factored into the funds drawn down, so Allegheny College drew down $1,156,900, but awarded $1,159,400. Allegheny College provided the additional $2,500 awarded. For those three students, the extra funding awarded in the fall of 2021 impacted their awards when evaluating how to allocate the remaining $1,158,291.

In the second round distributed during the first quarter of 2022, the Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 2003(7) of the ARP Act went to students currently enrolled at Allegheny College as of January 28, 2022. The highest-need students who qualified for a Federal Pell Grant received $1,200 each. This group consisted of 390 students.  Students who did not qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, but still demonstrated a significant level of financial need as determined by their 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), received $1,000 each. This group consisted of 130 students. An additional 272 students who demonstrated a fair level of need received $850 each, and 91 students who still demonstrated a moderate level of need received $600 each. The remaining 67 students who were foreign students and 477 students who did not demonstrate need were awarded $500 each.

As stated above, although Allegheny College distributed $2,315,200 total, the college distributed $2,315,191 in HEERF funds. The college covered the extra $9 that was distributed.)

7. Communication to Students Concerning the HEERF III Emergency Financial Aid Grants

In order to distribute this grant according to the student’s wishes, for the first round of funding distributed in the third quarter of 2021, on August 2, 2021, Allegheny College emailed all students designated to receive HEERF III funds at that time, requesting that each student complete a Student HEERF Award Option to Receive Funds agreement by August 31, 2021. For the second round of funding distributed in the first quarter of 2022, on February 4, 2022, Allegheny College emailed all students designated to receive HEERF III funds at that time, requesting that each student complete a Student HEERF Award Option to Receive Funds agreement by February 18, 2022. In these agreements, students indicated if they wished to have their HEERF III funds pay down their Allegheny student bill or if the funds should be issued directly to them. If a student did not complete the Student HEERF Award Option to Receive Funds agreement by August 31, 2021, for the first round or February 18, 2022, for the second round, his or her HEERF III funds were issued directly to the student.