ARP
The American Rescue Plan authorized the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III to ensure continued learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) authorized the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) on March 11, 2021, providing monetary 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 previously authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
UWF received ARP funds in the amount of $11,269,751 to offer financial aid grants to students. Like CRRSAA, ARP guidance requires institutions to prioritize students with exceptional need.
Students meeting the priority eligibility guidelines described below were automatically considered for an ARP grant each semester until funds were exhausted. Students that did not meet the criteria were considered through the current UWF Emergency Grant process.
Priority eligibility for students with exceptional need
UWF continued to prioritize ARP funds to students with exceptional need such as students who were Pell Grant-eligible or demonstrated extraordinary financial circumstances due to COVID-19.
Students with a FAFSA and an EFC under $16,000 were automatically considered for a grant and did not need to apply.
Students with an EFC of $16,000 or more or those with no FAFSA were considered through the UWF Emergency Grant Process if there was a demonstrated COVID-19 hardship such as:
- Students eligible for need-based aid.
- Loss of employment (either themselves or their family's).
- Reduced income.
- Food or housing insecurity.
UWF also exercised professional judgment to make an award when deemed necessary.
Student notification of eligibility
Students were notified by email once the grant was awarded. With ARP, the student self-certification was no longer required.
Additional information
Initial awarding began in August 2021 for students enrolled in Summer and Fall 2021 with exceptional need and each received $600. On Sept. 8, 2021, the UWF Emergency Grant Application was opened via MyUWF.
The Priority Awarding Guidelines table below was used with disbursements beginning Sept. 13, 2021, and amounts varied based on need.
| Expected Family Contribution (per FAFSA) | Amount |
|---|---|
| $0-$5,847 | $1,000 |
| $5,848-$9,999 | $750 |
| $10,000-$15,999 | $500 |
International students were eligible to receive funds and had a separate application process, which was made available after Oct. 15, 2021. Students could search for and select the International Emergency Grant Form in MyUWF.
If you have questions concerning the process used, please contact heerf@uwf.edu.
A final disbursement of ARP (HEERF III) was made to our greatest need graduate students in the Spring 2022 semester. To enable an award of $200 to each student, HEERF III student financial aid funds were supplemented with HEERF III institutional aid.
Funds expended
As of March 31, 2022, ARP emergency grant funds have been expended in the amount of $11,269,751 to a total of 9,241 students. UWF estimates that a total of 14,608 students were eligible.
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting
| Aid Type | Total Disbursed | Student Recipients |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter Ending March 31, 2021 | ||
| CARES Act Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 2,225 |
| CARES Act Institutional Aid1,3 | $600,462 | 612 |
| CRRSAA Emergency Student Grants | $2,185,850 | 2,845 |
| SIP Strengthening Institutions Program2 | $337,172 | 188 |
| Quarter Ending June 30, 2021 | ||
| CARES Act Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 2,225 |
| CARES Act Institutional Aid1,3 | $600,462 | 612 |
| CRRSAA Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 4,102 |
| SIP Strengthening Institutions Program2 | $337,172 | 188 |
| CRRSAA Institutional Aid3 | $176,656 | 155 |
| American Rescue Plan Emergency Student Grants | $0 | 0 |
| Quarter Ending Sept. 30, 2021 | ||
| CARES Act Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 2,225 |
| CARES Act Institutional Aid1,3 | $600,462 | 612 |
| CRRSAA Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 4,102 |
| SIP Strengthening Institutions Program2 | $711,165 | 300 |
| CRRSAA Institutional Aid3 | $194,606 | 180 |
| American Rescue Plan Emergency Student Grants | $6,122,200 | 5,616 |
| Quarter Ending Dec. 31, 2021 | ||
| CARES Act Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 2,225 |
| CARES Act Institutional Aid1,3 | $600,462 | 612 |
| CRRSAA Emergency Student Grants | $3,400,694 | 4,102 |
| SIP Strengthening Institutions Program2 | $711,165 | 300 |
| CRRSAA Institutional Aid1,3 | $322,606 | 245 |
| American Rescue Plan Emergency Student Grants | $7,093,144 | 6,476 |
| Quarter Ending March 31, 2022 | ||
| CARES Act Emergency Student Grants4 | $3,400,694 | 2,225 |
| CARES Act Institutional Aid1,3 | $600,462 | 612 |
| CRRSAA Emergency Student Grants4 | $3,400,694 | 4,102 |
| SIP Strengthening Institutions Program2 | $1,068,315 | 300 |
| CRRSAA Institutional Aid1,3 | $427,106 | 285 |
| American Rescue Plan Emergency Student Grants4 | $11,269,751 | 9,241 |
| American Rescue Plan Emergency Grant Institutional Aid3 | $12,882 | 65 |
1 A portion of CARES and CRRSAA institutional aid was used for students with a military affiliation whose housing allowance was negatively impacted by COVID.
2 UWF received a Title III SIP grant from the US Department of Education (DOE) which made UWF eligible to receive HEERF funding in the category of SIP. Of the total $1,808,800 received, $1,068,315 was used for student aid. Of the amount used for student aid, $337,172 was awarded to seniors near graduation, and $731,143 was used to provide scholarships for students to help assist in the cost of attendance in the STEM Scholars program.
3 A portion of institutional aid was awarded utilizing the same criteria as the CARES, CRRSAA, and ARPG emergency student grants. 4 Specific to this webpage, March 31, 2022 is UWF's final Quarterly Reporting for the Student Portion of HEERF (PR/Award Number: P425E200197). This quarterly reporting reflects all expenditures of the Student Portion.