As of June 30, 2022, Wheaton College has distributed all HEERF funding. The College received and distributed a total of $3,089,475 in Emergency Federal Aid Grants to Students. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
2020 Funding – CARES Act
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to ease the financial strain across the country created by COVID-19. This act established approximately $14 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to provide emergency grants to students to help them pay expenses caused by the pandemic’s disruption. Wheaton College was awarded $1,338,514 in total with no less than 50% ($669,257) specifically to be used for student relief. Wheaton College signed the certification of agreement required to participate in the program during the 2020 spring semester.
Student Eligibility
In compliance with the guidelines set forth by the CARES Act, only students eligible for federal financial aid qualified for funding, with students with the greatest financial need given priority. Eligibility was determined by the Office of Student Financial Services based on students’ FAFSA applications. Additional eligibility requirements included a completed application and certification that eligible expenses had occurred. Emails were sent on May 5 and again on May 12, 2020 to all potentially eligible students, explaining the Student Relief Fund, and included a link to the online application. Eligible students were also required to be enrolled as students during the spring 2020 semester. Approximately 1,342 students were determined eligible. From the applications received, Wheaton utilized a sliding scale based on assessment of the students’ financial resources weighted to award larger grants to students with greater need. All eligible students who successfully applied were guaranteed a minimum grant of $500.
Disbursement of Funds and Allowable Costs
The $669,257 student portion of CARES Act funding was disbursed via direct deposit or paper check to 537 students beginning in June 2020. These funds were utilized for expenses related to disruptions during the pandemic such as:
- Food
- Housing
- Course materials
- Technology (such as purchases to complete online coursework)
- Transportation for moving out of campus
- Healthcare
- Childcare
Students certified their understanding that any funds received could only be used for pandemic-related expenses.
2021 Funding – CRRSA Act
In December 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus, Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), again allocating funds to support higher education institutions along with their students with expenses and financial needs resulting from the pandemic. Wheaton received another allocation of $669,257 to be used specifically for student relief, and $1,266,048 for institutional relief. Wheaton College signed the certification of agreement required to participate in the program and began distributing to grants to students in early 2021.
Student Eligibility
In compliance with the guidelines set forth by CRRSAA, only students with exceptional need qualified for funding. Eligibility was determined by the Office of Student Financial Services based on students’ FAFSA applications. The FAFSA was also used to verify U.S. Citizenship or permanent residency as an additional eligibility requirement. The student was also required to be a student during the spring 2021 semester. Approximately 1,318 students were determined eligible. Students were encouraged but not required to fill out an additional application prior to the receipt of the funds. To prioritize students with exceptional need, the funds were disbursed in six tiers of $2,400, $2,000, $1,300, $700, $500, and $300.
Disbursement of Funds and Allowable Costs
The $669,257 student portion of CARES Act funding was disbursed via direct deposit or paper check to 502 students beginning in June 2021. These funds could only be used for expenses related to disruptions during the pandemic such as:
- Tuition
- Food
- Housing
- Course materials
- Healthcare (including mental healthcare)
- Childcare
2022 Funding – ARP Act
In March 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP), providing $36 billion in funds to support higher education institutions along with their students with expenses and financial needs resulting from the pandemic. Wheaton received another allocation of $1,750,961 to be used specifically for student relief, and $1,750,960 for institutional relief. The ARP requires institutions prioritize the student portion in order to spend the institutional portion. Wheaton College signed the certification of agreement required to participate in the program and began distributing grants to students in October 2021.
Student Eligibility
In compliance with the guidelines set forth by ARP, only students with exceptional need qualified for funding. Eligibility was determined by the Office of Student Financial Services based on students’ FAFSA applications. The FAFSA was also utilized to verify U.S. Citizenship or permanent residency as an additional eligibility requirement. The student was also required to be a student during the fall 2021 semester. Pell eligible students received disbursements based on their expected family contribution. The five tiers consisted of $2,150, $1,500, $1000, $750 and $500 grants. Students who did not qualify for Pell but demonstrated exceptional need through an application detailing pandemic related expenses also received disbursements from the remaining funds. Approximately 1,296 students were determined eligible.
Disbursement of Funds and Allowable Costs
The $1,750,961 student portion of ARP Act funding was disbursed via direct deposit or paper check to 1,296 students beginning in October 2021 and concluding in June 2022. These funds were only to be used for expenses related to disruptions during the pandemic such as:
- Tuition
- Food
- Housing
- Healthcare (including mental healthcare)
- Childcare
HEERF Quarterly Reports
Final Report, October 30, 2020: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES ACT Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3) – October 30, 2020 (pdf): $669,257 of the original $669,257 institutional portion was spent on campus safety and operations, and specifically for COVID-19 testing.
Quarterly Report, March 31, 2021: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF II – March 31, 2021 (pdf) – CRRSAA (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $1,266,048 of the original $1,266,048 institutional portion was spent on campus safety and operations (COVID-19 testing program).
Quarterly Report, June 30, 2021: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF III – June 30, 2021 (pdf) – ARP (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $304,000 of the original $1,750,960 institutional portion was spent on replacing lost revenue from campus auxiliary services resources (lost summer camp and conference services revenue in summer 2020).
Quarterly Report, September 30, 2021: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF III – September 30, 2021 (pdf) – ARP (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $1,446,960 of the original $1,750,960 institutional portion was spent on replacing lost revenue from academic sources (lost room and board during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters).
Final Report, March 31, 2021 (revised on January 10, 2023): Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF II – March 31, 2021 (pdf) – CRRSAA (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $1,266,048 of the original $1,266,048 institutional portion was spent on campus safety and operations (COVID-19 testing program). (Erroneously designated as a quarterly report.)
Final Report, September 30, 2021 (revised on January 10, 2023): Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF III – September 30, 2021 (pdf) – ARP (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $1,446,960 of the original $1,750,960 institutional portion was spent on replacing lost revenue from academic sources (lost room and board during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters). (Box now checked as a final report.)
Final Report, July 11, 2022 (posted on January 10, 2023): Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II and III grant funds – July 11, 2022 (pdf) – CARES, CRRSAA, and ARP (a)(1) Institutional Funds: $3,686,265 of the original $3,686,265 institutional portion and (a)(1) Student Funds: $3,089,475 of the original $3,089,475 student portion have been spent.
Quarterly Report, June 30, 2021 (revised on January 26, 2023): Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF III – June 30, 2021 (pdf) – ARP (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $0 of the original $1,750,960 institutional portion was spent during this quarter. [$304,000 of the total reward originally reported as spent on replacing lost revenue from campus auxiliary services sources (lost summer camp and conference services revenue in Summer 2020)].
Final Report, September 30, 2021 (revised on January 26, 2023): Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF III – September 30, 2021 (pdf) – ARP (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $1,750,960 of the original $1,750,960 institutional portion was spent on replacing lost revenue from tuition and auxiliary revenue in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. [$1,446,960 of the total award originally reported as replacing lost revenue from academic sources (lost room and board during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021)].
Final Report, September 30, 2021 (revised on May 12, 2023): Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under HEERF III – September 30, 2021 (pdf)– ARP (a)(1) Institutional Portion: $1,350,768 of the original $1,750,960 institutional portion was spent on replacing lost revenue from academic sources (lost room and board and tuition and fees); $383,492 was spent on replacing lost revenue from auxiliary services sources (replacing lost nursery school, rental, and bookstore revenue); $16,000 was spent on purchasing, leasing, or renting additional equipment or software to enable distance learning, or upgrading campus wi-fi access or extending open networks to parking lots or public spaces, etc. (technical costs associated with social distancing as an evidence-based practice to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus); and $700 was spent on other uses (conducting direct outreach to financial aid applicants).