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On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by the U.S. federal government. It included a provision (Section 18004(a)(1)) that authorized the Department of Education to allocate by formula grant funds to institutions of higher education; these funds are known as Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF). Subsequently, on December 27, 2020, the Coronavirus, Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) was enacted which included additional HEER funds in Section 314(a)(1). Finally, on March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan, Public Law 117-2 (ARP) was finalized which, among other things, provided a third allocation of HEER funds.

As a recipient of HEER funds, the following information is provided to comply with guidance from the Department of Education.

On April 13, 2020, Bryn Mawr College (the “College”) signed and returned to the Department of Education (“DoE”) the Certification and Agreement associated with the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, And Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”).  Bryn Mawr College received its HEERF II grant award notification on January 19, 2021 and its HEERF III grant award notification on May 18, 2021. Signing an additional agreement to receive these latter two funding allocations was not required.

In keeping with the terms of acceptance of these funds, Bryn Mawr College pledged to use no less than the following amounts to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants directly to students.

Between October 1 and December 31, 2021, $1,311,189 of the HEER funds were distributed to 903 students of the 1,794 estimated number of students potentially eligible to receive such funding.  The distribution of these funds occurred on October 18, 2021.  Of the $1,311,189, $4,321 was sourced from HEER II funds and $1,306,868 was HEER III funds.

Including amounts that were distributed to students in prior quarters, the entire $2,341,935 allocation was distributed to 1,373 unduplicated students prior to December 31, 2021.

Bryn Mawr College primarily used the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the institutional financial aid application (CSS Profile) as the application to apply for an Emergency Student Financial Aid Grant. Any enrolled student who had filed a FAFSA or institutional financial aid application for the then-current semester that demonstrated financial need was determined to be eligible for a grant.  Students with greater demonstrated financial need were provided larger amounts while those with less demonstrated financial need were provided smaller amounts.

All students were made aware of HEERF funds via an e-mail sent on September 15, 2021.  Then on September 22, 2021, an individualized e-mail was sent to students for whom the College had information that that they likely had financial need notifying them of their proposed award amount and method of payment (check or direct deposit).  Those students were also given a link to an electronic certification form to complete. The form also gave students the ability to decline their award or reduce the amount of their award to align it with their assessment of the financial impact of the pandemic. Adjustments to award amounts were made accordingly.