CARES Act Funds
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Reporting:
Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
Martin Luther College 30-Day Fund Report
(posted 9/18/2020)
Section 18004€ of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat.281 (March 27, 2020), directs institutions receiving funds under Section 18004 of the Act to submit (in a time and manner required by the secretary) a report to the Secretary describing the use of funds distributed from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education posted their requirements for HEERF participating institutions.
Each HEERF Participating institution must post the information listed below on the institution’s primary website within 30 days from the date the institution received its allocation under 18004(a) and updated every 45 days thereafter.
Below are Martin Luther College’s responses to the items requested by the Department of Education:
- An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
MLC Response:On June 11, 2020 MLC signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement with the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. - 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.
MLC Response: MLC has received $265,521 of the authorized $265,521 from the Department of Education pursuant to the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. - The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).
MLC Response: As of September 18, 2020, MLC has distributed $265,521 to students. - The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act.
MLC Response: As of September 18, 2020, MLC had 625 students that met the following criteria- Had completed the financial aid application process for the 2019-20 school year and were determined to be eligible for Title IV financial aid, and
- Were enrolled on at least a half-time basis, and
- Were enrolled and attending classes at the time that classes switched to fully online during spring semester of 2019-20.
- The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
MLC Response: Funds have been distributed to 369 students. Of the 625 eligible students, 316 students completed the MLC HEERF Fund Request Application by 6/14/2020 and 173 completed the follow-up form by 9/13/2020. Of the 489 student submitted applications, 369 students submitted applications for amounts greater than $0. Funds were distributed to the 369 students that submitted requests greater than $0 - The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
MLC Response: MLC created an online form for students to self-report incurred expenses due to the COVID disruption. A link to the form was emailed to all 625 eligible students on 5/28/2020. Subsequent submission deadline reminder emails were sent on 5/29/2020, 6/4/2020, and 6/12/2020. A revised version of the form, used for follow-up submissions, was emailed on 8/31/2020 with a subsequent submission deadline reminder email on 9/11/2020. The amount that the student received was dependent on what the student self-reported when submitting the online form. - Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
MLC Response: The following communications have been provided to eligible students- Initial and three subsequent email reminders requesting submission of entries
- Follow-up and one subsequent email reminder requesting submission of entries
- Application submission form
- Follow-up application submission form
- CARES letter dated May 19, 2020 that was mailed with checks
- CARES letter dated September 18, 2020 that was mailed with checks
- Click here for the “Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 118004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3)” required reporting.
As of 9/18/2020, all funds allocated to MLC for HEERF have been disbursed to students. The information posted on the quarterly report, dated 9/18/2020, constitute the final report.
[DISCLAIMER]
The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, has been identified as a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. At present, there is no vaccine to prevent a person from contracting COVID-19 and no standardized, effective treatment for those who are infected. While it is true that the majority of people who are infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic or suffer only mild symptoms, some infected persons have extremely negative health outcomes, including long-term respiratory damage and/or death. The coronavirus is highly contagious and is believed to spread mainly from person-to-person via respiratory droplets.
As a result, federal, state, and local governments and federal and state health agencies recommend social distancing and have, in many locations, prohibited or dramatically limited the congregation of groups of people. The public health response continues to evolve as we learn more about the virus and the disease it causes.
Martin Luther College (MLC) takes the safety and well-being of its students, faculty, staff, children of families served, visitors, contractors who serve MLC, and our community seriously. We are called to love our neighbors. Accordingly, MLC has put in place a number of preventative measures to attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, MLC cannot guarantee that you or others in your family will not come into contact with the coronavirus or with someone infected with the virus while you are on campus or attending/participating in an MLC sponsored event. Likewise, we cannot guarantee that you will not become infected with COVID-19.
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