The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress on March 27th, 2020. The CARES Act provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, and small businesses, and preserve jobs for our American industries. Higher education was allocated approximately 14 billion dollars to assist students and institutions that have been impacted by COVID-19. This allocation is referred to as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). The most significant portion of that funding allocation provides that $12.56 billion will be distributed to institutions using a formula based on student enrollment. Of the amount allocated to each institution under this formula, at least 50 percent must be reserved to provide students with emergency financial aid grants to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.
Each institution receiving funds from the CARES Act signed a certification of agreement and agreed to release the following information on the institution’s primary website:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
- 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.
- Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Information on this website will continue to be updated every 45 days, as is required by law.
Funding levels
Emmanuel was allocated a total of $914,508 in two separate rounds of relief funds. Half of the first round was designated for use by the institution to cover costs associated with lost revenue or pandemic related expenses. The other half was to be provided to students as emergency relief funds.
Institutional portion: $435,724 and $43,059 (Funds granted through section 18004(a)(1) and 18004(a)(2) of the CARES Act.
100% of the institutional funds received were used to cover the refunds to residential students that had to leave campus early. Emmanuel refunded a total of $591,322 in residence fees directly back to students.
Student portion: $435,725 (Funds granted through section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
662 students on campus qualified for Title IV aid. In order to provide emergency relief funds to the students in most need, Emmanuel staff identified all students that were identified as “AutoZero” Pell recipients. These students represent families least able to navigate a financial change in economic crisis. Those students received an initial award of equal value. All Pell Grant recipients then received an emergency grant on a sliding, descending scale. In total, 338 students were awarded emergency relief funds.
After a period where non- Pell eligible students were allowed to appeal for emergency aid, a second distribution of aid was made to the neediest students. The award distributions are noted below.
