CRRSAA HEERF II Section 314(a)(1) Frequently Asked Questions (U.S. Department of Education)
Summary
Department of Education frequently asked questions on the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (a)(1) programs for public and private nonprofit institutions, published January 14, 2021 and updated March 19, 2021. The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, signed December 27, 2020, gave the Department approximately $22.7 billion to distribute to institutions of higher education. The guidance lists six major changes from the CARES Act, including supplemental awards without new applications and wider allowable uses. The CARES Act required 50 percent of (a)(1) allocations to go to student grants, while the new law requires the same amount as before from a larger pool, approximately $22 billion instead of $14 billion. Questions 22-28 were added in the March update.
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Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II
Public and Private Nonprofit Institution (a)(1) Programs (CFDA 84.425E
and 84.425F) Frequently Asked Questions 1
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021
Published January 14, 2021. Updated March 19, 2021. 2
On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (P.L. 116-260). This new law gives the U.S. Department
of Education (Department) approximately $22.7 billion to distribute to institutions of higher
education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus through the HEERF.
This law has some similarities—as well as important differences—from the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116–136) that was enacted on March 27,
2020. These FAQs provide an overview of those similarities and differences; describe the
flexibilities for institutions that received grants under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act
(“Student Aid Portion” and “Institutional Portion,” CFDAs 84.425E and 84.425F, respectively);
and describe the differences between the funds allocated under that section and those under
section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA. The grant programs authorized under section 18004(a)(1) of
the CARES Act and under section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA are referred to below as the “(a)(1)
programs” and their funds as “(a)(1) funds.”
Overview Questions
1. Question: What changes did Congress make to the (a)(1) programs from the CARES Act
to the CRRSAA?
Answer: In brief, Congress made six major changes to the (a)(1) programs:
Provided supplemental funding: For existing private nonprofit and public CARES Act
grantees, the CRRSAA authorized supplemental awards to existing Student Aid Portion
and Institutional Portion grantees. These institutions will not be required to submit new or
revised applications to the Department to receive these new funds. However, an eligible
private nonprofit or public institution that did not originally receive a CARES Act
Student Aid Portion and/or Institutional Portion grants will also have an opportunity to
apply for these new funds.
Expanded the allowable uses of grant funds: Congress expanded the allowable uses for
supplemental awards and new awards made under section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA and
for unspent CARES Act funds, subject to certain limitations.
1
Other than statutory and regulatory requirements included in the document, the contents of this guidance do
not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public. This document is intended only to
provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
2
Question 12 has been revised to reflect new changes as of March 19, 2021. Questions 22-28 have been newly
added as of this March 19, 2021 updated FAQ.
1
Modified the share of (a)(1) funds that must be used for financial aid grants to students:
The CARES Act required that 50 percent of an institution’s allocation under section
18004(a)(1) be used for financial aid grants to students, which was represented by the
institution’s CARES Act Student Aid Portion award. The CRRSAA requires that an
institution receiving funding under section 314(a)(1) provide the “same amount” in
financial aid grants to students from the new CRRSAA funds that it was required or
which it would have been required to provide under its original CARES Act Student Aid
Portion award. Because this law appropriates more funding (approximately $22 billion
instead of $14 billion) for supplemental and new awards under CRRSAA section
314(a)(1), the Department anticipates that, on average, a larger share of (a)(1) allocations
will be available for institutional support than under the CARES Act.
Added allocations for students enrolled in exclusively distance education courses:
Students enrolled in exclusively distance education courses are included in the CRRSAA
section 314(a)(1) allocation formula. Institutions will now receive allocations that factor
in such students under the formula, and the formula also allows exclusively online
institutions that were ineligible for funding under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act
to apply for grant funds. Amounts apportioned for students enrolled in exclusively
distance education courses may be used only for financial aid grants to students.
Created a separate program for proprietary institutions: Proprietary institutions are no
longer eligible to receive awards under the (a)(1) program but may apply for new funding
under section 314(a)(4) of the CRRSAA. This program supports only financial aid grants
to students. More information about the (a)(4) program, and how to apply, is available in
a separate announcement.
Special requirements for institutions paying the endowment excise tax: For institutions
that paid or will be required to pay the endowment excise tax in tax year 2019, the
institution’s (a)(1) allocation is reduced by 50% under section 314(d)(6) of the CRRSAA.
The remaining funds must be expended on financial aid grants to students or for
sanitation, personal protective equipment (PPE), or other expenses associated with the
general health and safety of the campus environment related to the coronavirus
emergency. The Department will require those institutions that paid or will be required to
pay the tax to complete and submit a form disclosing this tax status. Institutions paying
this tax may also seek a waiver of these limitations.
2. Question: My public or private nonprofit institution received (a)(1) funding under the
CARES Act and is on the CRRSAA (a)(1) allocation table. How will we receive (a)(1)
funds under the CRRSAA?
Answer: The Department will make supplemental awards to your existing Student Aid
Portion and Institutional Portion grants (CFDAs 84.425E and 84.425F). No action is
required by your institution to receive these supplemental awards. The Project Director
identified on the most current Grant Award Notification (GAN) will automatically
receive an email indicating a supplement award is made to your institution. Please note
that drawing down any amount of these supplemented funds constitutes your institution’s
acceptance of the applicable terms and conditions under the CRRSAA and as described
2
in the Supplemental Agreements that will be attached to the GANs for the supplemental
awards. For reference, examples of the new Supplemental Agreements for the Student
Aid Portion and Institutional Portion grants are available in our notice announcing the
availability of these new funds in our Federal Register notice here (January 15, 2021).
3. Question: My public or private nonprofit institution is on the CRRSAA (a)(1) allocation
table but did not receive funding under the CARES Act. How can we receive funds under
the CRRSAA?
Answer: Eligible public or private nonprofit institutions that did not receive Student Aid
Portion or Institutional Portion grants (CFDAs 84.425E and 84.425F) under the CARES
Act may apply via Grants.gov for Student Aid Portion or Institutional Portion grants
under section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA. Institutions must submit complete applications
for both the Student Aid Portion and Institutional Portion grants.
Each completed application for a Student Aid Portion or Institutional Portion grant must
consist of:
1) A completed SF-424 and SF-424 supplemental form;
2) A Certification and Agreement (either the Student Aid Portion Certification and
Agreement (Gold C&A), or the Institutional Portion Certification and Agreement
(Blue C&A), as appropriate); and
3) The Required Notification of Endowment Excise Tax Paid Form (if applicable)
The Grants.gov Funding Opportunity Numbers are ED-GRANTS-041020-003 for the
Student Aid Portion and ED-GRANTS-042120-004 for the Institutional Portion.
Applications must be submitted by April 15, 2021. To register to use Grants.gov, please
visit their “How to Apply for Grants” webpage here, or call their Applicant Support
helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726. More information about how to apply is available on our
HEERF II CRRSAA website.
If an institution has previously received a Student Aid Portion grant but not an
Institutional Portion grant under the CARES Act, that institution will have to submit an
application for only an Institutional Portion grant and its Student Aid Portion grant will
be supplemented as described above.
The Department has issued a CRRSAA (a)(1) allocation table indicating which
institutions are eligible for both supplemental and new awards under section 314(a)(1) of
the CRRSAA.
4. Question: How long does a public or private nonprofit institution that did not receive
funding under the CARES Act have to apply for the (a)(1) programs?
Answer: CRRSAA section 314(f) requires that public or private nonprofit institutions
apply for funding within 90 days of the publication of the Notice Inviting Applications,
which is April 15, 2021.
3
5. Question: Will proprietary institutions receive funds under the CRRSAA?
Answer: Yes, but proprietary institutions are not eligible for supplemental funding under
the CRRSAA (a)(1) programs; rather, such institutions must apply for awards under a
new section 314(a)(4) program. This program provides a separate funding stream for
proprietary institutions that may be used only for financial aid grants to students.
More information about the (a)(4) program, and how to apply, is available in a separate
announcement.
6. Question: My institution is an exclusively online public or private nonprofit with
students enrolled in distance education courses prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We
were not able to apply for CARES Act funds. Can we receive funds under the CRRSAA?
Answer: Yes. The section 314(a)(1) formula under the CRRSAA will provide allocations
for institutions, including exclusively online institutions, based on (1) the relative share of
full-time equivalent enrollment of students who were Federal Pell grant recipients and
who were exclusively enrolled in distance education courses prior to the COVID-19
pandemic and (2) the relative share of the total number of students who were Federal Pell
grant recipients and who were exclusively enrolled in distance education courses prior to
the qualifying emergency. Please note that section 314(d)(9) of the CRRSAA stipulates
that grants to such institutions may be used only for financial aid grants to students.
Please see Question 3 for more information about how to apply for a grant.
CRRSAA (a)(1) Programs Questions
7. Question: What amount of section 314(a)(1) funds must my institution devote to
financial aid grants to students?
Answer: The CRRSAA requires that institutions receiving funding under section
314(a)(1) provide the “same amount” of funding in financial aid grants to students that it
was required to provide under its original Student Aid Portion (CFDA 84.425E)
allocation amount, as listed on the CARES Act Section18004(a)(1) allocation table.
Therefore, if an institution was allocated $600,000 under section 18004(a)(1) of the
CARES Act, with $300,000 as its Student Aid Portion, an institution must expend at least
$300,000 in CRRSAA funds on emergency financial aid grants to students. The amount
of funding that an institution is required to provide in financial aid grants to students
should equal the amount of supplemental funding that will be added to an institution’s
Student Aid Portion (CFDA 84.425E) award. Because the CRRSAA appropriates more
total funding to the HEERF program than did the CARES Act (approximately $22 billion
instead of $14 billion), the Department anticipates that most institutions will receive a
larger Institutional Portion supplement under CRRSAA than their Student Aid Portion
supplement, unless certain restrictions apply. However, the Secretary continues to
strongly encourage institutions to expand support for students with the most significant
financial needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
4
This minimum “floor” will be automatically calculated (based on the amount required to
be spent under the CARES Act, which should be inclusive of the amounts apportioned to
institutions based on students enrolled exclusively in distance education) for institutions
receiving supplemental awards and this minimum “floor” will be the amount awarded to
the institution’s Student Aid Portion grant (CFDA 84.425E).
This minimum floor does not apply to institutions that have exclusively distance
education students (see Question 6).
8. Question: What are the requirements for making financial aid grants to students?
Answer: Unlike the CARES Act, the CRRSAA requires that institutions prioritize
students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants, in awarding
financial aid grants to students. However, students do not need to be only Pell recipients
or students who are eligible for Pell grants. In addition, the CRRSAA explicitly provides
that financial aid grants to students may be provided to students exclusively enrolled in
distance education.
Institutions may not (1) condition the receipt of financial aid grants to students on
continued or future enrollment in the institution, (2) use the financial aid grants to satisfy
a student’s outstanding account balance, unless it has obtained the student’s written (or
electronic), affirmative consent, or (3) require such consent as a condition of receipt of or
eligibility for the financial aid grant. 3
Institutions should carefully document how they prioritize students with exceptional need
in distributing financial aid grants to students, as the Department intends to establish
reporting requirements regarding the distribution of financial aid grants to students
consistent with section 314(e) of CRRSAA.
9. Question: How may students use their financial aid grants?
Answer: Financial aid grants for students may be used for any component of the
student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as
tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
See Question 19 of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) Rollup Document for more details as to how institutions may
pay the financial aid grants to students, if not applying it to a student’s account after
obtaining the student’s written (or electronic), affirmative consent.
3
The Department’s guidance for emergency financial aid grants under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act
did not advise institutions to use such grants to satisfy a student’s outstanding account balance. However, upon
further consideration, the Department believes that allowing students to consent to the application of a
CRRSAA financial aid grant to their student accounts would facilitate such a use of funds, if desired by the
student, while retaining the student’s discretion to determine what costs should be covered with his or her
financial aid grant funds.
5
10. Question: How has the use of funds changed for institutional uses?
Answer: Institutions have expanded flexibility in their use of supplemental Institutional
Portion funds (CFDA 84.425F). Under section 18004(c) of the CARES Act, institutions
were required to use their Institutional Portion awards to cover any costs associated with
significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus and/or for
additional emergency financial aid grants, subject to certain limitations.
In contrast, allowable uses under the CRRSAA for Institutional Portion awards include:
• Defraying expenses associated with coronavirus (including lost revenue,
reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a
transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll);
• Carrying out student support activities authorized by the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA), that address needs related to coronavirus; and
• Making additional financial aid grants to students (as described in Question 8).
Similar to what was required for Institutional Portion awards under Section 18004 of the
CARES Act and the Department’s Certification and Agreement for those funds, under
section 314(d)(3) of the CRRSAA, no supplemental Institutional Portion awards or new
Institutional Portion awards may be used to fund contractors for the provision of pre-
enrollment recruitment activities; marketing or recruitment; endowments; capital outlays
associated with facilities related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship;
senior administrator or executive salaries, benefits, bonuses, contracts, incentives; stock
buybacks, shareholder dividends, capital distributions, and stock options; or any other
cash or other benefit for a senior administrator or executive.
11. Question: What “student support activities” may CRRSAA funds be used to support?
Answer: Section 314(c)(2) allows an institution to spend its CRRSAA funds on student
support activities authorized by the HEA, where those student support activities address
needs related to the coronavirus. The Department interprets this provision to, among
other authorized activities, authorize grantees to use CRRSAA funds to carry out TRIO
and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)
program activities to the extent that those activities address needs related to the
coronavirus.
For example, (a)(1) institutional funds may be used to support the transition to virtual
activities, purchase PPE, or support other innovative learning methods that would allow
an institution to engage in student support activities authorized under the HEA during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
12. Question: How has the use of funds changed for unexpended CARES Act grant funds?
Answer: The expanded use of funds authority under the CRRSAA also applies to
unexpended CARES Act funds:
6
• For their Institutional Portion CARES Act grants (CFDA 84.425F), institutions
are able to use their remaining funds in the same way they are allowed to use their
supplemental Institutional Portion funds under the CRRSAA (as described in
Question 10). 4
• For their Student Aid Portion CARES Act grant (CFDA 84.425E), institutions
may use their remaining funds to provide financial aid grants in the same way
they are allowed to use their supplemental Student Aid Portion funds under the
CRRSAA, including by providing such grants to students exclusively enrolled in
distance education (as described in Question 8).
Institutions have this expanded flexibility to use unliquidated (unspent) funds effective
December 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CRRSAA), for costs incurred on or
after March 13, 2020, the date on which the President declared a national emergency
due to the COVID-19 pandemic (85 FR 15337). 5
Please note that under section 314(d)(5), an institution that utilizes the expanded use of
funds authority under the CRRSAA for its unspent CARES Act funds must ensure at
least 50% of the funds it received under CARES Act section 18004(a)(1) (generally, its
Student Aid Portion award) is used for financial aid grants to students. (Revised March
19, 2021).
13. Question: My institution paid or will be required to pay the excise tax for large
endowments in tax year 2019. What must my institution do?
Answer: Pursuant to CRRSAA section 314(d)(6), any institution that was required or
will be required to remit payment to the Internal Revenue Service for the excise tax paid
on investment income of private colleges and universities 6 under section 4968 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for tax year 2019 must—
(1) Notify the Department that it is required to pay the tax within 30 days of making a
determination that it is required to pay the tax;
(2) Not use 50% of its total allocation under CRRSAA section 314(a)(1); and
(3) Use remaining allocated funds to provide financial aid grants to students pursuant
to CRRSAA section 314(c)(3) or for sanitation, PPE, or other expenses associated
with the general health and safety of the campus environment.
Further, under CRRSAA section 314(d)(5), institutions receiving allocations under
CRRSAA section 314(a)(1), including institutions that remitted payment for the excise
tax, must provide at least the same amount of funding for financial aid grants to students
as it was required to under sections 18004(a)(1) and (c) of the CARES Act.
4
The expanded use of funds authority also applies to the CARES Act section 18004(a)(2) and (a)(3) programs
(CFDAs 84.425J, 84.425K, 84.425L, 84.425M, and 84.425N).
5
Please refer to the Department’s Notice of Interpretation published on March 22, 2021, for additional
information regarding this determination.
6
This requirement does not apply to any institution of higher education designated by the Secretary as an
eligible “work college” under section 448 of the HEA.
7
The form to provide the required notification to the Department is attached to the GANs
for supplemental awards and is included in application packages for new awards made
under the CRRSAA. It is also available here.
Institutions must only submit this form once for all HEERF grant programs, and no
action is required by institutions not subject to the endowment excise tax. Institutions that
have not yet determined if they are subject to the 2019 endowment excise tax must
submit this form within 30 calendar days of making a determination that they are required
to pay the tax. If receiving a supplemental award under section 314(a)(1) of the
CRRSAA, institutions must return the form as a completed attachment via email to both
HEERF@ed.gov and the email of your assigned education program officer contact as
indicated in Box 3 of your GAN. Institutions applying for new awards under CRRSAA
must submit the form with their application for grant funds by uploading the form to the
“Other Attachments” section of Grants.gov.
Institutions that complete the form will be provided with the opportunity to apply for a
waiver of their allocation reduction and allowable use limitations.
14. Question: My institution received a CARES Act HEERF grant. Will my institution be
able to receive a grant under the CRRSAA (a)(1) program if we have not yet complied
with the quarterly or annual reporting requirements for the HEERF grant program?
Answer: Institutions that have not yet complied with the reporting requirements of the
CARES Act may receive delayed supplemental (a)(1) awards and/or may receive awards
with a restriction on the ability to drawdown those awarded funds (stop payment status)
until the institution has satisfied its CARES Act HEERF reporting obligations.
Grant Administration
15. Question: Do the existing CARES Act HEERF FAQs still apply?
Answer: Except for the differences explained herein, the existing CARES Act HEERF
FAQs continue to apply to an institution’s previous expenditures under its existing
CARES Act HEERF grants. As explained by Question 12, CRRSAA section 314(d)(2)
allows institutions expanded use of funds authority for unexpended CARES Act funds.
The Department is in the process of identifying and clarifying which specific FAQs may
continue to be relied upon with the new CRRSAA and for an institution’s unexpended
CARES Act funds.
16. Question: Does the June 17, 2020 Interim Final Rule (IFR) (85 FR 36494) limiting
student eligibility for emergency financial aid grants under the CARES Act to students
who are or could be eligible to participate in the Department’s Title IV Federal student
financial aid programs under HEA Section 484 apply to HEERF programs under
CRRSAA?
Answer: No. The IFR and its implementing regulation, 34 CFR § 668.2, apply only to
funds made available under the CARES Act and not to funds made available under
CRRSAA.
8
17. Question: When should my institution draw down funds once they have been obligated
by the Department?
Answer: Although the entire amount of a grantee’s CRRSAA Student Aid Portion or
Institutional Portion grant award or supplemental award will be available to the grantee
as soon as it has been obligated by the Department, under 2 CFR § 200.305(b), HEERF
grantees are under an obligation to minimize the time between drawing down funds from
G5 and paying obligations incurred by the grantee (liquidation). If a HEERF grantee is
using HEERF grant funds to make financial aid grants to students, the Department may
evaluate for compliance with the rule grantees who have not drawn down the funds from
G5 and not paid the obligations (the financial aid grants to students) to the students
within fifteen calendar days. For all other allowable uses, the Department may evaluate
grantees who have not taken these steps within three calendar days. This enhanced
flexibility for student grant programs is because students may not accept and draw down
their financial aid grants from grantees’ accounts within the three day window, or an
institution may experience difficulties in contacting eligible students due to factors
related to the pandemic.
18. Question: Can my institution charge indirect costs to its HEERF grants?
Answer: Indirect costs may be charged only to Institutional Portion awards, both new
and supplemental, and may not be charged to any Student Portion grant awards because
the student allocation represents an amount of funds that must be distributed to students.
Generally, this indirect cost rate will be the on-campus rate specified in an institution’s
negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. If an institution does not have a current
negotiated indirect cost rate with its cognizant agency for indirect costs, it may
appropriately charge the de minimis rate of ten percent of Modified Total Direct Costs
(MTDC). 7
Please note that as described in 2 CFR § 200.403, costs must be consistently charged as
either indirect or direct costs, but they may not be double-charged or inconsistently
charged as both. For more information, please see the Department’s Indirect Cost
website.
19. Question: Can my institution charge direct administrative costs to its HEERF grants?
Answer: Reasonable direct administrative costs may be charged only to Institutional
Portion awards, both new and supplemental, and may not be charged to any Student
Portion grant awards because the student allocation represents an amount of funds that
must be distributed to students.
7
Please see “Direct and Indirect (F&A) Costs” in the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR part 200, for more information.
9
Any direct administrative costs charged to the grant must be documented and, as with all
costs, must be reasonable and necessary for the performance of the grant per the Cost
Principles of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR part 200 subpart E.
20. Question: Under the Uniform Guidance requirements, institutions must receive prior
written approval (prior approval) for a many types of costs under 2 CFR § 200.407. Is
that prior approval required for HEERF grants?
Answer: Generally, no. This FAQ constitutes notice that due to the COVID-19
pandemic, the Department is providing its prior approval for the following cost items for
all formula grants under the HEERF program from March 13, 2020 through the period of
grant performance specified under your institution’s GANs for all HEERF grants,
whether awarded under section 18004 of the CARES Act or section 314 of the CRRSAA:
• § 200.308 Revision of budget and program plans
• § 200.313 Equipment
• § 200.430 Compensation—personal services, paragraph (h)
• § 200.431 Compensation—fringe benefits
• § 200.456 Participant support costs (defined at § 200.75)
• § 200.458 Pre-award costs
• § 200.475 Travel costs
All cost items charged under these categories must be documented and, as with all costs,
must be reasonable and necessary for the performance of the grant per the Cost Principles
of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR part 200 subpart E.
Please note that, per the Certification and Agreements and Supplemental Agreements for
the HEERF program and under section 314(d)(3) of the CRRSAA, senior administrator
and executive salaries, benefits, bonuses, contracts, and incentives; stock buybacks,
shareholder dividends, capital distributions, and stock options; and any other cash or
other benefit for a senior administrator or executive are not allowable costs under the
HEERF program.
Other cost items listed in 2 CFR § 200.407 that require prior approval continue to require
the institution to seek approval from the Department prior to charging those cost items to
your HEERF grant. Please email of your assigned education program officer contact as
indicated by Box 3 in your GAN with any questions.
21. Question: Where can I obtain more information about the HEERF program?
Answer: Institutions should regularly check our HEERF II CRRSAA website for the
latest CRRSAA information and program guidance. For earlier CARES Act information
and program guidance, please check our HEERF CARES Act website here.
10
FAQs added March 19, 2021:
22. Question: Can institutions use HEERF grant funds (unspent CARES Act funds,
CRRSAA funds, and American Rescue Plan funds) to make financial aid grants to non-
degree seeking, non-credit, dual enrollment, continuing education students or students
who are qualified aliens?
Answer: Yes. Institutions can use HEERF grant funds to make financial aid grants to
non-degree seeking, non-credit, dual enrollment, and continuing education students.
Students who are qualified aliens, as defined within 8 U.S.C. section 1641 (including
refugees and persons granted asylum), may also receive HEERF financial aid grants. As
always, students have discretion about how they receive their grants and institutions must
receive affirmative consent from students before using a financial aid grant to satisfy
outstanding bills. (Added March 19, 2021).
23. Question: Can my institution charge expenses to my CRRSAA award if those expenses
were incurred before December 27, 2020?
Answer: Yes. Institutions may charge expenses associated with coronavirus that were
incurred on or after March 13, 2020, the day the national emergency was declared, to
their CRRSAA awards. (Added March 19, 2021).
24. Question: How much time do institutions have to disburse their CARES Act and
CRRSAA funds?
Answer: Institutions generally must expend their HEERF funds within one year from the
date when the Department processed the most recent obligation of funds for each specific
grant. Thus, institutions that received a supplemental award under CRRSAA have one
year to spend all remaining CARES funds and new CRRSAA funds for each grant. No-
cost extensions up to one year are also available under certain circumstances. Institutions
may contact their assigned grant program officer identified on the GAN for more details
on requesting an extension. (Added March 19, 2021).
25. Question: Are employee benefits covered under “payroll” in section 314(c)(1)(B) of
CRRSAA?
Answer: Yes. Institutions may use CRRSAA funds and unspent CARES funds to pay for
employee benefits costs as payroll costs if (1) such costs are newly associated with
coronavirus, and (2) the costs were incurred on or after March 13, 2020, the date of the
declaration of the national emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Added March
19, 2021).
26. Question: Can students who have left school (for any reason) at any time since the
declaration of the national emergency receive financial aid grants?
11
Answer: Yes. Institutions may choose to make financial aid grants to students who have
left school for any reason during the period of the national emergency, beginning on
March 13, 2020, the date of the declaration of the national emergency.
As always, students have discretion about how they receive their grants, and institutions
must receive affirmative consent from students before using financial aid grants to satisfy
a student’s outstanding account balance. (Added March 19, 2021).
27. Question: Can students give institutions permission to apply CRRSAA funds to student
account charges that were posted to the student’s account prior to December 27, 2020?
Answer: Yes. Institutions may, with a student’s permission, make financial aid grants to
students to satisfy account charges that were posted to the student’s account prior to
December 27, 2020, so long as that student was enrolled during a period of time for
which the national emergency was declared.
As always, students have discretion about how they receive their grants, and institutions
must receive affirmative consent from students before using financial aid grants to satisfy
a student’s outstanding account balance. (Added March 19, 2021).
28. Question: Can institutions use student accounts as a pass-through vehicle to disburse
CRRSAA funds without a student’s consent if 100% of the award is provided directly to
the student’s account and 0% is applied to institutional or other charges?
Answer: Yes. Institutions may provide emergency financial aid grants directly to
students using the normal process for providing credit balances to students without
obtaining a student’s consent, so long as these funds remain unencumbered by the
institution.
As always, students have discretion about how they receive their grants, and institutions
must receive affirmative consent from students before using financial aid grants to satisfy
a student’s outstanding account balance. (Added March 19, 2021).
12
File and source
- File
- department-of-education-crrsaa-heerf-ii-section-314-a-1-frequently-asked-questions-www-ed-gov-c96c46ab52.pdf
- Size
- 274,260 bytes
- SHA-256
- 477973d516c1509cbdd2f8843845019ccd46980fbc99c0e721a07fd5a337b27c
- Original
- www.ed.gov