HEERF Reporting

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The following information is listed in order to comply with the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) official reporting requirements related to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF I, II, & III).

*The following information is current as of March 31, 2022, and reflects the required quarterly reporting.

Certification and Acknowledgement:

On June 16, 2020, Liberty University signed and returned the Certification and Agreement to the U.S. Department of Education with the intention of using the funds allocated under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide the mandated amount of at least 50% of the emergency financial aid grants to students. Liberty University was awarded the HEERF student portion of the CARES Act funding on June 25, 2020.

On January 14th and subsequently on April 15th, 2021, Liberty University was awarded supplemental funding under the CRRSA Act (HEERF II) and the ARP Act (HEERF III). Supplemental funds allocated under Section 18004(a)(1) have been awarded to meet the minimum requirement for student emergency financial aid grants as established by the U.S. Department of Education.

Total Amount of Funds Received:

Liberty University received a total of $116,475,048.00 in HEERF funding, of which, $66,031,277.00 has been given directly to students in the form of emergency financial aid grants.

Total Amount of Emergency Grants Distributed:

Liberty University distributed 100% of HEERF I funds, which includes both the student and institutional portion, as emergency financial aid grants. A total of $15,205,124.00 has been distributed to students from HEERF I as emergency financial aid grants.

Both HEERF II and HEERF III student portions have been fully distributed to students in the form of emergency financial aid grants in the amount of $50,826,153.00

The total amount of funds distributed to students as emergency financial aid grants is $66,031,277.00 and includes 100% of all HEERF student portions (CARES, CRRSAA, and ARP).

Number of Eligible Students:

For HEERF I funds awarded during the 2019-20 award year, there were a total of 13,933 students eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants from either the student portion, the institution portion, or both.

For HEERF II funds awarded during the 2020 -2021 and 2021-2022 academic years, 8,568 students were deemed eligible as defined in 34 CFR 668.2 and determined by need based on guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

For the final distribution of HEERF III funds in the 2021-2022 academic year 23,488 students were deemed eligible as defined in 34 CFR 668.2 and determined by need based on guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education

Number of Students Receiving HEERF Funds:

A total of 36,750 students received an emergency financial aid grant through HEERF funding at Liberty University.

Institutional Distribution Methodology:

The formula to distribute the student emergency aid and institutional portions of the HEERF I funds to students was based on average costs and expenses for broad categories of students, such as dorm vs. commuter students, those with and without meal plans, and those who either stayed in Lynchburg after March 28, 2020 or left Lynchburg before that time. The amount of funds varied based on these categories. Awards were in addition to the previously awarded $1,000 credits. If students did not need the CARES Act funding, the certification that Liberty emailed to all eligible students enabled the students to decline the funding (such funds were then provided to those students who confirm their eligibility by July 31, 2020).

HEERF II funds were awarded to residential students and need was prioritized by two different categories of student need. The first category included students who were enrolled during the initial disruption of campus due to COVID-19 in the Spring of 2020 and who may have had unmet expenses or losses not fully covered via prior emergency grants and/or institutional credits. These students were awarded emergency financial aid grants. The second category included students who had a Pell eligible EFC and were enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year.

HEERF III funds were awarded to both online and residential students. Need was prioritized based on a Pell eligible EFC, enrollment for the 2021-2022 academic year, and campus of program (residential versus online).

Instructions Provided to Eligible Students:

Students that were eligible for HEERF I funds were required to complete a self-certification form by the deadline of July 31, 2020. This particular form link was sent by way of email to each eligible student on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

Students who were awarded under HEERF II and HEERF III funds were not required to complete an application or certification form. Students were awarded and prioritized based on need. Students were informed of the awarded emergency financial aid grant through e-mail communication.

HEERF I Communication Efforts to Eligible Students:

As part of our communication efforts to eligible students, in addition to the initial email and form link noted in “Instructions Provided to Eligible Students”, Liberty also communicated to our eligible students by way of call campaigns, additional emails, voice blasts, social media posts, and a text blast.

The call campaigns were run on 7/8/2020, 7/9/2020, 7/17/2020, 7/23/2020, and 7/30/2020.
The email campaigns were sent on 7/1/2020, 7/14/2020, 7/21/2020, and 7/28/2020.
The voice blasts were run on 7/2/2020, 7/10/2020, 7/17/2020, 7/24/2020, and 7/31/2020.
The social media posts were run on 7/1/2020, 7/6/2020, 7/9/2020, 7/13/2020, 7/16/2020, 7/23/2020, 7/27/2020, 7/30/2020, and 7/31/2020.
The text blast was generated on 7/29/2020.

Extension of the Deadline:

On July 30, 2020, it was determined that Liberty University would extend the CARES Act self-certification form submission deadline to August 14, 2020. An official deadline extension notice was emailed to eligible students on July 31, 2020.

Extension Communication Efforts to Eligible Students:

- - - The email campaigns were sent on 8/4/2020 and 8/11/2020
    - The voice blasts were run on 8/7/2020 and 8/14/2020
    - The social media posts were run on 7/31/2020, 8/3/2020, 8/6/2020, 8/10/2020, 8/13/2020, and 8/14/2020

HEERF II Communication Efforts to Eligible Students:

Students were alerted through email of their eligibility for HEERF II emergency financial aid grants. This was a notification of an award, not an application or request for certification.

An email campaign was sent on 4/8/2021
An email campaign was sent on 6/24/2021

HEERF III Communication Efforts to Eligible Students:

Students were alerted through email of their eligibility for HEERF III emergency financial aid grants. This was a notification of an award, not an application or request for certification.

An email campaign was sent on 2/18/2022

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

Section 18004(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act” or the “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”). The Certification and Agreement directs each institution applying for HEERF funds to comply with Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and submit an initial report (the “30-day Fund Report”) to the Secretary thirty (30) days from the date of the institution’s Certification and Agreement to the Department. Accordingly, the above information must appear in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated every 45 days thereafter: