ARP Act Funding

American Rescue Plan (ARP) ActHigher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III Reporting

As required by the United States Department of Education, this page is meant to provide public information about Macalester’s participation in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, and specifically the portion of the ARP Act that pertains to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). The Department of Education has directed us to supply the following information:

1. An acknowledgement that Macalester College signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement and assurance that Macalester has used, or intends to use, the applicable amount of funds designated under the ARP Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

In May 2021, Macalester College received $3,812,674 under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP Act. Under Section 314(d)(5), institutions must use no less than 50 percent of the funding to provide emergency financial aid grants to students. For Macalester, this amount is $1,906,337.   The remaining $1,906,337 of ARP Act funds may be used to relieve pandemic-related expenses incurred by the college.

2. The total amount of funds that Macalester College will receive or has received from the Department of Education pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the ARP Act.

Macalester ‘s total APR Act allocation is $3,812,674. Of that amount, $1,906,337 has been distributed directly to students in the form of Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The Certification and Agreement states that the remaining $1,906,337 may be used to cover institutional costs associated with the coronavirus

3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under the ARP Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the initial report and every calendar quarterly thereafter).

Macalester has disbursed $1,906,337 to students as of March 31, 2022.   As of March 31, Macalester has drawn down $1,906,337 of the Institutional Portion. Please refer to the Institutional Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reports: 9/30/20, 12/31/20, 3/31/21, 6/30/21, 9/30/21, 12/31/21, 3/31/22

4. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under the ARP Act

As of March 31, 2022, 834 students have received Emergency Financial Aid Grants under the ARP Act.

5. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under the ARP Act.

Macalester has delivered funds to eligible students in the summer of 2021 and the fall of 2021.  Grant amounts were calculated on a sliding scale, with students demonstrating the high level of financial need receiving the highest payments.  Students eligible for grants will include students who meet each of the two criteria: 1) Student is expected to be enrolled at Macalester after August 1, 2021 or enrolled during spring semester of the 2020-2021 academic year and (2) Student demonstrates a high level of need for financial aid through the standard financial aid application process and/or eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.

6. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

Eligible returning students received an email notification from [email protected] on June 19, 2021 and newly matriculated first-year students received an email notification from [email protected] on August 11.  The email provided eligibility determination information, notified each student of the grant amount they were eligible to receive, as well as the date of delivery (between July 16-23 for returning students and between September 17 – 24, 2021 for first-year students). Remaining funds were awarded to students based on the same criteria. Students received an email notification on February 25, 2022 and funds were delivered on March 11. Eligible students did not have to take any actions in order to receive the funding.

The text of the ARP Act is available here.

Information about tax issues and the ARP Act HEERF III is available on the IRS website.

If you have questions, concerns, or gratitude relative to the nature/structure of the ARP Act, please contact your elected officials.