Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting – Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
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”).
- 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.
Doane university signed and submitted to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution intended 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 allocated to Doane University under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act was $1,538,922.
- 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 Student.
Doane University has received $769,461 (50 percent of the total amount allocated) from the Department of Education 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).
At the time of this report (after the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2020), Doane University has distributed all available Emergency Financial Aid Grants ($769,461) to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
- 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.
Doane University estimated that 1,266 students were 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. Another 825 students were potentially eligible but would require completion of the FAFSA to determine eligibility. It was estimated that 1,954 students were eligible for these programs in Fall 2020.
- The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
At the time of this report (after the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2020), 1,362 students 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.
To determine which students received Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, Doane University used three approaches.
Group 1: Doane identified students immediately eligible for funds according to the CARES Act guidelines based on information provided in completed FAFSA documents. Group 1 students were eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Group 2: For students who had not completed a FAFSA and therefore did not have an immediate source for determining eligibility, Doane asked those students to complete the FAFSA and a short online application to determine eligibility for funds.
To determine how much in Emergency Financial Aid students would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, Doane considered the financial need of students. Doane used five tiers of Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These tiers are already used within our financial aid practices for the University. The following table includes the five EFC tiers.
| Tiers | Estimated Family Contribution |
| Tier 5 | Equal to or more than $30,001 |
| Tier 4 | $15,001-$30,000 |
| Tier 3 | $5,712-$15,000 |
| Tier 2 | $1-$5711* |
| Tier 1 | Less than $1* |
| *Pell-eligible |
Students in Tiers 1, 2, and 3 are those with the highest financial need. Students in Tier 3 are sometimes particularly in need, as they are not eligible for Pell grants.
For students in Group 1, Doane distributed $689,880 of the available Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students among the five tiers according to the following table. Students with the highest financial need received most of the funds.
| Distribution Tiers
($689,880) |
Percent Distribution | Individual Awards per Tier based on enrollment and eligibility |
| Tier 5 | 5% of funds ($35,280) | $180 |
| Tier 4 | 10% of funds ($70,800) | $300 |
| Tiers 1, 2, and 3 | 85% of funds ($583,800) | $700 |
For students in Group 2 who had not completed a FAFSA at the time of the initial distribution of funds, Emergency Financial Aid Grants will be distributed using the same financial need tiers on a rolling basis as students completed the required online application and a FAFSA (to verify eligibility). $10,240 was distributed to 18 students in this group.
Group 3: Doane opened a Fall 2020 CARES Act application process in August 2020 to distribute the remaining student aid funds. Applicants verified eligibility for CARES Act funds, indicated the urgency of need, and provided estimations of unexpected expenses experienced since March 13, 2020, resulting from the disruptions to campus operations from the COVID-19 pandemic. Doane received 285 applications and took into consideration students with the greatest financial need. The committee also considered the urgency of each application, which took into account estimations of unexpected expenses due to COVID-19. Doane awarded 78 students CARES Act funds. The review committee considered financial need based on applicants’ Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
To determine CARES Act funding levels for students awarded funds in Group 3, Doane used a modified version of the tiers of Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Doane uses these tiers within our financial aid practices for the University. The following table includes the four EFC used for Group 3 student aid awards.
| Tiers | Estimated Family Contribution |
| Tier 4 | More than $30,0001 |
| Tier 3 | $5,001*-$30,000 |
| Tier 2 | $1,001-$5,000* |
| Tier 1 | Less than $1 to $1,000* |
| *Pell-eligible up to $5,711 |
For students selected for funding in Group 3, Doane will distribute student CARES Act funds among the four tiers according to the following table. Students with the highest financial need will receive most of the funds.
| Distribution Tiers
($69,341) |
Percent Distribution | Individual Awards per Tier based on enrollment and eligibility |
| Tier 4 | 6% of remaining funds ($4,400) | $400 |
| Tier 3 | 22% of remaining funds ($15,000) | $600 |
| Tier 2 | 12% of remaining funds ($8,000) | $800 |
| Tier 1 | 61% of remaining funds ($42,000) | $1,350* or $1,150 |
*Students receiving $1,350 are those who have exhausted all sources of federal aid.
- Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Doane University provided a full description of policies and procedures concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants on Doane’s dedicated COVID-19 information page. Emails were sent to students in each group to inform them of the process to determine their eligibility for Emergency Financial Aid Grants and emails were sent about the emergency aid that was awarded.
This quarterly posting is the final report that covers all remaining HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion funds.
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