Overview of HEERF Grant Funds
Student Emergency Financial Aid Grants & Institutional Assistance Grants
Did Baker receive CARES grants from the federal government, also known as HEERF funds (Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds)?
Yes. Baker has received grants from the Department of Education (DOE) as part of HEERF I (CARES), HEERF II, and HEERF III.
Baker has signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement to receive federally approved funds under the CARES Act as well as the two supplemental awards for both student funds and institutional funds.
- For HEERF I, the university was required to distribute 50% of the funds to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to the students. The remaining 50% of these funds were used for the institution to offset the expenses incurred by the University for housing and meal refunds issued due to campus closures related to COVID. This amount was $567,148.
- For HEERF II, the university received a supplemental grant to issue student emergency financial aid grants in the amount of $567,148.
- For HEERF III, the university received a supplemental grant to issue student emergency financial aid grants in the amount of $1,818,588.
When will Baker distribute the Financial Emergency Aid Grants to students?
- For HEERF I, 100% of the student grant funds awarded and received by Baker were distributed June 15, 2020, to eligible students.
- For HEERF II, 100% of the student grant funds awarded and received by Baker were distributed on April 11, 2021, to eligible students.
- For HEERF III, the funds will be awarded and distributed in the fall of 2021.
Who is eligible to receive a student emergency financial aid grant at Baker University?
The DOE permitted universities to develop the specific methodology for how the funds would be distributed with the goal to assist those students with the greatest financial needs related to COVID 19.
- For HEERF I, the methodology to calculate the grants for Baker students includes all full-time, on-ground, undergraduate students enrolled for the spring term 2020 at the Baldwin City campus and undergraduate School of Nursing in Topeka, Kansas, with a FAFSA on file for the academic year 2019-2020 and therefore eligible for Title IV funds. These students were impacted most significantly by the required campus closures as a result of the public health emergency. A total of 888 students were deemed eligible for these grants and, therefore, each eligible student received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant in the amount of $638.52.
- For HEERF II, the methodology was calculated for all Baker full time students actively enrolled in the spring of 2021 and receiving Pell grants at the undergraduate level. This included the Baldwin City campus, undergraduate School of Nursing, and the online undergraduate students at the School of Professional and Graduate Studies receiving Pell grants. A total of 323 students have been deemed eligible for these grants and, therefore, each eligible student received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant in the amount of $1,755.86.
- For HEERF III, the methodology awarded funds to all undergraduate full-time students online and on-ground as of the date of the list, regardless of Pell and/or international status. Students were required to have a completed FAFSA on file and all verification documents completed if applicable, except international students.
HEERF III Student Emergency Aid Grants
Are there further requirements of students regarding Financial Emergency Aid Grants?
The DOE requires that universities confirm students receiving these grants had expenses related to COVID such as housing, food, transportation, etc.; therefore, eligible students are provided written notification that cashing the check constitutes an acknowledgment that they did incur eligible expenses related to COVID. No further documentation will be required by Baker. The DOE has declared these emergency disaster grants and therefore the grants are not taxable. However, the grants will be reported on the annual 1098T form, which captures all financial aid funding, if required by DOE.
Did Baker receive CARES funds to be used by the institution to cover costs related to COVID 19?
Yes. Baker received funds to assist the institution as part of the HEERF I, II, and III.
- For HEERF I, Baker received an award of $567,000. The annual and final report is posted on the website.
- For HEERF II, Baker received an award of $1,478,237.
- For HEERF III, Baker received an award of $1,759,692.
The reports for the quarters ending June 30, 2021, September 30, 2021, December 31, 2021 , March 31, 2022, and June 30, 2022 are available for public review. This report is the second quarterly report that has been due since the CARES fund annual report was completed and the first grant closed out. The amount of those grant funds are the expenses to date, not necessarily incurred during the quarter. All of the grant funds have been drawn down and disbursed to Baker for HEERF I and II. The grant funds for HEERF III will be drawn during Fiscal Year 2021-2022.
Final Report for CARES Act HEERF Expenditures
To comply with the requirements of Section 18004 (a)(3), Public Reporting, this information is being posted on Baker’s website.