ARP HEERF III Grant Report - December 31, 2021

December 31, 2021

1. Western Washington University (hereafter referred to as "Western") signed and returned the "Recipient's Funding Certification and Agreement for Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act" to the U.S. Department of Education on April 21, 2020. Western intends to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under the CRRSA (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) to provide Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants to qualified students.
2. The total dollar amount Western received for Federal ARP HEERF III Grants from the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to the institution's Certification Agreement referenced above is $16,100,922. Funds were transmitted to Western on May 20, 2021.
3. As of December 31, 2021, the total amount of Federal HEERF III Grants distributed to students under ARP is $5,994,214.
4. The estimated total number of Western students eligible to potentially receive Federal HEERF III Grants is 25,929.
5. As of December 31, 2021, the total number of students who received a Federal HEERF III Grants is 4,499.
6. Methods used by Western to select Federal HEERF II recipients are necessarily centered around determining whether students had exceptional financial need for purposes of complying with Federal guidance for awarding Federal HEERF III funds. Students who provided documentation of exceptional need to Financial Aid Counselors during appointments and other advising sessions were awarded Federal HEERF III funds on a case-by-case basis. Financial Aid Counselors nominated students for Federal HEERF III funds to the Financial Aid Federal HEERF III Committee, with the Committee rendering final awarding decisions. Students with exceptional need were awarded flat grants during Fall Quarter 2021 and were given the opportunity to apply for HEERF III via an on-line institutional application, with most awards going out in December 2021. Additional opportunities for HEERF III consideration will be provided during Winter Quarter 2022.
7. Federal HEERF III recipients were informed of their Federal HEERF III awards by the Financial Aid Department. Recipients were informed that the Federal HEERF III funds were intended to provide financial assistance to them based on exceptional financial need to help pay educational costs associated with attending Western or for emergency costs they incurred due to coronavirus.