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Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Reporting

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) is administered by the U.S. Department of Education and provides funding to address higher education challenges created by the COVID‐19 pandemic. As of the summer of 2021, there have been three rounds of this funding and UC Santa Barbara has been granted funding in each round.

The well-being and health of our students, staff, and faculty are our top priority. To comply with reporting requirements and to offer transparency to our community, we are providing details about our use of these funds below.

Student Portion

To support our students’ financial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of California Santa Barbara provided emergency financial aid grants to eligible undergraduate and graduate students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The following information related to the Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under §18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, §314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA, and §2003(a)(1) of the ARP is documented on the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships’ COVID-19 Information page:

  • Total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students;
  • Total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant;
  • Estimated total number of students eligible to receive an Emergency Financial Aid Grant

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships collaborated with campus and systemwide partners, including the UC Office of the President, the Chancellor's Office, the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Office, the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Office, the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Services, the Office of Government Relations, the Graduate Division, the Office of Budget and Planning and Associated Students, to award and distribute these funds. Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students funded by HEERF I were distributed to students during Spring of 2020. Emergency Grants to Students funded by HEERF II were distributed to students during Winter 2021 and Spring 2021. More information is available on the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships’ COVID-19 Information page.

Institutional Portions

HEERF I – Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) I, part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, was passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27th, 2020. Under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, UC Santa Barbara was awarded a total allocation of $25,204,196. Of the funding we received, 50% was directed to emergency financial aid grants for students (see Student Portion), and the other 50% was directed to the institution to defray operational expenses related to the impact of COVID-19. Under Section 18004(a)(2) of the CARES Act, UC Santa Barbara was awarded a further allocation of $1,964,709 as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI).

As of the period ending June 30th, 2021, all $12,602,098 of Institutional funding awarded under 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act had been used to defray operational expenses related to the impact of COVID-19, including reimbursement for expenses incurred to ensure campus safety and operations (including costs associated with the COVID-19 testing clinic, contact tracing, and quarantine and isolation housing for students), as well as purchases to support the campus transition to remote teaching, working, and learning.

As of the period ending June 30th, 2021, $1,431,290.53 of the MSI funding awarded under 18004(a)(2) of the CARES Act has been expensed for the programs and activities described below. Although the criteria for expending the MSI allocation were the same as the criteria for the general campus CARES allocation, these supplemental funds have been used for programs and activities designed to support and benefit the students whose presence has led to our designation as an MSI, especially under-represented minorities, first-generation college students, and those with financial need. The Executive Vice Chancellor’s Office, Undergraduate Education, Summer Sessions, Student Affairs, Graduate Division, the DEI office, and others worked together on a comprehensive portfolio of programs and activities designed to have a significant impact on the lives and academic success of our students. We have paid special attention to the educational and personal needs of students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and looked for ways to help faculty and TA’s adapt their instruction to better educate students in a remote environment. Major areas of focus include Summer Programs; academic peer mentoring; academic advising; orientation and transition programming; graduate student research, training, and internship fellowships; graduate student remote instruction teaching assistants; faculty development; and learning technologies. Special attention also has been given to address the impact of the pandemic and remote education on students as they return to campus and re-enter (or enter for the first time) the campus community.

 

CARES Act HEERF I, Actual Institutional Allocation $12.6M

 

 

HEERF II – Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA)

HEERF II was authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) of 2021 and was signed into law on December 27, 2020. UC Santa Barbara received $38,078709 from HEERF II, of which $12,602,098 will directly support students (see Student Portion). As of the period ending June 30th, 2021, all $25,476,611 of the intuitional allocation had been utilized. The institutional portion was used to help mitigate financial impacts directly related to COVID-19, such as the reimbursement of lost revenue from academic sources, as well as expenses incurred to ensure campus safety and operations, and the support of remote teaching, working, and learning. Under Section 18004(a)(2) of HEERF II, UC Santa Barbara was awarded a further allocation of $2,599,353 as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). This funding has been allocated to support the programs and activities described in the HEERF I section above.

 

CRRSAA HEERF II, Actual Institutional Allocation $25.48M

 

 

HEERF III – American Rescue Plan (ARP)

HEERF III was authorized under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) and was signed into law on March 11, 2021. UC Santa Barbara received $67,082,400 from HEERF III, of which $33,544,300 will directly support students (see Student Portion). UC Santa Barbara received an institutional allocation of $33,538,100 from HEERF III under 18004(a)(1). Under HEERF III, Section 18004(a)(2), UC Santa Barbara was awarded an allocation of $4,441,062 as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI).

 

ARP HEERF III, Actual Institutional Allocation $33.54M

 

Quarterly Reports

Institutional Portion

HEERF Section 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and Section 18004(a)(2) Minority Serving Institutions