Section 18004(a)(3) of the CARES Act directs the Secretary to allocate 2.5 percent of the $14.2 billion Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) funds appropriated by the Act to provide grants to institutions under part B of title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), for institutions that the Department has determined have the greatest unmet needs related to coronavirus. Part B of title VII of the HEA establishes the FIPSE. FIPSE grants, including grants under this program, are limited to institutions of higher education, as defined in section 101 of the HEA.
FIPSE grants are required, by statute, to support improvements in higher education through reforms, improvements, or innovations in postsecondary education programs, opportunities, and delivery models. Section 18004(a)(3) of the CARES Act provides funding specifically for the FIPSE program, and section 18004(d) of the Act directs the Secretary to give priority to IHEs that received less than $500,000 combined under the IHE formula grants authorized by section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act and the grants authorized by section 18004(a)(2) of the Act and that demonstrate the greatest unmet needs related to expenses associated with coronavirus.
As part of this program, Mitchell Hamline School of Law was awarded $287,107.
As of December 31st 2020, the school has disbursed $221,923 to 138 students. The estimated total number of students at Mitchell Hamline School of Law that are eligible to participate in program is 1216. The number was determined by enrollment numbers in Fall 2020.
Mitchell Hamline has reached out to our student population several ways to promote the student applications for the Emergency Financial Aid Grants. Information was sent to students via email, and an announcement was posted through the Docket s. The Financial Aid office has also posted a link to information on the Emergency Financial Aid Grants on their webpage posted in their news feed. Students are encouraged to complete an online application for the funding. The application requests information from the student to support the Department of Education requirements for the disbursement of the Emergency Financial Aid Grants. Students may request up to $2,000 and and student who received prior grants were allowed to reapply. All applications are reviewed by a committee made up of Mitchell Hamline faculty and staff.