Federal Financial Aid

Federal Financial Aid & Grants for Aspiring Massage Therapists

Federal Financial Aid is a common way for students to pay for their education. The Soma Institute participates in several Federal Student Aid programs and assists students in applying to these programs. Learn more about the available grants for aspiring massage therapists.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Report Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students  HEERF I (CARES Act) – Final Report

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE REPORTING FOR ALL HEERF I, II AND III GRANT FUNDS – QUARTERLY REPORT ENDING JUNE 30, 2023

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September, 2020

The Soma Institute – The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy (OPE ID:  038913) received education stabilization funds under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), Public Law No: 116-136. This Fund Report applies to the student portion received under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund that is designated exclusively for emergency financial aid grants to students.

The institution appreciates that Congress and the President have made these critical funds available for eligible students who have expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. We take receipt of these federal funds seriously and are distributing them in accordance with the CARES Act and implementing guidance.

The institution is making the below information available for transparency purposes and in compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s (“Department”) Electronic Announcement of May 6, 2020.[1] For questions or concerns regarding this Fund Report, please contact James Cussen, V.P. Operations & Financial Aid, at jcussen@soma.edu.

  1. The institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. 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.
  2. 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 Students is $ 104,718.00. 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 this Fund Report is $ 104,718.00.
  3. 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 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, as of the date of this Fund Report is 138.
  4. The total number of students who have received an emergency financial aid grant under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of this Fund Report is 138.
  5. The methods to be 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 are provided at CARES ACT GRANTS FOR SOMA STUDENTS.
  6. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the emergency financial aid grants are provided at CARES ACT GRANTS FOR SOMA STUDENTS.

CARES ACT GRANTS FOR SOMA STUDENTS – Guidance Provided to Students

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, includes a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, or HEERF.  The fund provides $104,718 to help Soma students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.

According to the Department of Education, students who are Title IV aid eligible and were enrolled at The Soma Institute on March 13, 2020 in what were intended to be face-to-face classes may be eligible for HEERF grants.

Soma students who may be eligible for HEERF grants were emailed an application to participate in the HEERF grant program.  Application deadline is July 31, 2020.  Applicants were asked to update their contact information and to attest or acknowledge  as follows:

Student Attestations and Acknowledgements

  1. Students must attest that they qualify for Title IV Federal Student Aid – The student must be either a U.S. Citizen or an eligible noncitizen, and the student must not be in default of a student loan nor owe money on a federal student grant.
  2. The Student has to acknowledge that they understand that the HEERF Emergency Grant Aid is intended to offset additional expenses related to the disruption of school operations (including eligible expenses for a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care), and

The student has to confirm that they have experienced expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.

  1. The student must confirm that they wish to be considered for a HEERF grant.
  2. The student must provide Soma with updated contact information: current mailing address, email address and telephone number.

The Soma Institute will verify the eligibility of Soma students to participate in The HEERF Grant fund of $104,718 and will divide the grant fund up equally among all qualified students.  Students must be active students or be on an approved Leave of Absence at the time of disbursement of the Grant fund in order to be eligible to receive a Grant disbursement.

The Deadline for Submission of this Application to participate in CARES Act Grant Funds is July 31, 2020.  Grant Funds are expected to be disbursed to Soma students by August 15, 2020.

Note:  In accordance with the guidance provided above, The Soma Institute disbursed CARES Act Grant Funds in the amount of $104,718 on August 21, 2020.  The fund was divided equally among 138 students, each student receiving a check for $758.83 ( See Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Report)

[1] See: https://ifap.ed.gov/electronic-announcements/050620HigherEdEmergencyReliefFundRptg

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students -HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) Quarterly Report ending Sept 30, 2021

HEERF (II) - Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and HEERF (III) – The American Rescue Plan, 2021 (ARP)

The Higher Education Relief Fund II (HEERF II) and The Higher Education Relief Fund III (HEERF III) were enacted into law and gave the U.S. Department of Education (Department) funds to distribute to institutions of higher education to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.

  1. The Soma Institute signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurances that the institution will use the applicable amount of funds designated under CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
  2. The total amount of funds that The Soma Institute received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certificate and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is $ 294,536 (i.e. $183,407 CRRSAA, Plus $111,129 ARP).
  3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs as of September 30, 2021 is $0.00.
  4. The estimated total number of students at the institution that are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is 267.
  5. The total number of students who have receied an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is 0.
  6. The institution is currently defining the grant application, grant awarding and grant distribution process. The methods that will be used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants will be emailed to all students together with an application to apply for the grant funds.  These instructions will include an estimate range of the grant amounts that will be distributed under these programs.
  7. All instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants will be sent to students by email. A separate email account will be established for students to submit their applications and to ask questions about the program.

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students -HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) Quarterly Report ending December 31, 2021

HEERF (II) - Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and HEERF (III) – The American Rescue Plan, 2021 (ARP)

The Higher Education Relief Fund II (HEERF II) and The Higher Education Relief Fund III (HEERF III) were enacted into law and gave the U.S. Department of Education (Department) funds to distribute to institutions of higher education to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.

  1. The Soma Institute signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurances that the institution will use the applicable amount of funds designated under CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
  2. The total amount of funds that The Soma Institute received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certificate and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is $ 294,536 (i.e. $183,407 CRRSAA, Plus $111,129 ARP).
  3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs as of December 31, 2021 is $0.00.
  4. The estimated total number of students at the institution that are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is 318 .
  5. The total number of students who have receied an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is 0.
  6. The institution will disburse HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) funds to students in the program in 2022 with complete distribution of all funds by 08/19/2022.
  7.  As directed by the U.S. Department of Education, the disbursement of funds will prioritize those students with the most financial need – based on their estimated EFC.
  8. Students will be sent an email explaining the application process and the eligibility criteria.  Student will be able to complete the application process by email and will be asked to attach appropriate documentation to their email submission.   The instructions to students will also include an estimate range of the grant amounts that will be distributed under these programs.

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students -HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) Quarterly Report ending March 31, 2022

HEERF (II) - Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and HEERF (III) – The American Rescue Plan, 2021 (ARP)

The Higher Education Relief Fund II (HEERF II) and The Higher Education Relief Fund III (HEERF III) were enacted into law and gave the U.S. Department of Education (Department) funds to distribute to institutions of higher education to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.

  1. The Soma Institute signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurances that the institution will use the applicable amount of funds designated under CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
  2. The total amount of funds that The Soma Institute received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certificate and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is $ 294,536 (i.e. $183,407 CRRSAA, Plus $111,129 ARP).
  3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs as of March 31, 2022 is $0.00.
  4. The estimated total number of students at the institution that are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is 306.
  5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is 0.
  6. The institution will disburse HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) funds to students in the program in 2022 with complete distribution of all funds by 08/19/2022.
  7.  As directed by the U.S. Department of Education, the disbursement of funds will prioritize those students with the most financial need – based on their estimated EFC.
  8. Students will be sent an email explaining the application process and the eligibility criteria.  Student will be able to complete the application process by email and will be asked to attach appropriate documentation to their email submission.   The instructions to students will also include an estimate range of the grant amounts that will be distributed under these programs.

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students -HEERF (I), HEERF (II), and HEERF (III)

HEERF (II) - Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and HEERF (III) – The American Rescue Plan, 2021 (ARP)

The Higher Education Relief Fund II (HEERF II) and The Higher Education Relief Fund III (HEERF III) were enacted into law and gave the U.S. Department of Education (Department) funds to distribute to institutions of higher education to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.

The HEERF funds were established to provide emergency financial aid grants to students to help cover any component of a students cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.

The Soma Institute signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurances that the institution will use the applicable amount of funds designated under CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

The total amount of funds that The Soma Institute received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certificate and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(4) programs is $ 294,536 (i.e. $183,407 CRRSAA, Plus $111,129 ARP).

The Soma Institute commenced disbursement of  HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) funds to eligible students in the second quarter of 2022.  The Soma Institute anticipates that all funds will be distributed by 11/21/2022. As directed by the U.S. Department of Education, the disbursement of funds will prioritize those students with the most financial need.  The institution will prioritize a student’s financial need using the student’s estimated Expect Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by completing a current FAFSA or as determined by using the Federal Student Aid Estimator (instructions below).

Applications will be processed as received.  The Soma Institute estimates that Emergency Grant Award amounts to students will range from $300 to $1,100.

Who is eligible to apply:

All students that are now enrolled in the CMT program and who are active students (not on LOA) and who have successfully completed their enrollment trial period (ie.  students that attended their program after the 15th day from the start of their program).

Students on an LOA are not eligible to apply while they are on an LOA – however, upon return to the program, these students can apply when they have successfully completed their trial period.

How to apply: Students can apply for Student Emergency Grant Aid funds under the HEERF II and HEERF III programs by simply 1) completing and submitting the Google Form that will be emailed to them and 2) emailing the requested documentation to somainstituteheerf@gmail.com.

Below is the information provided in the Google Form that students must confirm.

I confirm that:

  1. I will use the Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds to cover the cost of my education e.g. tuition, food, health care (including mental health care) or child care,
  2. I will only submit one application (not multiple applications) for the HEERF II and HEERF III Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds,
  3. I understand that applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and will be prioritized on exceptional need (determined by the estimated EFC of the student) until all funds have been disbursed,
  4. I will complete and provide either (1) a 2021/2022 or 2022/2023 FAFSA with Soma listed as one of the schools on the application OR (2) an estimated Student Aid Award using the Federal Student Aid Estimator at https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/estimate/student-information
  5. Students that use the Federal Student Aid Estimator https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/estimate/student-information can save the resulting file as a PDF and must email the file to somainstituteheerf@gmail.com. If file is not submitted, the student’s application for Emergency Grant Aid Funds will be voided.
    1. I certify that the information I provided on the Federal Student Aid Estimator is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

For those students that use the Federal Student Aid Estimator, they must certify that the information they provided on the Federal Student Aid Estimator is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge and must upload a PDF copy of their EFC estimate to somainstituteheerf@gmail.com. (Note: The Federal Student Aid Estimator takes only a few minutes to complete).  A students application for Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds under HEERF II and HEERF III will be denied if the Institution does not receive a PDF of the EFC estimate.

Students with questions about Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds under HEERF II and HEERF III, can call James Cussen at 312-878-4638 or email to jcussen@soma.edu.

How will Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds be distributed to students?

Student Emergency Award Grant Aid Funds will be disbursed to students via check.  These checks can be picked up at Soma’s reception desk.  Students will be asked to sign an electronic acknowledgement form that they have received the Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds check.  This acknowledgement form will include demographic questions with respect to the student recipient of the grant aid funds.  The USDE is requesting that the institution report to them the demographic information with respect to each student recipient of Student Emergency Grant Aid Funds.  For this reason, the institution will not release a check to a student without a completed and executed acknowledgement form from the student recipient. 

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students -HEERF (II) and HEERF (III) Quarterly Report ending June 30, 2022

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II and III grant funds Quarterly Report Ending September 30, 2022

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE REPORTING FOR ALL HEERF I, II AND III GRANT FUNDS QUARTERLY REPORT ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2022

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE REPORTING FOR ALL HEERF I, II AND III GRANT FUNDS QUARTERLY REPORT ENDING MARCH 31, 2023.

HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND REPORT - INSTITUTIONAL AID – Final Report

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3), if applicable

Institution Name: _______The Soma Institute____________________________ Date of Report: __Oct 30, 2020___ Covering Quarter Ending: __Oct 30, 2020
Total Amount of Funds Awarded: Section (a)(1) Institutional Portion: __$104,718_______ Section (a)(2): _$0___________ Section (a)(3): __$0_

Category Amount in (a)(1) institutional dollars Amount in (a)(2) dollars, if applicable Amount in (a)(3) dollars, if applicable Explanatory Notes
Providing additional emergency financial aid grants to students.[1]
Providing reimbursements for tuition, housing, room and board, or other fee refunds.
Providing tuition discounts.
Covering the cost of providing additional technology hardware to students, such as laptops or tablets, or covering the added cost of technology fees.
Providing or subsidizing the costs of high-speed internet to students or faculty to transition to an online environment.
Subsidizing off-campus housing costs due to dormitory closures or decisions to limit housing to one student per room; subsidizing housing costs to reduce housing density; paying for hotels or other off-campus housing for students who need to be isolated; paying travel expenses for students who need to leave campus early due to coronavirus infections or campus interruptions.
Subsidizing food service to reduce density in eating facilities, to provide pre-packaged meals, or to add hours to food service operations to accommodate social distancing.
Costs related to operating additional class sections to enable social distancing, such as those for hiring more instructors and increasing campus hours of operations. $ 16,761

[1] To support any element of the cost of attendance (as defined under Section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)) per Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act and the Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2020 (85 FR 36494). Community Colleges in California, all public institutions in Washington State, and all institutions in Massachusetts have different requirements due to recent U.S. District Court actions. Please discuss with legal counsel. HEERF litigation updates can be found here.

Category Amount in (a)(1) institutional dollars Amount in (a)(2) dollars, if applicable Amount in (a)(3) dollars, if applicable Explanatory Notes
Campus safety and operations.[2]
Purchasing, leasing, or renting additional instructional equipment and supplies (such as laboratory equipment or computers) to reduce the number of students sharing equipment or supplies during a single class period and to provide time for disinfection between uses.
Replacing lost revenue due to reduced enrollment.
Replacing lost revenue from non-tuition sources (i.e., cancelled ancillary events; disruption of food service, dorms, childcare or other facilities; cancellation of use of campus venues by other organizations, lost parking revenue, etc.).[3]
Purchasing faculty and staff training in online instruction; or paying additional funds to staff who are providing training in addition to their regular job responsibilities. $ 23,507
Purchasing, leasing, or renting additional equipment or software to enable distance learning, or upgrading campus wi-fi access or extending open networks to parking lots or public spaces, etc. $ 4,136
Other Uses of (a)(1) Institutional Portion funds.[4] $ 60,314 Partial costs for Rent and Electric incurred for school premises for the period of on-site class shut down – costs were not covered by PPP

[2] Including costs or expenses related to the disinfecting and cleaning of dorms and other campus facilities, purchases of personal protective equipment (PPE), purchases of cleaning supplies, adding personnel to increase the frequency of cleaning, the reconfiguration of facilities to promote social distancing, etc.
[3] Including continuance of pay (salary and benefits) to workers who would otherwise support the work or activities of ancillary enterprises (e.g., bookstore workers, foodservice workers, venue staff, etc.).
[4] Please post additional documentation as appropriate and briefly explain in the “Explanatory Notes” section. Please note that costs for Section 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion funds may only be used “to cover any costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus, so long as such costs do not include payment to contractors for the provision of pre-enrollment recruitment activities; endowments; or capital outlays associated with facilities related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship.”

Category Amount in (a)(1) institutional dollars Amount in (a)(2) dollars, if applicable Amount in (a)(3) dollars, if applicable Explanatory Notes
Other Uses of (a)(2) or (a)(3) funds, if applicable.[5]
Quarterly Expenditures for each Program $ 104,718 $ 0 $ 0
Total of Quarterly Expenditures $ 104,718

Form Instructions
Completing the Form: On each form, fill out the institution of higher education (IHE or institution) name, the date of the report, the appropriate quarter the report covers (September 30, December 31, March 31, June 30), the total amount of funds awarded by the Department (including reserve funds if awarded), and check the box if the report is a “final report.” In the chart, an institution must specify the amount of expended CARES Act funds for each funding category: Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3), if applicable. Section 18004(a)(2) funds includes CFDAs 84.425J (Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)), 84.425K (Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)), 84.425L (Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)), 84.425M (Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP)); Section 18004(a)(3) funds are for CFDA 84.425N (Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Formula Grant). Each category is deliberately broad and may not capture specific grant program requirements. Explanatory footnotes help clarify certain reporting categories. While some items in the chart are blocked out, please note that the blocking of such items is consistent with Department guidance and FAQs and is not definitive. Provide brief explanatory notes for how funds were expended, including the title and brief description of each project or activity in which funds were expended. Do not include personally identifiable information (PII). Calculate the amount of the Section 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion (referred to as “(a)(1) institutional” in the chart), Section 18004(a)(2) (referred to as “(a)(2)” in the chart), and Section 18004(a)(3) (referred to as “(a)(3)” in the chart) funds in the “Quarterly Expenditures for each Program” row, and the grand total of all three in the “Total of Quarterly Expenditures” row. Round expenditures to the nearest dollar.
Posting the Form: This form must be conspicuously posted on the institution’s primary website on the same page the reports of the IHE’s activities as to the emergency financial aid grants to students made with funds from the IHE’s allocation under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act (Student Aid Portion) are posted. It may be posted in an HTML webpage format or as a link to a PDF. A new separate form must be posted covering each quarterly reporting period (September 30, December 31, March 31, June 30), concluding after either (1) posting the quarterly report ending September 30, 2022 or (2) when an institution has expended and liquidated all (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3) funds and checks the “final report” box. IHEs must post this quarterly report form no later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter (October 10, January 10, April 10, July 10) apart from the first report, which is due October 30, 2020. For the first report using this form, institutions must provide their cumulative expenditures from the date of their first HEERF award through September 30, 2020. Each quarterly report must be separately maintained on an IHE’s website or in a PDF document linked directly from the IHE’s CARES Act reporting webpage. Reports must be maintained for at least three years after the submission of the final report per 2 CFR §?200.333. Any changes or updates after initial posting must be conspicuously noted after initial posting and the date of the change must be noted in the “Date of Report” line.
Paperwork Burden Statement
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1840-0849. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Under the PRA, participants are required to respond to this collection to obtain or retain benefit. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application, or survey, please contact: Jack Cox, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202.
[5] Please post additional documentation as appropriate and briefly explain in the “Explanatory Notes” section. Please note that costs for Sections 18004(a)(2) and (a)(3) funds may only be used “to defray expenses, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, payroll incurred by institutions of higher education and for grants to students for any component of the student’s cost of attendance (as defined under section 472 of the HEA), including food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care.”