COVID-19 Federal Emergency Grants (HEERF I, II, III)

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III

Monroe County Community College has made $2,486,363 in emergency financial assistance via the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act's Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III available to students who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

These funds are reserved to provide students with financial aid grants that may be used for any component of the student’s 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.

ARPA requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants, in awarding financial aid grants.  However, students do not need to be Pell recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants to be identified as having exceptional need. In addition, ARPA explicitly provides that financial aid grants to students may be provided to students exclusively enrolled in distance education.

About the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III

On May 11, the U.S. Department of Education announced that an additional $39.6 billion was available to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding is allocated to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III by the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021.

These funds – available to over 5,000 institutions of higher education – more than double the emergency relief aid available to students and institutions already authorized under the Coronavirus Aide, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) relief legislation.

MCCC has reserved $2,411,797 of funds it received through HERF III for institutional costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For questions regarding MCCC's emergency funds, students should email caresact@faroor.com.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II

Monroe County Community College has made $650,258 in emergency financial assistance via the 2021 Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II available to students who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

These funds are reserved to provide students with financial aid grants that may be used for any component of the student’s 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.

CRRSAA requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants, in awarding financial aid grants.  However, students do not need to be Pell recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants to be identified as having exceptional need. In addition, CRRSAA explicitly provides that financial aid grants to students may be provided to students exclusively enrolled in distance education.

For assistance with filling out the FAFSA and MCCC’s emergency funds application, students should email caresact@faroor.com.

About the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II

On January 14, the U.S. Department of Education announced that an additional $21.2 billion was available to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding is allocated to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law by former President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 27, 2020.

CRRSAA appropriated $82 billion for education, and the Department of Education made available all but $1.9 billion of that funding in the 18 days after the law was enacted. Earlier this year, former Secretary DeVos expeditiously provided $30.75 billion for education through “CARES,” the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security Act.

The January 14 announcement awarded $20.5 billion to public and non-profit colleges and universities and $681 million to proprietary schools. Public and non-profit schools can use their awards for financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and to cover a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll. Proprietary schools must use their awards exclusively to provide financial aid grants to students.

MCCC has reserved $2,168,506 of funds it received through HERF II for institutional costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact

Financial Aid Office
caresact@faroor.com

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund I - CARES Act

In 2020, Monroe County Community College made emergency financial assistance via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act available to current and prospective students who were financially affected by the transition to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MCCC’s allocation of funding through the CARES Act is $1,300,516. Half of that – $650,258 – was awarded as emergency grants to students.

Eligibility/Application

In order to apply for these funds, MCCC students had to be Title IV eligible – which means they were approved to receive federal loans and grant programs awards for pursuing post-secondary education – and have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid on file with MCCC.

Eligibility for MCCC students was based on financial issues they had or would face related to moving to online coursework, such as internet service issues, the need for a new computer or special software or hardware, or increased utility costs.

About the CARES Act

The CARES Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27. It is an economic relief package of more than $2 trillion designed to protect the American people from the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19. It provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers and families, small businesses and preserves jobs for American industries.

Under the act, about $14 billion was allocated to institutions of higher education. The most significant portion of that funding allocation provides $12.56 billion to institutions using a formula based on student enrollment. Of the amount allocated to each institution under this formula, at least 50 percent must be reserved to provide students with emergency financial aid grants to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.

Contact

Financial Aid Office
caresact@faroor.com