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Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II - CRRSAA

CRRSAA

UPDATE: APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING ACCEPTED. 

 

Provided through the federal Coronavirus Response and Recovery Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA).

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) created the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) in the spring of 2020. We were very glad to be able to provide grants to students during the spring and summer terms of 2020. Information related to the awarding of those grants may be found HERE.

In December, 2020, the U.S. government passed the Coronavirus Response and Recovery Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) which provided supplemental grant awards to higher education institutions. This included a supplemental award of $1,470,055 for additional emergency grants for students. The U.S. Department of Education provided guidance in making these awards in March, 2021.

Eligibility requirements for a CRRSAA HEERF II Grant

  • Based on criteria established by the college, all credit students who are U.S. citizens and have been enrolled with tuition charges during the spring 2021 term, are eligible for a HEERF II grant.

  • The college must provide priority to the neediest students and decided to use the FASFA expected family contribution (EFC) to make that determination. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II committee decided on a formula for awarding these grants that uses both the EFC from FASFA, if available and the number of hours enrolled. A minimum grant amount will be awarded to students who did not complete the FASFA and have no EFC calculated.

  • In addition, grants are being provided to adult education students who are actively enrolled during the spring 2021 term.

 

heerf II (crrsaa) faq'S

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the federal government provided initial funding to colleges and universities to award students with financial need a Higher Education Emergency Relief Grant awarded through the CARES Act. These funds were disbursed in the spring and summer of 2020. In December, 2020, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and provided additional funds for more relief for college students. They may be used by the student to pay 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) and child care.

All credit students enrolled in the spring 2021 who are U.S. Citizens are eligible for a grant. In addition, all adult education students who are a U. S. citizen, enrolled in the spring 2021.

Employees from both the Financial Aid Office and the Business Office are working jointly to ensure all eligible students receive a grant.

No. Applications are not necessary. Awards will be determined by information on file with the college. However, the college has requested that students complete a short survey related to whether you wish any grant applied to your account balance. In addition, the survey may ask a question on your U.S. citizenship status, if it has not been provided through our admission process. Grants are only available if you are a U.S. Citizen.

Applications are not necessary. Student awards will be determined based on the current enrollment and FASFA records of the college and adjustments will be made based on the expected family contribution rates and or enrollment. A short survey has been provided to all students to allow you to apply the grant to any outstanding balance you may have.

If you are a U.S. citizen and did not have a survey question emailed to you related to your citizenship status, you will still receive a HEERF II award.

If however, you had a question related to your U.S. citizenship status and did not meet our April 30, 2021 deadline, you will not be awarded a grant with the initial distribution made. If you are a U.S. citizen and missed the deadline, please contact this email address heerf@meridiancc.edu, the business office or the financial aid office and we will review your account to determine if you are eligible and if 2 funds remain available. You will be notified by email if you are eligible. (Additional funds may be available in the future. Continue to check our website and announcements for any additional grant possibilities.)

No. This round of grants is being given to students of the spring 2021 semester. You must be enrolled currently in spring of 2021 or have attended the spring 2021. Grants are being awarded to all current credit students in the spring semester of 2021 who are or have been enrolled in the current term at the time the grants are calculated. (Please monitor our website for additional funds that may become available.)

Adult education students enrolled during the spring 2021 semester are also eligible.

The grant amount is determined by the expected family contribution calculation, if available, and the number of credit hours enrolled. The maximum grant is estimated to be $1,000 if you are eligible for the maximum Pell grant and were enrolled in a minimum of 9 semester credit hours. The minimum grant is approximately $38.89. Actual amounts will be determined once the total number of awards and all data have been received. Grants are reduced for those enrolled in less than 9 semester credit hours. The grant amount for adult education students is approximately $1,000.

The college plans to send email announcements to students disclosing the amount and method of payment for all grant awards as early as possible and expect that to be in May 2021.

If authorized by the student, the HEERF grant will be applied to their student account balance. Any amount over the amount outstanding will be paid by check and mailed directly to the student. If not authorized by the student, the grant will be mailed directly to the student. All checks are mailed to the student’s most recent address on file.

No. Although the college must give priority to the neediest students and will use the Expected Family Contribution rates calculated with the FASFA to determine the neediest students, those who do not meet this requirement will be eligible for a smaller grant.

No. These funds are grants, not loans, and do not have to be paid back.

Yes. A student may provide documentation that proves U.S. citizenship to the MCC admissions office. Examples of proof would be a birth certificate or an unexpired U.S. passport. The student will then have their 2020 spring HEERFII grant eligibility evaluated and awarded if all other requirements were met. 

Please email heerf@meridiancc.edu for any additional questions.