Montcalm Community College
Use of CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund - Report
Update Report – Sept. 22, 2020
On April 20, 2020, Montcalm Community College (MCC) signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On May 29, 2020, MCC received its student portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
MCC agreed to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Aid Grants to students. MCC was allocated a total of $861,963 for direct student grants and institutional support.
This serves as MCC’s report on Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, as of Sept. 22, 2020:
- Total amount distributed to students: $263,375
- Estimate of total number of MCC students who may be eligible to receive HEERF Grants: 503
- Total number of students who have received HEERF Grants: 269
MCC’s method for determining which students receive HEERF and how much they receive is based on the CARES Act and subsequent guidance provided by the Secretary of Education (CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund).
MCC students were notified about the availability of these Emergency Financial Aid Grants, eligibility requirements and the application to apply for the funds via email notifications, postal letter and on the MCC website under the Student Information button at www.montcalm.edu/coronavirus. MCC’s 2020-2021 eligible FAFSA students have been notified of availability for fall semester awards.
Eligibility for Emergency Financial Aid Grants for MCC students is based on financial issues they have had or will face related to the disruption of classes due to Coronavirus, with the top factors being college course materials, technology and Internet access. The MCC CARES Act Committee developed the following guidelines for determining the Emergency Financial Aid Grant amounts, with a maximum value assigned to each category. The committee reviewed each applicant and used a rubric to determine the amount awarded setting the minimum award at $500 with no cap on the amount, based on the following guidelines for determining the Emergency Financial Aid Grant amounts:
- $500 – Housing
- No cap on the amount - Other technology
- $400 - Food
- $300 - Internet
- $200 – Course materials
- $200 - Childcare
- $100 - Health care
Each student’s situation is evaluated individually based on the information provided in the student’s application, and MCC maintains the flexibility to determine the amount awarded per eligible expense to each student on a case-by-case basis.