CCC is required to provide regular reporting to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on the use of funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. Funds received by Clatsop Community College under the CARES Act were authorized by Congress and signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020. The information noted below is intended to not only meet the reporting requirements of the CARES Act but also provide information to our community regarding use of the student grant portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
Section 18004(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act” or the “Act”)), Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (March 27, 2020), directs institutions receiving funds under Section 18004 of the Act to submit (in a time and manner required by the Secretary) a report to the Secretary describing the use of funds distributed from the HEERF. Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act requires institutions to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received from Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare). On April 9, 2020, the ED published documents related to the Emergency Financial Aid Grants, including a letter [PDF] from Secretary Betsy DeVos, a Certification and Agreement [PDF] form for signing and returning by institutions to access the funds, and a list of institutional allocations under 18004(a)(1) [PDF].
The Certification and Agreement directs each institution applying for HEERF funds to comply with Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and submit an initial report (the “30-day Fund Report”) to the Secretary thirty (30) days from the date of the institution’s Certification and Agreement to ED. Each HEERF participating institution must post the information listed below on the institution’s primary website. The following information must appear in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated every 45 days thereafter.
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report Cares Act 18004(a)(1) and 18004(a)(2) ending March 31, 2021
00318900_HEERF_Q22021_021022_Revised
00318900_HEEERF_Q32021_12032021
00318900_HEERF_Q42021_02092022
00318900_HEERF_Q52022_04102022
00318900_HEERF_Q62022_07112022
00318900_HEERF_Q62022_08182022_Revised
00318900_HEERF_Q62022_10262022_Revised
00318900_HEERF_Q62022_11102022_Revised
00318900_HEERF_Q72022_10102022
00318900 HEERF Q82022 01102023
00318900 HEERF Q92022 04102023
00318900 HEERF Q102022 07102023
An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that 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:
CCC signed and submitted the U.S. Department of Education Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on April 24, 2020. ED provided CCC with an electronically signed Grant Award Notification (GAN) on April 28, 2020.
Clatsop Community College has received $1,409,482 in funds to be used as Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP).
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 submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).
| Total Amount of CRRSA & ARP Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students | |||
| Per Quarter | Inception to date | Per quarter | |
| Quarter | Funds Distributed | Funds Distributed | # of Students |
| 04/01/2020-06/30/2020 | $ 207,125.00 | $ 207,125.00 | 388 |
| 7/1/2020-9/30/2020 | $ 250.00 | $ 207,375.00 | 1 |
| 10/1/2020-12/31/2020 | $ 12,835.00 | $ 220,210.00 | 10 |
| 1/1/2021-3/31/2021 | $ 2,211.00 | $ 222,421.00 | 2 |
| 4/1/2021-6/30/2021 | $ 203,725.00 | $ 426,146.00 | 450 |
| 7/1/2021-9/30/2021 | $ 24,042.72 | $ 450,188.72 | 27 |
| 10/1/2021-12/31/2021 | $ 121,453.66 | $ 571,642.38 | 153 |
| 1/1/2022 – 3/31/2022 | $4,324.63 | $575,967.01 | 8 |
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 to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
AND
The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
CCC estimates that 487 students are eligible to participate in the program. As of June 30, 2020 385 students have received an emergency financial aid grant.
As of December 31, 2021 revised eligibility guidance for emergency grants has resulted in 643 additional students being eligible and receiving funds.
CCC must post the method(s) 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.
Per guidance from the US Department of Education, students receiving CARES Act funding must be or potentially be eligible for Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as Amended. The college will also restrict CARES act funding to degree seeking students and those participating in the Lives in Transitions Program.
Students who have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid have automatically demonstrated eligibility for Title IV financial aid. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants by completing a self-certification form. The criteria to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA include but are not limited to the following: U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen; a valid Social Security number; registration with Selective Service (if the student is male); and a high school diploma, GED, or completion of high school in an approved homeschool setting.
Amounts of the emergency grant is determined by term enrollment status at time of award. Amounts scaled from $150 to $550.
| Enrollment Level | Min Credits | Max Credits | Award Amount |
| Less Than Half Time | 1 | 5 | $150 |
| Half Time | 6 | 8 | $250 |
| Three Quarter | 9 | 11 | $400 |
| Full Time | 12 | 999 | $550 |
All current students were sent an email providing them with a description of the emergency grant program and how they could access emergency grant funds if they had not filed a FAFSA. Requests for additional funds were granted if the need was related to the college’s transition to online instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional funding and guidance from the US Department of Education has allowed and encouraged all schools receiving emergency funding to provide emergency grants to a wider group of students. All students, not just those eligible or potentially eligible for Title IV financial aid are potentially eligible. These students received emergency funds based on the following schedule. 477 students were given emergency grants through this process.
HEERF ll funds were awarded to all degree seeking students enrolled for 1 or more credits. Priority funding was given to Pell Grant recipients. All others with available funds.
FT 600
TQ 400
HT 300
LHT 200
All current students were sent an email providing them with a description of the emergency grant program and how they could access additional emergency grant funds.
Students with past balances due to the national emergency (spring 2020 through spring 2021) were communicated with by letter and email detailing their ability to participate in a debt relief process utilizing student emergency funds. Permission was requested from students to use emergency student funds to resolve past charges. 153 students participated in this process.