CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants
NOTE: ALL CARES STUDENT FUNDS HAVE BEEN EXPENDED.
APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING ACCEPTED.
ABOUT
The United States Department of Education announced the specific funding that has been allocated to every postsecondary institution in the nation through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act recently passed by Congress and signed into law. Salem Community College will receive funds under the CARES Act to provide emergency grants to students.
ALLOWABLE EXPENSES
Students may receive emergency grants for unforeseen emergency expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. Eligible expenses include items in the student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare.
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
Students enrolled in a program that met on-campus prior to the transition to online classes due to COVID-19 can be considered for the CARES Act emergency financial aid grants.
The college aims to assist as many students as possible in meeting their emergency financial needs during this challenging time. We are all here to support you.
**Students may only submit one application**
***Limited Funding Available***
select the "Award Springs Emergency Scholarship" option
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Below are the answers to frequently asked questions about the CARES Act Emergency Grants.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocates funds to support individuals and businesses/organizations affected by the pandemic and economic downturn. The Act includes several sources of funds for colleges and universities, including the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
SCC has received funds under the CARES Act to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. Eligible expenses include items in the student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare.
The criteria to participate in programs 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. Students must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program, must be making Satisfactory Progress, sign the statement of educational purpose and not be in default on a Title IV federal student loan or owe a refund on a Title federal student grant or loan overpayment.
The CARES Act as legislated by Congress and signed by President Trump excludes the following from this emergency funding:
- Students enrolled in all online courses prior to March 13
- Students who withdrew prior to March 13
- Dual Credit students
- Dual Enrollment students
- Jump Start students
- Non-credit students
- International students
- DACA students
We are reviewing applications as quickly as possible so we can meet students’ critical needs. Funds will be awarded after submission.
**Application deadline now 10/30/2020.
We allocate funds based on students’ stated need and documented expenses. We may require additional documentation for large amount requests for emergency funding. CARES Act awards are one-time awards and funds are limited. The college’s priority is to help as many students as possible, especially those in greatest need, to get through this academic year.
Funding from the CARES Act emergency fund will not impact a student’s financial aid package.
We are reviewing applications as quickly as possible so we can meet students’ critical needs. Students will receive an email notification when their application is processed. Students should expect funds within two weeks of processing.
If funding is approved, the grant funds will be disbursed to your account.
DIRECT DEPOSIT
Students can set up and enter your banking information for eRefund (direct deposit) by logging on to the student payment portal. To view the instructions to the direct deposit setup, please click here.
PAPER CHECK BY MAIL
Emergency refund check will be mailed to student’s permanent home address on file. Please note that checks are mailed by default. It is crucial for students to make sure they always have their current address on file.
No. The CARES Act requires institutions to provide the emergency financial aid grants to students. The CARES Act emergency financial aid grants cannot be used to cover and satisfy a student’s outstanding account balance. The student may use his or her emergency financial aid grant for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.
Please email us at info@salemcc.edu. We are all here to support you during this challenging time.
CARES ACT FEDERAL REPORTING DISCLOSURE
Certification and Agreement for Funding
Salem Community College applied for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting- Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students as provided in Section 18004 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) via signature and return to the Education Department on 4/16. The College intends to allocate 50% of all funds received under 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
Funding Amount
As determined via the methodology by the Education Department the College received $665,129, with half of those funds designated for use towards Emergency Financial Aid Grants. A total of $332,565 will be made available to students.
Eligible Students
The CARES Act allows for funds to be disbursed to eligible students who experienced 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 child care). Students who officially or unofficially withdrew prior to March 13, 2020, were registered for all online classes prior to March 13, 2020, and international or DACA students are ineligible.
Of Salem Community College’s 1008 registered students 597 completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the spring semester.
Instructions to Students
Salem Community College communicated to students via a variety of mechanism including email, social media, the Canvas LMS, and this webpage. The College additionally subscribed to AwardSpring’s Emergency Grant platform to allow for the online submission and awarding of emergency grants. Students will receive their grant via direct deposit or check delivered via USPS.
Examples of these communications are linked below.
Methodology
A CARES Act fund distribution committee evaluated and established a process and form of application for students to complete a documented request for funds to cover expenses they incurred as a consequence of Salem Community College closing its campus in Mid March and concurrently converting class instruction into a remote learning environment.
Consistent with specific documented guidance provided by the US Department of Education ("USDOE") In accordance with US DOE guidance the committee worked to design a process that would be equitable, address as many students as its funding allocation would reasonably address, and estimating to the best of its ability that the process would fund as many students as reasonably possible.
An initial sampling set of 120 completed applications provided excellent real time guidance for the committee to establish appropriate approval guidelines by both category and overall to best assure reasonable and equitable distribution to the most students possible.
Amount Disbursed to Students
The College is required to periodically report on the funds disbursed to students after the first 30-days after receipt of funds and every 45-days thereafter.
| Count | Average | Total | |
| CARES (HEERF I) | |||
| 05/28/2020 | 102 | 707 | $72,118.00 |
| 05/29/2020 | 43 | 731 | $31,427.00 |
| 06/09/2020 | 1 | 1,500 | $1,500.00 |
| 06/10/2020 | 1 | 775 | $775.00 |
| 06/23/2020 | 28 | 649 | $18,169.00 |
| 06/24/2020 | 2 | 525 | $1,050.00 |
| 06/25/2020 | 13 | 636 | $8,270.00 |
| 06/29/2020 | 13 | 682 | $8,865.00 |
| 07/16/2020 | 5 | 948 | $4,740.00 |
| 07/21/2020 | 5 | 721 | $3,605.00 |
| 08/04/2020 | 3 | 1,313 | $3,940.00 |
| 08/13/2020 | 4 | 930 | $3,720.00 |
| 08/17/2020 | 4 | 1,250 | $5,000.00 |
| 08/20/2020 | 2 | 930 | $1,860.00 |
| 08/21/2020 | 1 | 700 | $700.00 |
| 09/04/2020 | 9 | 517 | $4,655.00 |
| 09/08/2020 | 5 | 851 | $4,255.00 |
| 10/02/2020 | 88 | 905 | $79,660.00 |
| 10/05/2020 | 67 | 699 | $46,845.00 |
| 10/28/2020 | 32 | 982 | $31,411.00 |
| 12/11/2020 | 2 | 675 | $1,350 |
| CRRSA (HEERF II) | |||
| 06/16/2021 | 841 | 402 | $338,000 |
| 06/17/2021 | 5 | 440 | $2,200 |
| 06/24/2021 | 1 | 800 | $800 |
| ARPA (HEERF III) | |||
| 10/26/2021 | 249 | 753 | $187,400 |
| 10/27/2021 | 736 | 485 | $356,000 |
| 12/08/2021 | 4 | 700 | $2,800 |
| ARPA (HEERF III) | |||
| 03/02/2022 | 927 | 717 | $664,330 |
| 10/17/2022 | 1005 | $485 | $487,080 |
| 11/28/2022 | 3 | $780 | $2340 |
Source: IRP Reports; "Charge Credit Details"; fund (StiCARES, StiCRRSAA, StiARPA)
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(3)
The College is required to report qualifying expenses under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(3) no less than 10 days after each calendar quarter until funds are expended. Reporting will be updated on 10/30/2020, 1/10/2021, 4/10/2021, and 7/10/2021 or until all funds are expended. The College was awarded $332,464 under 18004(a)(1) [CARES Institution Portion] and $32,999 under 18004(a)(3) 84.425M {Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP)].