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CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund

COVID-19 HEERF Student Grant – CARES Act

The CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant provides emergency financial aid assistance to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus as stipulated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law March 27, 2020. The CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant is distributed to eligible students based on need as determined by the 2020-2021 and/or 2021-2022 FAFSA/Dream Act application. The award amount is various based on each student’s enrollment status. Funding is limited and is subject to the rules and eligibility requirements found in Section 18004 of the CARES Act.

Students can use the CARES grant to pay for any expenses, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, transportation, childcare, et cetera.

Students do not need to apply for the CARES Act, the college will automatically award to all eligible students who meet the emergency grants eligibility. Emergency grants will be automatically disbursed to students through the Financial Aid Office. No application is needed. For any questions regarding the CARES Act, please contact the financial aid office at 510-981-2941 or bcc-finaid@peralta.edu.

Students can view the award from their Passport Student Center in “View Financial Aid” under the Finances tab. It will be disbursed via the District’s financial aid partner, BankMobile. Student can visit their BankMobile account to view the disbursement. For BankMobile Vibe account questions, contact 1-877-327-9515.

For more detailed information on requirements, visit https://arc.losrios.edu/student-resources/financial-aid/cares-act#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20general%20eligibility,aid%20with%20demonstrated%20%22Unmet%20Need%22.

 

CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Disclosure:

  1. Berkeley City College acknowledges that the institution signed and returned to the Department of Education 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.
  2. The total amount of funds the institution has received or will receive from the Department of Education pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students is $922,262.00.
  3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of July 30, 2020 is $787,600.00.
  4. The estimated total number of students at Berkeley City College 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 is 5143.
  5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 1964 as of July 30, 2020.
  6. The methods used by Berkeley City College to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act are as follows:
    1. District Office Institutional Research provided a list of all potentially eligible students to the campus.
    2. The college financial aid office awarded and disbursed aid to students based on the eligibility list that was provided by the district.
    3. Awards are between $100 and $500, based on a student’s financial need and the number of units they were enrolled in each term.

CARES & ARP Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report:

Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF I and II) – Student Aid Portion Report Berkeley City College Quarterly Budget and Expenditures Report for ? – December 31, 2021 Berkeley City College (March31, 2022) Public Disclosure

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), March 27, 2020, directs institutions receiving CARES Act funding to submit a report to the Secretary of Education describing the use of funds distributed from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”). These funds, which are grants, not loans, are available to help eligible students who are facing an unexpected financial emergency and need help with one or more of the following items in order to stay enrolled in college: housing, food, basic technology to assist with online learning, and other essentials due to circumstances relating to the pandemic. The CARES Act requires institutions to use no less than 50 percent of the HEERF allocation received from 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 child care).

1. Berkeley City College acknowledges that the institution signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement to assures that it intends to use no less than 50% of the total funds allocated to the college under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Per Section 314(d)(5) of the CRRSAA Berkeley City College intends to provide at least the same amount of funding in financial aid grants to students as was required to be provided under sections 18004(a)(1) and (c) of division B of the CARES Act. 2. The total amount of HEERF (I, II, and II) funds allocated to school from the Department of Education.

• HEERF I: $922,262

• HEERF II: $922,262

• HEERF III: $4,066,369

• Total funds allocated: $5,910,893 3.

The total amount of emergency grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of December 31, 2021. • HEERF I: $922,262 • HEERF II: $984,590 4. The estimated total number of students at Berkeley City College 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. • HEERF I: 5,143 • HEERF II: 849 5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. • HEERF I: 2,466 • HEERF II: 849 6. The method(s) used by Berkeley City College to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grant and how much they will receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. Berkeley City College initially used the following criteria to determine eligibility: • Completed a FAFSA form • US Citizen or eligible Non-Citizen • Valid Social Security Number • Registered with Selective Service (males only) • High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent • Be enrolled in an approved degree or certificate program In Spring 2021, with the Department’s May 14, 2021 Final Rule, awarding criteria was expanded to allow any student, regardless of citizenship status, to qualify for HEERF funding. Students did not need to be in an eligible Title IV status, and allowed for noncredit students to receive emergency funding. The awarding criteria was expanded to allow for any enrolled student (3 units minimum or exclusively in a non-credit program) to receive an emergency grant if they had a demonstrated need. Students ineligible to receive funds: • Dropped all courses • Students enrolled as special admission high school students HERF I (Award amount Based on Need and Courseload) • Tier 1 – Pell Eligible (EFC<$5,776) o Full Time: $300 o Half-Time: $200 o Less than Half-Time: $100 o Three-Quarter Time: $50 • Tier 4 – No EFC and (AB 540 or Dreamer) o Full Time: $300 o Half-Time: $200 o Less than Half-Time: $100 o Three-Quarter Time: $50 HEERF II • Pell Eligible o Full Time: $1,500 o Part-Time: $750 • Dreamers o Full Time: $1,500 o Part-Time: $750 Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided to students concerning the emergency grants. All students received a notification when they were awarded HEERF I and II funds. The notification explained what the money could be used for, refund process, and how to check their award status on their portal. HEERF III – American Rescue Plan – Student Aid Portion Quarterly Budget and Expenditures by Colleges Public Disclosure The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), March 27, 2020, directs institutions receiving CARES Act funding to submit a report to the Secretary of Education describing the use of funds distributed from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”). These funds, which are grants, not loans, are available to help eligible students who are facing an unexpected financial emergency and need help with one or more of the following items in order to stay enrolled in college: housing, food, basic technology to assist with online learning, and other essentials due to circumstances relating to the pandemic. The CARES Act requires institutions to use no less than 50 percent of the HEERF allocation received from 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 child care). 1. Berkeley City College acknowledges that the institution signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement to assures that it intends to use no less than 50% of the total funds allocated to the college under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. 2. The total amount of HEERF III allocated to school from the Department of Education. • HEERF III: $4,066,369 3. The total amount of emergency grants distributed to students under the ARP HEERF III as of March 31, 2022 • HEERF III: $1,576,725 4. The estimated total number of students at Berkeley City College 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 • HEERF III: 3,890 5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. • HEERF III: 3,788 6. The method(s) used by Berkeley City College to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grant and how much they will receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. Berkeley City College initially used the following criteria to determine eligibility: Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided to students concerning the emergency grants. All students received a notification when they were awarded HEERF III funds. The notification explained what the money could be used for, refund process, and how to check their award status. Categories .5 – 5.5 units 6 – 11.5 units 12 or more unitsNoncredit Subtotal EFC $2k+ $ 300 $ 350 $ 350 $ 1,000 EFC <= $2K $ 300 $ 400 $ 400 $ 1,100 EFC <= $1K $ 550 $ 550 $ 550 $ 1,650 No EFC $ 300 $ 300 $ 300 $ 900 AB540 $ 675 $ 675 $ 675 $ 2,025 Dreamer $ 675 $ 6