Columbia College CARES Information

CARES/HEERF/Covid Relief Funding

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal economic relief package signed into law on March 27, 2020 to provide economic assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This law reserved about $14 billion for higher education Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), is to be split between emergency grants for students and moneys for schools’ needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) emergency grants include funds that will be disbursed to students as relief for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations caused by the COVID -19 pandemic. Expenses may include items such as tuition/books, technology, food, housing, healthcare, childcare, etc. This is an emergency grant and not a loan. Funds do not have to be repaid.

All funding will be sent out via your BankMobile preference. If you have not activated your account reach out to your FA Specialist.

HEERF1-The CARES Act

The U.S. Department of Education allocated funds to colleges based on full-time enrollment and total number of students eligible for the Pell Grant. Columbia College was allocated $994,576. The Certification and Agreement was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education. This agreement assures that $500,000 will go directly to students as CARES grants.
Columbia estimates that about 998 students are eligible under the Title IV eligibility for the Spring 2020 semester. Second round of CARES disbursements are for those students who completed the 2020-2021 FAFSA. Student who were Title IV eligible and enrolled in Fall 2020 OR Spring 2021 semesters, received a $1000 disbursement.
Who was eligible for consideration for funding under this program?
- Be enrolled in Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and/or Summer 2021 courses.
- Have a completed the 2020-2021 FAFSA and is on file with the Columbia College Financial Aid department.
- Be enrolled in an Associate Degree, Certificate, or Transfer Degree program at Columbia College
- Meet Financial Aid SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) standards
- Be otherwise eligible under Title IV (US citizen/eligible nonresident, high school graduate, SSS verification)
- Submit CARES Act Funding Application to the Financial Aid Office.

The U.S. Department of Education excludes international students, undocumented students/Dreamers, non-matriculated students, non-credit students, or students enrolled in distance-only degree programs.

Quarterly Reporting 6/30/2020

Quarterly Reporting 9/30/2020

Quarterly Reporting 12/30/2020

Quarterly Reporting 3/31/2021

HEERF2-Coronavirus Response and Recovery Supplemental Appropriations Act

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion expeditiously provided last spring through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136.

Who is eligible for consideration for funding under this program?