Last updated on: July 10, 2023

HEERF III

In mid-March  2021, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds III (HEERF III) was established pursuant to the American Relief  Appropriations Act (ARA) to provide additional economic relief from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) included additional COVID-19 relief for institutions of higher education. This new COVID stimulus bill included $39.6 billion, available through September 30, 2023, for higher education institutions and students, using the same Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) model established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Approximately $36 billion of these funds is being distributed under ARP (a)(1) for public and private nonprofit institutions as defined in section 101 or section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). At least half of an institution’s allocation under ARP (a)(1) must be used to make emergency financial aid grants to students (the Student Aid Portion); the remainder may be used for institutional purposes (Institutional Portion).

Student  Portion Funding

1. CSUCI received a supplemental award in the amount of $12,361,189 in HEERF III funds for the Student Aid Portion. As of June 9th 2021, the total amount of grants disbursed to students from this funding was $1,602,000, and the total awards made to students were 1,175.

2. On November 8th, 2021, CSUCI distributed $5,340,500 of the Emergency Financial Aid Grant Student Portion to students.

3. On January 28, 2022, CSUCI distributed $5,103,500 of the Emergency Financial Aid Grant Student Portion to 5,267 students.

Award Amounts
The emergency financial aid grant amounts have been prioritized for undergraduate students with exceptional need based on Pell Grant and Cal Grant B eligibility and Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Department of Education (ED) and/or the California Student Aid Commission for the 2021-2022 academic year.

 Fall 2021 HEERF Awards Amounts  Award Amounts 
 O EFC (CGB & PG)$1,500 
 Cal Grant B & Pell Grant Students$1,000 
 All Other Students (UG/PBAC)$500 

Institutional Portion Funding

CSUCI received a supplemental award in the amount of $12,234,249 in HEERF III funds for the Institutional Aid Portion. Campus discussions are underway to determine allocations and uses of this funding.

Minority Serving Institutional Portion Funding

CSUCI received a supplemental award in the amount of $1,489,680 in HEERF III funds for the Minority Serving Institutional Portion. Campus discussions are underway to determine allocations and uses of this funding.


HEERF II

Cal State Channel Islands Cares Students Aid Grant Spring 2021 Summary

BACKGROUND
Cal State Channel Islands University first awarded Students Grant in Spring 2020 and then in Fall 2020 was made available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). This was established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The purpose of the grant was to provide emergency financial relief to students incurring costs associated with COVID-19. In late December 2020, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds II (HEERF II) was established pursuant to the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) to provide additional economic relief from the COVID-19 pandemic.

FUNDING OVERVIEW
CSUCI received a total of $14,288,099 in HEERF II funding. Under the CRRSAA section 314(a)(1) the minimum amount allocated for the student aid portion is $4,290,005. 

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible, a student must be a Title IV eligible financial aid recipient and meet the following criteria

  • Students with a 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file as of March 5, 2021 will qualify.
  • Students must be currently enrolled in a current UG & PBAC degree-seeking programs for Spring 2021.

AWARD AMOUNTS

Emergency grant amounts will be based on the students Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) from the 2020-2021 FAFSA.

EFCAMOUNT
 0-4000$1,200.00 
 4001-99999$900.00 

DISBURSEMETS

In order to support the mission of the University and placing students at the center of their educational experience CSUCI made funding available from both the Student Portion and Institutional Portion under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CRSSA. 

On March 15th CSUCI distributed $4,290,005 the total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grant Student Portion to 4,176 students

On March 16th distributed $1,627,495 the total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grant Institutional Portion to 1,369 students

Total disbursed = 5,917,500
Total students = 5,545

Minority Serving Institutional Portion Funding

In late December 2020, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds II (HEERF II) was established pursuant to the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) to provide additional economic relief from the COVID-19 pandemic.  CSUCI was awarded supplemental funding in the amount of $893, 881 under the Minority Serving Institutional Portion. 

PREVIOUS CARES ACT FUNDS: Unliquidated (unspent) grant funds awarded previously pursuant to section 18004(a)(2) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Pub. L. 116-136, pursuant to CRRSAA section 314(d)(2), may be used consistent with the provisions of CRRSAA section 314(c) for obligations incurred on or after December 27, 2020, subject to the requirements in CRRSAA section 314(d)(5). All other grant terms, conditions, and requirements from the Recipient s Certification and Agreement for an Award under section 18004(a)(2) of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, for the CARES Act, and the GAN issued pursuant to that award remain in force.

Campus discussion are underway to  determine allocations and uses of this funding.


HEERF I

The following public information is provided in compliance with Section § 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act for California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI): 

  1. CSUCI signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement on April 16, 2020, for the Student Aid portion of the grant. CSUCI will 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.
  1. CSUCI received notice on April 25, 2020, that it had received an award of $8,580,010. Fifty percent of the total funds to be received by CSUCI under Section 18004(a)(1), or $4,290,005, will be used by the University to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.
  1. As of October 31, 2020, the total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is $4,290,005.
  1. As of May 20, 2020, the estimated total number of students in the 2019-2020 academic year at CSUCI eligible to participate in federal aid programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 5,513.
  1. As of October 31, 2020, the total number of CSUCI students that have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 6,030.
  1. The methods used to determine which and how much students receive in Emergency Financial Aid Grants are as follows:

    CSUCI is distributing grant aid to eligible students (undergraduate, graduate and credential) using a three-pronged approach. Block grants are awarded and benchmarked against student documented financial need. The largest grant, or first tier, awards $925 to students with the greatest financial need as indicated by estimated family contribution (EFC) of $0-$1000.  Students with EFC between $1001 and $4000 receive a second-tier grant of $600. All other eligible students with a completed FAFSA receive a third-tier grant of $300. As directed by the California State University Chancellor’s Office, proration will apply to part-time students. A proration factor of 50% will be applied to each of the three grant tiers for students with less than seven units. The tiers are provided below.

    CARES AWARD TABLE
    EFC Range1-6 units7-24 units
    Tier 10-1000$462.50$925.00
    Tier 21001-4000$300.00$600.00
    Tier 34001 and above$150.00$300.00
    In addition, a set aside of $436,443 was established to support the CARES supplemental funding application process.  All eligible students that requested financial assistance through the application process received an award based on incurred COVID-19 expenses. The campus established a maximum award of $500 per student. Students were asked to describe the expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic for which they were seeking support. These may have included items such as food, housing, course materials, technology, travel, childcare, health care, and other related expenses that required an explanation.
  1. CSUCI sent emails regarding the availability of CARES Emergency Grants and the steps to apply to all eligible students on May 6, 2020. Additional information about student eligibility and the application process has been made available on the Financial Aid & Scholarships website under the CARES Emergency Grants FAQ’s.

Higher Education Institutional Portion Funding

The funding was made possible through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. CSUCI  was awarded $4,290,005 in funding under the Institutional Portion pursuant to signing the required Certification and Agreement with the US Department of Education on May 13, 2020. CSUCI  plans to reimburse the campus for technology costs,  faculty instruction to support their online learning environment, emergency pay, refunds to assist with Auxiliary short falls and other fall potential expenses. The campus is still accumulating and reviewing costs incurred due to COVID amounts to reimburse.

Pursuant to H.R. 748 (CARES Act), section 18004(c), CSU campuses may use monies to cover costs incurred associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus. Costs must be incurred on or after March 13, 2020 to be eligible. Examples of allowable uses permitted under the broad institutional authority granted by the CARES Act include lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll costs.

Section 18006 of the CARES Act provides further guidance regarding the use of monies provided under by act, stating that institutions of higher education shall to the greatest extent practicable continue to pay its employees and contractors (e.g. auxiliary organizations) during the period of any disruptions or closures related to coronavirus.

Minority Serving Institutional Portion Funding

The funding was made possible through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. CSUCI  was awarded $611,090 in funding under the Institutional Portion pursuant to signing the required Certification and Agreement with the US Department of Education on June 3, 2020.

Pursuant to H.R. 748 (CARES Act), section 18004(a) (2), a Historically Black College and University or a Minority Serving Institution may use prior awards provided under titles III, V, and VII of the Higher Education Act to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Costs must be incurred on or after March 13, 2020 to be eligible. Examples of allowable uses permitted under the broad institutional authority granted by the CARES Act include lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, payroll costs, and emergency financial aid grants to students for their expenses.

CSUCI has made a commitment to help students stay on track for graduation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by providing financial assistance in the form of CARES Summer Grants. CSUCI has expanded our summer remote learning courses in order to support student’s success during this national crisis.

The funding used for this CARES Summer Grant program will be allocated from the CARES Funding (Minority Serving Institutions and the Institutional Portion) of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) of the CARES Act. The same guidelines for these HEERF funds will apply even though this is not Title IV Aid, but Title IV Eligibility is required. This would exempt international students, undocumented students, students who were enrolled exclusively in online programs on March 13th (Cal State Online) and students not enrolled in a degree-seeking programs (i.e. Open University).

As of October 9, 2020,  the total amount of summer grants disbursed was $586,715 and the total awards made to students were 539. 

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