HEERF II – CRRSAA Information

Updated 6/30/2021

This page is archived as of 9/30/2021. Current HEERF I, II, & III information and reporting is located at: https://egcc.edu/heerf/

CRRSAA:  Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II)

Eastern Gateway Community College is very grateful to have the opportunity to deliver additional financial support to qualifying students during this challenging time. On December 27, 2020, the Unites States Government passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA).  The CRRSAA allocates funding for eligible colleges to address needs of eligible students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

EGCC acknowledges that we have signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement and assure that we will use no less than the required amounts designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

EGCC has received a total of $6,354,688 through the CRRSAA Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II).  Similar to the CARES Act HEERF I, the US Department of Education (ED) has allocated these funds based on two categories, Student funds and Institutional funds, each with separate usage criteria. 

CRRSAA HEERF II funding awarded to EGCC is based on the number of on-campus or online, full time, Pell Grant eligible students, and it will be allocated accordingly.  In comparison to last year’s CARES Act HEERF I funding, permissible use criteria for HEERF II CRRSAA funding has been expanded.  As such, EGCC will use enhanced eligibility methodology to award funds to several cohorts of qualifying students.   The points below summarize how EGCC plans to utilize both the Student and the Institutional portions of the HEERF II CRRSAA funding.

Student CRRSAA HEERF II Funds – Allocation and Eligibility

$3,708,897 of the CRRSAA HEERF II funds will be distributed to qualifying students enrolled in the Spring 2021, Summer 2021, and Fall 2021 semesters. If funds remain, they will be issued in subsequent semesters.

As of 6/30/2021, $407,250 in HEERF II Funds have been distributed to 543 students.  Under current eligibility criteria, 26,742 students could be eligible for funds, to be distributed in the future, as described below.

CRRSAA HEERF II – EGCC Round 1 Student Funding (Complete)

• EGCC utilized CRRSAA HEERF II Student funding to issue an emergency cash grant to students who met the eligibility requirements for CARES Act aid, but did not receive a grant through the CARES Act student portion of funding.
• The eligibility criteria was:
  • Must reside in EGCC’s Ohio service district (Columbiana, Jefferson, Mahoning, or Trumbull counties).
  • Must have completed a 2020-2021 FAFSA, submitted all supplemental documentation as required by ED, and be eligible to receive Title IV Federal Aid as demonstrated by a $0 Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
  • Meet all enrollment requirements and attend at least one course during the Spring 2021 semester.
• The amount qualifying students received was $750.

CRRSAA HEERF II – EGCC Round 2 Student Funding

• EGCC will seek input from students regarding how to utilize their funding, should they be eligible.
  • In July 2021, a survey/authorization form will be sent to ALL students enrolled for Spring 2021, Summer 2021, or scheduled for Fall 2021.
  • Completion of the authorization form is highly encouraged, but not required. Should a student meet eligibility criteria, EGCC will disburse funds based on his/her authorization.
• Eligibility Criteria:
  • Must be actively attending the Summer 2021 semester, or future semesters (if funds still remain)
  • Demonstrate financial need as determined by the 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 FAFSA, and be eligible to receive a Pell grant
  • During the Summer 2021 semester, the student must have completed a 2020-2021 FAFSA and submitted all supplemental documentation as required by ED. Fall 2021 and subsequent semesters require completion of the 2021-2022 FAFSA.
• The amount a student will receive is $750.

Institutional CRRSAA HEERF II Funds – Allocation and Eligibility

$2,645,791 of the CRRSAA funds are allocated to EGCC to be used for costs associated with the disruption of operations due to COVID-19.

• A portion (to be determined as expenses are incurred) will be used to cover costs associated with ensuring both our Steubenville and Youngstown campuses are prepared to resume safe and normal operations
  • These expenses include, but are not limited to, cleaning costs, personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 testing.
• A portion (to be determined as expenses are incurred), will be used to offset costs of new technological systems that have, or will need to be, implemented because of COVID-19.
• The remaining portion will be utilized to fund EGCC’s Gateway Guarantee; a program that will cover tuition, book, and/or fee costs for qualifying students residing in the College’s service district who are experiencing disruption of operations and courses because of COVID-19.