CRRSAA ACT REPORTING ON EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS

Updated July 9, 2023

2021 Student Quarterly Reports
Quarter 3 Report
Quarter 4 Report

2022 Student Quarterly Reports
Quarter 1 Report
Quarter 2 Report
Quarter 3 Report
Quarter 4 Report

2023 Student Quarterly Reports
Quarter 1 Report
Quarter 2 Report

On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (P.L. 116-260). This new law gives the U.S. Department of Education (Department) approximately $22.7 billion to distribute to institutions of higher education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus through the HEERF. This law has some similarities—as well as important differences—from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116–136) that was enacted on March 27, 2020. These FAQs provide an overview of those similarities and differences; describe the flexibilities for institutions that received grants under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act (“Student Aid Portion” and “Institutional Portion,” CFDAs 84.425E and 84.425F, respectively); and describe the differences between the funds allocated under that section and those under section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA. The grant programs authorized under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act and under section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA are referred to below as the “(a)(1) programs” and their funds as “(a)(1) funds.”

Rio Grande Valley College has signed and returned to the US Department of Education the Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) program to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

The total amount of funds that the institution has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Student under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is $1,247,404.

The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs as of June 30, 2023 is $1,247,404.

The estimated total number of students at our institution that are eligible to receive the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Student under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is 624.

The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is 1,486.

The method used by Rio Grande Valley College to determine which student receive the Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much each student has received/will receive under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs is:

Eligibility Criteria

• Students who are or were enrolled at Rio Grande Valley College during the COVID-19 national emergency on or after March 13, 2021
  a) Students enrolled in programs less than 100 clock hours, award amount is $150.00
  b) Students enrolled in programs of 300 – 490 clock hours, award amount is $250.00
  c) Students enrolled in programs of 501 – 630 clock hours, award amount is $350.00
  d) Students enrolled in programs of 780 – 900 clock hours, award amount is $600.00
  e) Students enrolled in the institute’s largest program awards amount range from $365.00* to $1284.00*.
  
  *Amounts vary due to enrollment status. The reason for this formula was to award all students enrolled and impacted by the pandemic.
  
  
• Student who are U.S. Citizens, permanent residents, refugees, asylum seekers, DACA recipients, DREAMers and undocumented students;

This emergency fund is being distributed as an Emergency Financial Aid Grant, according to the new federal guidelines. Students are not required to complete a separate application or take additional actions to receive these funds. Eligible students will receive an email from the business office at Rio Grande Valley College regarding the distribution of funds.

CARES Act Higher Education Relief Funding

Rio Grande Valley College Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report under the CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, for period ending March 31, 2021. Download PDF

2020 Institutional Quarterly Reports
Quarter 3 Report
Quarter 4 Report

Updated April 10, 2021

On March 27, 2020, the Federal government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Pub L. No. 116-136, providing funds to institutions from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to make Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including eligible expenses under s student’s cost of attendance, such as food, course materials, technology, health care, and child care.

Rio Grande Valley College has signed and returned a Certification and Agreement – Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students acknowledgement to the US Department of Education on May 13, 2020 attesting that we 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. Download PDF

The total amount of funds that the institution received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Student is $722,800.

The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30 day Report) is $386,460.

The estimated total number of students at our institution 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 CARE Act is 566 students.

The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to date is 566 students.

The method used by Rio Grande Valley College to determine which students receive the Emergency Financial Aid Grants was based on regulations in Public Law in HR 748-116th Congress, 2nd Session, CARES, Act, Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, Section 18004, guidance published by the US Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education that was posted on May 6, online at https://ifap.ed.gov/electronic-announcements/050620HigherEdEmergencyReliefFundRptg and guidance posted to the Office of Postsecondary Education’s CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund website at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/caresact.html.

• “Students who were enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020, the date of the President’s Proclamation, ‘Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak…are not eligible for emergency financial aid grants”
• “Only students who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), may receive emergency financial aid grants. If student have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants.
• International students, DREAMers and DACA recipients are not eligible for the CARES Act.

The criteria to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA include but are not limited to the following:

• US 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.”

Rio Grande Valley College has complied with the regulations and guidance provided by the Department in determining eligibility requirements. The institution calculated the total number of eligible students enrolled on March 27, 2020 and impacted by COVID-19 divided by fifty percent of the total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students funding and determined an amount of $684 per student.