CARES Act Grant Funds
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is an economic stimulus package that was signed into law by the United States Congress on March 27, 2020 to address the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. While the CARES Act is a widely impacting package of $2 trillion, a portion of the funds (roughly $14 billion) were allocated toward higher education in the form of emergency student grants to students and financial support for schools during this pandemic. Of the higher education allocation, funds are given to schools for the following purposes:
- Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF)
- Emergency Financial Aid Grant for Students
- Institutional financial support to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus” disruption.
- Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI)
- Grants to institutions particularly impacted by coronavirus, to be administered through FIPSE.
*Priority of these grants goes to small institutions who received less than $500,000 under the HEERF formula and MSI grants and still have significant unmet need.
Financial Aid Grants for Students
The CARES Act Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) provides funding to institutions to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted due to COVID-19.
The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu has signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement to provide assurance that 50% of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act will be used to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. Federal Funding Period: 04/24/2020 – 04/23/2021.
UH West Oʻahu has secured $697,500 from the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to the Certificate and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. The purpose of the HEERF Emergency Financial Aid Grants is to provide grants to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, childcare expenses, and other expenses caused by the disruption from COVID-19.
Current Distribution of Emergency Financial Aid Grants
UH West Oʻahu has distributed $231,700 to 318 students as of May 28, 2020.
UH West Oʻahu has distributed $697,500 to 1,055 students as of July 9, 2020.
*This is the final quarterly posted report that covers all remaining HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion funds for the HEERF Emergency Student Grants for students.
Funding Methodology
UH West Oʻahu determined eligibility on the following criteria:
- current non-Distance Education student, and
- Title IV (Federal Financial Aid) eligible.
Balancing need and eligible students, within the limits of our total funding, we determined the best amount, $700, to help students whose college attendance was impacted by COVID-19 by at least that amount. This amount can assist with students’ expenses during the disruption of classes while also meeting a high percentage of eligible students. The last group of students awarded will receive a substantially equal and proportionate amount until funds are fully exhausted for equitable and fund limiting factors.
Eligibility
UH West Oʻahu students who filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), are/was enrolled in the Spring 2020 term, are not distance education students and did not withdraw within the term are eligible for the HEERF grants. Upon graduating, a student is no longer eligible for the grant. There are an estimated 1,629 students who are currently eligible for the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Student that are not eligible include:
- Students who have not filed the FAFSA to determine Title IV eligibility.
- International students who cannot file the FAFSA.
- Undocumented students, including DACA students.
In an effort to meet the needs of as many eligible students as possible, two groups of students were identified and targeted to apply for these grants. Grants were awarded on a first-come first-serve basis to these identified groups. Due to the low response rates of our eligible students while knowing and addressing the needs of our students during this pandemic, it was decided that awarding group 3 and 4 will not be through an application process.
Group 1: Eligible Graduating Students
This group of students were targeted first due to the tight timeline of application to graduation, prior to their ineligibility for funds. Students in this group were sent an email with a link to an apply for the grants by May 7, 2020.
Group 2: Eligible Non-Graduating Students
This group of students were sent an email to apply for the emergency financial aid grants with a deadline of May 25, 2020. Within the email was a different application link to apply for these funds.
Due to the stringent eligibility requirements of the CARES Act Emergency Financial aid Grant for students, UH West Oʻahu identified all currently eligible students for these funds and sent each student a corresponding link to the apply for the CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants through their university email account.
Group 3: All Eligible Spring 2020 Non-Graduating Students Who Did Not Receive a Grant
Due to a low response rate of applicants through the application process for Groups 1 and 2, UH West Oʻahu awarded all eligible Spring 2020 students the CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants because it was determined that all eligible students in the Spring term were affected by the COVID-19 due to the change in the modality for all of these students in the middle of the term. Through student calls and feedback, it was recognized that many students have financial need; and was not aware of or missed the application deadline which prevented them from receiving the HEERF grants.
Group 4: All Eligible Summer Session II Students
With the available funds after groups 1, 2, and 3 were awarded, all eligible Summer students in the second session at UH West Oʻahu will be awarded Emergency Financial Aid Grants due to the high impact of the change in modality for these students. This summer session is the initial pilot phase of various course modalities that will be used in the Fall 2020 term.
Method of Payment of Grant Funds
Students who have set up ACH (Automated Clearing House) refunds with the University of Hawaiʻi on MyUH Services to their bank account will be sent their grant funds directly to their associated bank account. All other students without ACH will be mailed a check for the grant funds awarded.
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund - Institutional Portion
UH West Oʻahu has been awarded $697,500.00 from the U.S. Department of Education authorized by Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. Pursuant to Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act, these funds may be used to cover any costs associated with significant change to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus–Including expanding remote learning programs, building IT capacity to support such programs, and training faculty and staff to operate effectively in a remote learning environment. Additionally, these funds may be used to expand support for students with the most significant financial needs arising from the coronavirus pandemic, including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as course materials, technology, health care, childcare, food, and housing.
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund - Minority Serving Institutions
The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu has been allocated $1,238,245.00 from the U.S. Department of Education authorized by Section 18004(a)(2) and Section 18004(a)(3) of the CARES Act. These funds may be used to defray institutional expenses, which under Section 18004(a)(2) and Section 18004(a)(3) may include lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with the transition to distance education, faculty and staff training, and payroll. Additionally, these funds may also be used for grants to *eligible students for any component of the student’s cost of attendance, including tuition, course materials, and technology.
*Students must be eligible to receive Federal financial student aid under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
FAQs
UH West Oʻahu must follow guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education on eligible expenses (CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund). Consultation and collaboration with University and campus leadership and a variety of campus stakeholders determine how to appropriately address the campus impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as health and safety, changes to instructional delivery, and student support efforts. The UH Office of Vice President of Research and Innovation has oversight of this process.
No, this is a grant that does not need to be paid back.
Possibly. If funds are still available, we hope to make open up the application to those who became eligible recently or other eligible groups of students.
No, U.S. residents, eligible non-residents, and non-resident aliens are not taxed due to the nature of this funding (qualified disaster relief payments) and the emergency declaration order issued on March 13, 2020.
No, these grants are not counted toward your financial aid eligibility due to the nature of the funds and the emergency declaration order issued on March 13, 2020.
Title IV (Federal Financial Aid) eligibility requirements as described under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended:
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a degree or certificate program
- Not be enrolled in elementary or secondary school
- For currently enrolled students, be making satisfactory academic progress
- Not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans
- Not be in default on a Title IV loan
- A statement of educational purpose
- Student’s SSN
- Be a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident, or other eligible noncitizen
- Have returned fraudulently obtained Title IV funds if convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to charges
- Not have fraudulently received Title IV loans in excess of annual or aggregate limits
- Have repaid Title IV loan amounts in excess of annual or aggregate limits if obtained inadvertently
- If required, have a verified Selective Service registration
- Have a verified Social Security Number
- Not have a federal or state conviction for drug possession or sale, with certain time limitations