Monroe County Community College has made $650,258 in emergency financial assistance via the 2021 Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II available to students who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students can apply for the CRRSAA funds by completing an application at www.monroeccc.edu/caresact.
These funds are reserved to provide students with financial aid grants that may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
In order to apply for these funds, MCCC students must have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid on file. Students can complete the FAFSA by going to www.fafsa.gov.
CRRSAA requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants, in awarding financial aid grants. However, students do not need to be Pell recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants to be identified as having exceptional need. In addition, CRRSAA explicitly provides that financial aid grants to students may be provided to students exclusively enrolled in distance education.
For assistance with filling out the FAFSA and MCCC’s emergency funds application, students should email caresact@monroeccc.edu.
About the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II
On January 14, the U.S. Department of Education announced that an additional $21.2 billion was available to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding is allocated to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law by former President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 27, 2020.
CRRSAA appropriated $82 billion for education, and the Department of Education made available all but $1.9 billion of that funding in the 18 days after the law was enacted. Earlier this year, former Secretary DeVos expeditiously provided $30.75 billion for education through “CARES,” the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security Act.
The January 14 announcement awarded $20.5 billion to public and non-profit colleges and universities and $681 million to proprietary schools. Public and non-profit schools can use their awards for financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and to cover a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll. Proprietary schools must use their awards exclusively to provide financial aid grants to students.
MCCC has reserved $2,168,506 of funds it received through HERF II for institutional costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
About Monroe County Community College
Founded in 1964, Monroe County Community College is a public, two-year institution supported by tax monies from Monroe County, educational funds from the State of Michigan and student tuition. The college’s mission is to enrich lives in our community by providing opportunity through student-focused, affordable, quality higher education and other learning experiences. The Main Campus is located at 1555 South Raisinville Road, Monroe, Mich., 48161, with easy access to Toledo and Detroit. The Whitman Center is located in Temperance, Mich., 48182, near the Ohio-Michigan Border. Detailed information about MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu.