CARES ACT Report & Disclosure

HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (HEERF) UNDER SECTION 18004 OF THE CARES ACT

CARES ACT Report and Disclosure

1. Front Range Community College (FRCC) acknowledges that on April 20, 2020 the institution’s President, Andrew R. Dorsey, signed the U.S. Department of Education Certification and Agreement Form for Emergency Financial Aid grants to Students under the coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. FRCC has used at least 50% of the funds allocated to FRCC under Section 18004(a) (1) of the CARES Act for the sole and exclusive purpose of providing emergency financial aid grants to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.
2. The total amount of HEERF funding for emergency financial aid grants to students that FRCC is entitled to receive based upon notification on April 25, 2020 under Section 18004 (c) of the CARES Act is $3,523,235.
3. The total amount of HEERF funded grants distributed directly to FRCC students as of November 13th, 2020 is $3,523,235. All grant funds have been distributed.
4. The estimated total number of FRCC students eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and therefore eligible to receive a grant funded by HEERF is 12,475.
5. The total number of awards made to FRCC students is 4,980. The unduplicated number of FRCC students who received a HEERF grant is 3,979. The average award was $707.48. The number of FRCC students who received a HEERF grant in Spring 2020 is 1190. The number of FRCC students who received a HEERF grant in Summer 2020 is 967. The number of FRCC students who received a HEERF grant for Fall 2020 prior to September 30^th is 2,344. The number of FRCC students who received a HEERF grant for Fall 2020 after September 30^th is 479.
6. FRCC used a web-based application for students to be considered for a HEERF grant. FRCC HEERF grant award determinations were based on students’ demonstrable need as described in their application and verified by the financial aid office. Additionally, the amount of the award was based on the tuition cost differential of online enrollment vs regular enrollment that added an additional financial burden to the student as a result of FRCC limiting enrollment to online instruction only. Thus, based on students’ credit load:
   • Students registered for 1-4 credit hours are eligible for $500
   • Students registered for 5-7 credit hours are eligible for $750
   • Students registered for 8+ credit hours are eligible for $1000 Funds were issued as a Bank Mobile refund unless the student voluntarily chose to apply the funds to the balance of their account.
7. Students were notified via an email to their frontrange.edu account of their application status and award. Information on availability, eligibility and the application process was provided to students through the Office of Financial Aid website, by financial aid and academic advisors, and via direct email to students. The following information was shared:
   
   To be eligible for a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grant a student must:

• Have been registered at FRCC as of March 13, 2020 for the terms Spring 2020, Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 in pursuit of a degree or certificate.
• Must meet Title IV eligibility requirements and criteria set under the CARES Act.
• Must request funding for an eligible HEERF grant reason that began after March 13, 2020 such as:

• Student cannot afford rent, food, or utilities
• Student has emergency transportation costs
• Student has unaffordable car repair costs
• Student course-required supplies, or technology needs for online coursework
• Student has medical expenses related to COVID-19
• Student cannot afford the higher per credit cost of online instruction
• Student has additional childcare expenses due to COVID-19
• Other reasons that meet the HEERF guidelines for distributing funds to students