COVID19

CARES Act Funding Report and Disclosure

The Coronavirus Assistance, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was approved by Congress and includes support for higher education, including emergency grants for students facing expenses due to COVID-19.

Helena College University of Montana acknowledges it signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement on April 17, 2020, and will use no less than 50% of the funds received for grants to students as directed in section 18004(a)(1).

Helena College has received $685,627 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF), with no less than $342,814 designated for emergency financial aid grants to students. As of May 13, 2021, $342,814 has been distributed to students. This is the final amount for HEERF I grant monies. A report will continue to be posted every 45 days.

The total number of students 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 under section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act was approximately 400 as of 2/3/2021.

The total number of students with a grant processed as of May 13th is 303.

The methods used to determine which and how much students receive in emergency fund grants under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act follow:

• Undergraduate or graduate degree-seeking students who were enrolled as of March 13, 2020, and not scheduled to graduate in the current term. This has been adjusted to include recent April 2020 graduates.
• Students who were not enrolled exclusively in online programs (programs defined as having no residential instruction).
• Eligible under section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
• Awards will be prioritized based on the 2019/2020 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is the value calculated because of your 2019/2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid as of May 20, 2020.
  • This has now been updated to the 2020/2021 EFC as calculated on the 2020/2021 FAFSA.

• Helena College has selected an approach to equitably help as many eligible students as possible, prioritizing need based on the calculated EFC and institutional cost of attendance.
• Students will be contacted in need in order to allow for distribution and evaluation of resources.
• Students will also be pointed towards other entities for assistance, such as SNAP, LIHEAP, and unemployment.
• The remaining funds will be disbursed via an application or appeal process that has been distributed via email. 

Instructions, directions, and guidance were provided to eligible students by email and subsequent application. The application certifies that eligible students had a qualifying expense [1] or hardship related to COVID-19 campus disruption.

1. Qualifying expenses include but are not limited to technology and connectivity needs related to distance learning, books and other instructional expenses for online modality, medical/healthcare costs, childcare, and food insecurity.

Reports

Questions?

Please contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@helenacollege.edu with any questions about CRRSAA funding.

If you have questions about your refund status, please contact the Business Office at 406-447-6921.