CRRSAA Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds

The federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) provided a variety of supplemental funding opportunities to individuals, colleges and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), the portion of the emergency funding provided to colleges, is designated for students experiencing financial hardships due to the disruption of campus operations occurring from the coronavirus pandemic.

CRRSAA HEERF funding, which equaled the prior CARES Act HEERF funding, assists students in paying expenses related to any component of the their cost of attendance that arose due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As an institution receiving funds under the CARES Act and CRRSAA, RCC is required to publish information about its campus plan and appropriations.

  • The College signed and returned to the Department of Education a Certification and Agreement as required under the CARES Act program. By drawing down and expending CRRSAA funds, RCC acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the conditions set forth in the CRRSAA Supplemental Agreement including using HEERF funds to provide emergency grants to students.
  • As required under CRRSAA, RCC intends to use no less than 50% of its HEERF funds to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. These funds will be awarded using the title We Care 2 Funds.
  • The total amount of federal funding received for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students and to be awarded under the We Care 2 Fund campus plan is $1,813,316.
  • Quarterly reports of the student portion are required to be posted to this website within 10 calendar days after the end of each quarter (July 10, October 10, January 10 and April 10). See the Federal Reporting Disclosures for HEERF charts for detailed information.
  • The CRRSAA restricts eligibility for We Care 2 Fund awards to students who meet federal citizenship standards as required on the FAFSA. RCC requires that students apply for the 2019/20 or 2020/21 FAFSA so that federal aid eligibility can be determined. RCC will prioritize awarding to students with exceptional need as determined by the Expected Family Contribution calculated as a result of the FAFSA.
  • RCC encourages all students who have not previously filed a FAFSA to immediately do so in order to be considered for We Care 2 Funds.
  • Eligible students are those who are enrolled in Spring 2021 or who ceased enrollment at RCC at any point since the beginning of the coronavirus national emergency, March 13, 2020.
  • RCC’s We Care 2 Fund campus plan which includes the awarding methodology is available for review.
  • Additional student information is provided on the We Care 2 Fund web page.
  • All required quarterly and cumulative reporting can be found on the Federal Reporting Disclosures of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) webpage.

The Department of Education also requires colleges to post their Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reports that itemize the Institutional portion of the CRRSAA HEERF funding.