In October, Muskegon Community College will distribute an additional $2,615,150 to 3,695 qualified students through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
Similar to the CARES Act, MCC received additional HEERF grant funds under these two subsequent Acts with a portion of this funding intended to provide emergency financial aid grants to student whose lives have been disrupted by COVID-19, along with a portion to be used for institutional operational purposes in response to COVID-19.
This newest wave of funds will be disbursed as a flat amount of $550 to each student enrolled at the time of the semester census for the Fall 2021, with additional awards of $150-$250 to students who demonstrate exceptional financial need related to the pandemic. Exceptional need is determined using the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation from FAFSA.
In May 2021, MCC disbursed funds through a request process in which students identified factors that demonstrated exceptional financial need related to the pandemic. The individual awards ranged between $125 and $500. In February 2021, MCC awarded $419,400 in HEERF funds to 1,062 qualified students. Those awards were distributed based on the number of Winter 2021 semester hours for which each student is registered. The awards ranged from $150 to $750 per student. To be eligible, each student had to be seeking a degree or certificate from MCC and enrolled in at least one contact hours and have an EFC from FAFSA below $5,712.
The grants may be used for any part 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 childcare.
In all, MCC has received $6,494,352 in HEERF Student Funds to be distributed to students as emergency grants. To date, including this latest award, MCC will have disbursed $4,279,600 to students.