COVID-19 Funds | Western Technical College

Paying for College

COVID-19 Funds

Funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) are now available. The CRRSA Act provides funding to support college students whose lives and education have been disrupted by COVID-19. Eligibility and usage information for these funds is available in the CRSSA section below.

Western also received funding from the CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provided by the Federal government. CARES funds were expended in December of 2020 and are no longer available. Check out the CARES section below to find out about these funds.

Western Technical College has received $6,838,680 and disbursed $7,088,771 ($250,091 of this transferred from the Institutional share of HEERF funding) in Emergency Financial Aid Grants from the US Department of Education, providing direct relief to Western students who have been impacted by the coronavirus.

Below is the full report of the College’s usage of HEERF I (CARES Act) and HEERF II (CRRSAA), and HEERF III (ARP) Funding.  

  1. Western signed and returned to the US Department of Education the Certification and Agreement for funds distributed from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
  2. Western has received $6,838,680 from the Department to award Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. This amount includes $1,189,722 in HEERF I (CARES Act), $1,189,722 in HEERF II (CRRSAA), and $4,459,236 HEERF III (ARP) Funding.
  3. As of June 30, 2023, $7,088,771 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants have been distributed to Western students per the Terms and Conditions outlined in the Grant Award Notification. 

ARPA Funds

ARPA Student Funds

Total Eligible Students 8,176
Total Students Assisted as of 06/30/23 3,643
Total Dollars Available $4,658,446 ($199,210 of this was transferred from the institutional ARPA funding)
Total Amount Awarded $4,658,446

We have identified the following students’ cohorts as having exceptional need. Students who are Pell eligible, single parents, and students not eligible for financial aid. Students who are a part of any of these cohorts will be awarded a grant. The amount awarded is determined by the number of credits a student is enrolled in and whether the student is a part of one or more cohorts identified as exceptional need. Grant amounts will range from $500 to $1,000.

Students may also receive additional funding for exceptional needs that cannot be determined by the FAFSA and Supplemental Information provided on the application to the College. Funding will be awarded through the information the student provides on the Student Resource Request. 

Students are notified this funding is provided through the American Rescue Plan Act. The funding is not financial aid and will disburse directly to the student to be used towards eligible expenses.

Students with a tuition balance on their Western account have the option to have the funds applied towards paying off any remaining tuition/fees for current or prior terms at Western. Selecting this option does not impact eligibility of funding.

ARPA Institutional Funds

Quarterly HEERF Budget and Expenditure Reports

CRRSA Funds

Western Technical College has received funding from CRRSA/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) provided by the Federal government.

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CRRSA Act establishing the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund sent money to schools to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic.

CRRSA Student Funds

Eligibility

Western is using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to prioritize students with exceptional need. Funds are being awarded to students with highest need based on their expected family contribution (EFC). EFC is determined by the information students provide when filling out the FAFSA.

We are awarding grants to students who are eligible for Pell grants for the Spring and/or Summer 2021 terms. Students who are enrolled for 6 or more credits are awarded $500 and students who are enrolled in less than 6 credits are awarded $250.

We have also made available an application to all enrolled students and if impacted, students are awarded through this method as well using the same amounts as listed above based on credit load.

Coronavirus Response and Relief Funds do not need to be repaid.

As of 9/30/2021, we have expended all of the student portion of the CRRSA funding. This is the final report that covers all remaining HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion funds as it relates to CRRSA.

Total Eligible Students 6,006
Total Students Assisted as of 9/20/21 (Duplicated) 1,857
Total Dollars Available $1,189,722
Total Amount Awarded $1,189,722

How Students will Receive Coronavirus Response and Relief Funds

Funds will be added as a credit to a student’s account and will be disbursed to them either via direct deposit or paper check (whichever method they have on file with the Cashier’s Office at Western)

Students may use the Funds Toward:

  • Tuition, fees, books, supplies, and technology.
  • Expenses such as food, housing, transportation, health care, and child care.

Students with a Tuition Balance

Students with a tuition balance on their Western account have the option to have the funds applied towards paying off any remaining tuition/fees for current or prior terms at Western. Selecting this option does not impact eligibility of funding.

Additional CARES Act Funding Guidance to Students

To help with some of the expenses you may have incurred because of the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus, we are awarding you a grant. Please log on to MyWestern to view your award. This funding is provided by the federal government through the CRRSA Act.  Please be aware these funds may be taxable.  

Western Technical College’s CRRSA Act for Students support program is made possible through funding in the total amount of $1,189,722 available to Western students for whom the coronavirus has impacted their educational plans. 100% of the dollar amount for this specific support is made wholly available by the US Department of Education’s implementation of the CRRSA Act.

CRRSAA/ARPA Institutional Funds

Quarterly HEERF Budget and Expenditure Reports

CARES Funds

Western Technical College has applied for and received funding from the CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provided by the Federal government.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES Act establishing the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund sent money to schools to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic.

CARES Student Funds

Western has signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement and assures that the institution will use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

As of 12/04/2020, we have expended all of the student portion of the CARES funding plus an additional $50,881 that was transferred from the Institutional share. This is the final report that covers all remaining HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion funds: 

Total Eligible Students 3,792
Total Students Assisted – 2020-2021 633 as of 12/04/2020
Total Amount Awarded – 2020-2021 $678,387 as of 12/04/2020
Total Students Assisted – 2019-2020 657 as of 10/05/2020
Total Amount Awarded – 2019-2020 $562,216 as of 10/05/2020
Total Dollar Amount Available $1,189,722 (plus an additional $50,881 transferred from the Institutional share to equal $1,240,603)

Requirements for Obtaining Funds

In order to obtain the CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds, students must complete the Student Emergency Fund Form. 

Student must be eligible to receive Title IV (federal) financial aid.

Title IV Eligibility includes:

  • US citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Meets Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements (after Fall 2019)
  • Not in default on federal student loans
  • FAFSA filed
  • Passed all FAFSA database checks
  • Currently enrolled

Students must also not be enrolled in an exclusively online program to be eligible for CARES funding.

Student must have expenses incurred specifically due to the disruption of campus operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Incurred allowable expenses may include:

  • Food
  • Housing related to having to move out of the on campus Residence Hall
  • Course materials
  • Technology (i.e. computer, web camera, monitor, etc.)
  • Other  (i.e. utility increases, internet expense, etc.)

Additional CARES Act Funding Guidance

To help with some of the expenses you may have incurred because of the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus, we are awarding you a grant. Please log on to MyWestern to view your award. This funding is provided by the federal government through the CARES Act.  Please be aware these funds may be taxable.  

Western Technical College’s CARES Act for Students support program is made possible through funding in the total amount of $1,189,722 available to Western students for whom the coronavirus has impacted their educational plans. 100% of the dollar amount for this specific support is made wholly available by the US Department of Education’s implementation of the CARES Act.

CARES Institutional Funds

The CARES Act establishes and funds the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Sections 18004(a)(1) and 18004(c) of the CARES Act, which address the HEERF, allow institutions of higher education to use up to 50 percent of the funds they receive to cover any costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus so long as such costs do not include payment to contractors for the provision of pre-enrollment recruitment activities, including marketing and advertising; endowments; or capital outlays associated with facilities related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship (collectively referred to as “Recipient’s Institutional Costs”).

Total Dollar Amount Available $1,189,722
Total Amount Awarded $1,189,722 as of 12/31/20

Quarterly CARES Act Budget and Expenditure Reports