Federal and State Grant Funding Statistics

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

• $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package - Emergency Stabilization fund

• Passed by Congress on March 27, 2020

• Nearly $14 billion allocated to higher education as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, or HEERF I

• HEERF I funded (1) Institutional Portion, (2) Student Portion, and (3) Minority Serving Institution/ Hispanic Serving Institution I (MSI/ HSI I)

• Information from U.S. Department of Education regarding CARES Act: HEERF I

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act

• $81 billion authorized for education as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II)

• Signed into law on December 27, 2020

• HEERF II funded (1) Institutional Portion, (2) Student Portion, and (3) Minority Serving Institution/ Hispanic Serving Institution II (MSI/ HSI II)

• Information from U.S. Department of Education regarding CRRSA Act: HEERF II

American Rescue Plan (ARP)

• $39.6 billion authorized for higher education as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III)

• Signed into law on March 11, 2021

• HEERF III funded (1) Institutional Portion and (2) Student Portion

• Information from U.S. Department of Education regarding ARP: HEERF III

Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund

• $3 billion set aside for state funding; GEER dollars were channeled from Department of Education to ICCB

• HEERF I (from CARES Act) funded GEER I grant; HEERF II (from CRSSA Act) funded GEER II 

American Rescue Plan Act Funds for student assistance.

As part of the ARP Act, institutions of higher education have been provided funds to assist them and their students. All of this funding has been allocated; students may no longer request America Rescue Plan Act assistance.  Below are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

• What was the ARP Act?
  • The ARP Act was federal legislation which provided a variety of financial support to individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARP Act established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) to provide emergency financial aid grants. One part of this federal program allocated money to Joliet Junior College, and a portion of that allocation was awarded to students.
• Who was eligible for a HEERF III Grant?
  • Summer 2021 
    • Students who were 1) enrolled in Summer 2021 undergraduate course(s) (excluding dual credit), 2) completed a 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or 2020-2021 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (RISE Act), and 3) had a valid Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the Department of Education or Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
  • Fall 2021
    • Students who were 1) enrolled in Fall 2021 undergraduate course(s) (excluding dual credit), 2) completed a 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or 2021-2022 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (RISE Act), and 3) had a valid Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the Department of Education or Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
  • Spring 2022
    • Students who were 1) enrolled in Spring 2022 undergraduate course(s) (excluding dual credit), 2) completed a 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or 2021-2022 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (RISE Act), and 3) had a valid Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the Department of Education or Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
  • Fall 2022
    • Fall 2022 Students who were 1) enrolled in Fall 2022 undergraduate course(s) (excluding dual credit), 2) completed a 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or 2022-2023 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (RISE Act), and 3) had a valid Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the Department of Education or Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
• Who was not eligible for HEERF III funds?
  • Enrolled students who had not completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (RISE Act) for the applicable year or who did not have a valid Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the Department of Education or Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) are not eligible for HEERF III funds. Those students were directed to the JJC Student Emergency Fund instead.
• How did students apply for the HEERF III grant?
  • There was no application for HEERF III. Students who met all eligibility requirements were automatically considered for the award.
• Were students eligible to receive HEERF III funding if they were not enrolled at JJC during the Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, or Fall 2022 semesters?
  • HEERF III was awarded in Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, and Fall 2022. Students must have been enrolled during the applicable semester at the time of awarding to be eligible for HEERF III awards.
• Were students eligible to receive HEERF III funding if they withdrew from all their courses? 
  • No, students had to be enrolled during the applicable semester at the time of awarding to qualify for HEERF III funds.
• What constituted eligible expenses to qualify for HEERF III emergency funding?
  • Unlike HEERF I funds, HEERF III awards did not have to relate to the disruption of campus operations due to Coronavirus.
  • Eligible expenses included:
    • Any component of the student's cost of attendance (COA); or
    • Emergency costs that arose due to Coronavirus, such as but not limited to tuition, food, housing, health care, mental health care or childcare.
• How were students made aware they received a HEERF III grant?
  • Summer 2021 
    • Eligibility was evaluated after August 2, 2021. Notifications of awards were emailed in early August. This email instructed students how to view their 2020-2021 grant on Financial Aid Self-Service.
  • Fall 2021
    • Eligibility was evaluated after October 28, 2021. Notifications of awards were emailed in early November. This email instructed students how to view their 2021-2022 grant on Financial Aid Self-Service.
  • Spring 2022 
    • Eligibility was evaluated after April 4, 2022.  Notifications of awards were emailed in mid-April. This email instructed students how to view their 2021-2022 grant on Financial Aid Self-Service.
  • Fall 2022
    • Eligibility was evaluated after October 31, 2022. Notifications of awards were emailed in early November. This email instructed students how to view their 2022-2023 grant on Financial Aid Self-Service.
• Were students expected to repay a HEERF III grant?
  • The Federal Emergency Aid Grant funds were designed to be a grant, not a loan. Therefore, repayment was not required.
• How will JJC disburse the HEERF III funds?
  • Enrolled students were automatically considered for the grant. Enrollment, eligibility, and need were evaluated at the time of awarding. Students were notified by their JJC student email if they are awarded. Awards were viewable through Financial Aid Self-Service. Funds were issued by the Student Accounts & Payments Office.  
  • Students were encouraged to select direct deposit and provided a link with instructions for direct deposit.
  • Students were offered the ability to request that HEERF III funds be applied to their outstanding balance.  This required students to complete an online "Opt-In Form" as authorization for the application of these funds to their outstanding balance.
  • instructions
• How much money is available for each applicant?
  • The amount of HEERF III funding which institutions received varied based on the Department of Education’s allocation formula. This meant the amount of the emergency grants at Joliet Junior College would not be the same as at other colleges. Each institution was required to prioritize the awarding of grants to students demonstrating exceptional financial need and had to develop its own strategy for disbursing the funds to eligible students enrolled at their campus. These funds were limited and not guaranteed.
  • AT JJC, HEERF III eligible students were categorized into three Need Priority Groups.
    • Need Priority Group #1: Students with $0 EFC and a Pell or MAP Alternative Application award. Students in this group received the highest HEERF III award.
    • Need Priority Group #2: Students with greater than $0 EFC and a Pell or MAP Alternative Application award. Students in this group received a lower HEERF III award.
    • Need Priority Group #3: Students with a FAFSA or MAP Alternative Application on file, a valid EFC, but no Pell or MAP Alternative Application award. Students in this group received the lowest HEERF III award.
  • Students may not have had a Pell or MAP Alternative Application award for a variety of reasons, such as they never completed the verification process, they have too high of an EFC to qualify for Pell or MAP, or they’ve exhausted their Pell lifetime eligibility. Final HEERF III award amounts for each Need Priority Group were determined based on the number of students in each group and the total allocation of HEERF III funds for the semester.
• If students previously received dollars from HEERF I, HEERF II, or HEERF III from a previous semester, were they eligible to receive additional HEERF III dollars?
  • Yes, students who were already awarded a HEERF I, HEERF II or HEERF III grant in a previous semester were eligible to receive additional HEERF III funds. Eligibility and enrollment for the current semester were reviewed at the time of awarding.
• How were students supposed to use this money?
  • The HEERF III grant was to be used for:
    • Any component of the student's cost of attendance (COA); or
    • Emergency costs that arose due to Coronavirus, such as but not limited to tuition, food, housing, healthcare, mental healthcare, or childcare.
• Could students apply funds received from the HEERF III grant to cover outstanding charges on their student account?
  • Yes, students could request that the HEERF III funds be applied to their outstanding balance, by completing the Opt-In Form to provide additional authorization.
• When did students receive the HEERF III grant?
  • Summer 2021
    • Eligibility was evaluated after August 2, 2021.  Disbursements began in early August.
  • Fall 2021
    • Eligibility was evaluated after October. 28, 2021. Disbursements began in early November.
  • Spring 2022
    • Eligibility was evaluated after April 4, 2022. Disbursements began in mid-April. 
  • Fall 2022
    • Eligibility was evaluated after October 31, 2022. Disbursements began in early November.
  • Direct Deposit was encouraged and online instructions for direct deposit were provided.
• Did students receive the HEERF III grant even if they owed JJC money?
  • Yes, if students were eligible for these emergency grants, they received the money even they had current financial holds or owed JJC money.
  • If students requested that the HEERF III funds be applied to their outstanding balance, additional authorization was required.  An online Opt-In Form was provided.
• If a student completed the FAFSA but was not eligible to receive Pell or MAP Alternative Application grants, would they still be eligible to receive HEERF III grant funds?
  • Yes.  Assuming the student met all other eligibility criteria then eligibility for the Pell or MAP Alternative Application grant did not mean that the student would not be eligible for HEERF III funds.
• Who could students contact with questions?
  • For general questions about the emergency grants, students could email comcenter@jjc.edu.
  • For questions about eligibility for HEERF III grants, students could email finaid@jjc.edu.
  • For questions about the disbursement itself, or direct deposit, students could email account.payments@jjc.edu.