Blue Mountain Community College’s Report on funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

BMCC is required to provide regular reporting to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on the use of funds authorized by the CARES Act. Funds received by Blue Mountain Community College under the CARES Act were authorized by Congress and signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020.  The information noted below is intended to not only meet the reporting requirements of the CARES Act but also provide information to our community regarding use of the student grant portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

Section 18004(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act” or the “Act”), Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (March 27, 2020), directs institutions receiving funds under Section 18004 of the Act to submit (in a time and manner required by the Secretary) a report to the Secretary describing the use of funds distributed from the HEERF. Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act requires institutions to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received from Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare). On April 9, 2020, the ED published documents related to the Emergency Financial Aid Grants, including a letter [pdf] from Secretary Betsy DeVos, a Certification and Agreement [pdf] form for signing and returning by institutions to access the funds, and a list of institutional allocations under 18004(a)(1) [pdf].

The Certification and Agreement directs each institution applying for HEERF funds to comply with Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and submit an initial report (the “30-day Fund Report”) to the Secretary thirty (30) days from the date of the institution’s Certification and Agreement to ED. Each HEERF participating institution must post the information listed below on the institution’s primary website. The following information must appear in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated every 45 days thereafter:

• An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to 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.
  • BMCC signed and submitted the U.S. Department of Education Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on April 20, 2020. The U.S. DOE provided BMCC with an electronically signed Grant Award Notification (GAN) on April 25, 2020.

• The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. From a total of $6,758,472

• The estimated total number of students at the institution 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 to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is about 1,600.

   

• The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

   

  • Students enrolled at BMCC were eligible to receive a $150-$1000 Federal Student Stimulus Scholarship. Amounts may vary depending on enrollment level each term (until funds are exhausted). No application is necessary to receive these funds.  Students enrolled in only community enrichment courses were excluded from receiving CARES Act funds.

     

  • Additional Fund Request Scholarship – Students needing additional assistance, due to an increase in expenses related to COVID-19, have the option to request additional funds. These expenses include but are not limited to:

  • • Additional Technology- Purchase of computer, Wi-Fi upgrade or other technology to complete coursework.
    • Purchase of course materials that previously were available at low or no-cost formats such as textbook lending library or use of library reserves.
    • Increased housing or food costs
    • Additional utilities costs
    • Additional childcare costs
    • Additional healthcare costs
    • Additional childcare costs
    • Reduction of Income/Resources

• TOTAL STUDENTS SERVED TO DATE:  2,358

•  TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED – $3,602,409.43 as of March 31, 2024   *This information must be updated no later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter (3/31, 6/30, 9/30, and 12/31)

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32023_101023

• 00318600_HEERF_Q22023_071023

• 00318600_HEERF_Q12023_041023 

• 00318600_HEERF_Q42022_011023

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32022_101022

• 00318600_HEERF_Q22022_071122, revised 03-17-23

• 00318600_HEERF_Q22022_071122, revised 10-06-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q22022_071122

• 00318600_HEERF_Q12022_041022, revised 05-04-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q12022_041022

• 00318600_HEERF_Q42021_011022, revised 5-31-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q42021_011022, revised 4-07-22 

• 00318600_HEERF_Q42021_011022

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32021_101021, revised 5-04-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32021_101021, revised 4-07-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32021_101021, revised 1-10-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32021_101021

• 00318600_HEERF_Q22021_071021, revised 5-04-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q22021_071021

• 00318600_HEERF_Q12021_041021, revised 4-21-22

• 00318600_HEERF_Q12021_041021

• 00318600_HEERF_Q32020_101020

• 00318600_HEERF_Q42020_011021