Last Modified: April 8, 2022

CRRSAA: Higher Education Emergency

Relief Fund (HEERF II)

Introduction

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion expeditiously provided last spring through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136. More information about CRRSAA HEERF II can be found here.

A section of the CRRSAA Act provides additional funding within HEERF II to schools to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the pandemic. Southside Virginia Community College received $838,923 that is dedicated to student emergency grants.

When will CRRSAA/HEERF II be available?

Southside Virginia Community College has applied for funding from CRRSAA, and as soon as we receive that funding from the U.S. Department of Education, we will begin distributing grants to students based on financial need.

Who is eligible for CRRSAA/HEERF II?

Eligibility for CRRSAA/HEERF II is based on the criteria established by the Department of Education and Southside Virginia Community College. 861 SVCC students in credit programs and 139 SVCC students in workforce programs are eligible for funds based on the additional eligibility guidelines below. Each of the 953 students will receive emergency grants. We will use CRRSAA emergency aid funds to provide a standard relief grant of $1,000 for each student who has an estimated family contribution (EFC) to the cost of education of $0 and a standard relief grant of $700 for each student who has an EFC of less than $40,000 based on the family income reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or on a Workforce Program Application. The SVCC Financial Aid Office used FAFSA data to determine eligibility for credit students for this disbursement. For workforce program students, information provided on the Workforce Program Application was used to determine eligibility. Some additional details about eligibility are below.

Grants are intended to be used to assist with expenses incurred as a result of coronavirus, such as technology, food, housing, course materials, health care, and child care. SVCC is distributing funds to students who meet the following criteria in this disbursement:

- Student has submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for Aid Year 2020-2021 or has submitted a Workforce Program application, is eligible for federal student aid and has resolved all requirements with the financial aid office for the spring semester.
- Citizenship confirmed by Social Security Administration or Department of Homeland Security
- Actively enrolled in at least 6 eligible credits or a workforce program at the time of data retrieval for the spring 2021 semester
- EFC (Expected Family Contribution, determined by FAFSA) is less than or equal to $40,000
- Dual enrollment students and students with tuition paid by a third party, such as an employer, are not eligible for this emergency aid disbursement
Students may not be incarcerated.

What is the SVCC CRRSAA Relief Grant?

The CRRSAA Act directed colleges to prioritize students whose family income is in the low- to low-middle income categories, and SVCC wants to provide economic relief quickly to students who may have experienced additional expenses and/or a loss of income in spring semester due to COVID-19. We have used CRRSAA emergency aid funds to provide a standard relief grant of $1,000 per student who have an estimated family contribution (EFC) to the cost of education of $0 and a standard relief grant of $700 per student who have an EFC of less than $40,000, based on the family income reported on your FAFSA or your Workforce Program and the criteria above.

If you have yet to experience financial stress due to COVID-19, these funds can help with unanticipated expenses or income loss that may occur throughout the semester and into future semesters.

Any funds not exhausted based on spring semester student registrations will be disbursed to students during future semesters with potentially lower EFC limits.

Why didn’t I receive the SVCC CRRSAA Relief Grant?

Please review the eligibility criteria above. If you believe, based on the criteria above, that you should have qualified and did not receive funds, please contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@southside.edu or at 434.949.1094

Do I need to report financial aid or grants on my federal tax return?

Each financial award you receive from the federal government and other sources will have separate and unique tax consequences for your federal tax return. Visit the https://www.irs.gov/IRS website for assistance.