CARES Act & HEERF Funding

CARES Act and HEERF Funding

Cuyamaca College has now exhausted all CARES Act and HEERF Funding. Below is all information pertaining to the usage of these funds. To apply for the new Early Action Emergency Grant please click here.

The Emergency Assistance Fund is meant to assist students facing financial emergencies. Students can receive up to $750 dollars for housing/utility assistance, emergency auto repair, bus passes, and so much more. If you're unsure if you can receive funds for your situation, please don't hesitate to ask.

Students of all residency statuses are eligible to apply for Emergency Assistance Funds if they have been affected by COVID-19 in any away. Students may apply each semester they are enrolled in at least one unit and must check the application box that indicates their request is in some way related to COVID-19 (clicking the box indicates the student may have experienced a reduction in work hours, loss of a job, incurred costs associated with online learning or daily living, need to purchase technology to success in online course work, need assistance with utility costs or room and board, etc.)

Where to Start

To apply for financial assistance, please fill out the application for emergency funds and register with BankMobile if you are not registered already. Registering is necessary to receive emergency funds as well as financial aid. If your application is approved, funds will be distributed shortly afterward. Contact Kaylin Rosal at cuyamaca.cares@gcccd.edu if you have any questions.

CARES Act

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Emergency Security (CARES) Act provides emergency aid to college and university students through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Cuyamaca College received funding on May 13, 2020 and is currently processing and providing aid to students. Students can apply for CARES Act aid by completing the Cuyamaca Cares Emergency Assistance Application.

Emergency Grants

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Instructions
As a result of the Federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act, there are additional funds coming to Cuyamaca College, which will allow us to award additional emergency grants to students. However, there are some unique requirements that the federal government has for institutions to award federal CARES Emergency Grant funds to students:

While the U.S. Department of Education has determined that students must be eligible, or be potentially eligible, for Title IV Financial Aid to be considered for CARES Act Emergency Grants, a federal court put a legal injunction on this guidance as of June 17, 2020. This means that Cuyamaca College will consider all potentially eligible students for CARES Act Emergency Grants, including undocumented and international students.
Students can only be awarded based on increased education-related costs -- not based upon financial need, creating an additional step for students who have already completed the Cuyamaca Emergency Assistance Fund application.

Form steps to complete:

Step 1: Enter your First name as it appears on your FAFSA.

Step 2: Enter your Last name as it appears on your FAFSA.

Step 3: Enter your Cuyamaca College Student ID number.

Step 4: Complete the self-certification and check the appropriate boxes that pertain to your additional expenses due to COVID-19.

Step 5: Submit your application.

Emergency Assistance Fund Application Step-by-Step Instructions:
To access the Emergency Assistance Fund application please complete and submit the online form. Application steps include:

Complete the first section with your General Information
Complete the Identify Your Needs section. You may select as many of the options that pertain to you.
Complete the Statement of Need section. Please answer the questions as detailed as possible.
Electronically sign your application.
Submit your application.

You will be notified via email if you were approved, if additional information is needed or if your application is denied. Due to the overwhelming amount of applicants, we expect that wait times are longer than usual; we appreciate your patience.

All funds will be disbursed through BankMobile. For additional information on how to sign-up for BankMobile disbursements (if you have not already done so), please visit the GCCCD BankMobile website.

Federally Mandated CARES Act Information

Cuyamaca College has signed the Certification and Agreement as required by the U.S. Department of Education and provides this assurance statement that Cuyamaca College has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the HEERF programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
Cuyamaca College will receive a total of $9,250,716 from the US Department of Education pursuant to the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the HEERF programs.
As of December 31, 2021, Cuyamaca College has disbursed $2,725,361 of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the HEERF programs.
As of December 31, 2021, approximately 9,000 students at Cuyamaca College are projected to be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under HEERF programs.
As of December 31, 2021, 5,452 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under HEERF programs.
Methods used by Cuyamaca College to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under HEERF programs include:

Cuyamaca College's existing emergency grant program offers aid to eligible students in the amount of $750.00 per term. Additionally, to ensure that available HEERF funds could be distributed as widely as possible to students, Cuyamaca College decided to award based on our existing award amount. This award amount could be subject to change at a later date.
Based upon our existing Emergency Grant application process, students had to complete and submit an on-line Cuyamaca Emergency Assistance Fund application.
In addition to the Cuyamaca Emergency Assistance Fund application, students are required to have a valid FAFSA on file with the Cuyamaca College Financial Aid Office, be eligible for Title IV federal aid according to guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education and students must confirm that they had additional educational expenses related to the COVID-19 crisis. More detailed information on B and C above can be found on our Emergency Grants webpage.
HEERF funding Emergency Grants awarding for students will be ongoing until funds are fully expended or if additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Education becomes more prohibitive.

Cuyamaca College communicated with students concerning Emergency Financial Aid Grants, including instructions, directions, or guidance on April 27, 2020.