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Sandburg participation in federal CARES ACT/HEERF funding programs

American Rescue Plan (HEERF III)
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund(HEERF II)
Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security Act of the CARES Act (HEERF I)

Sandburg participates in the HEERF programs to provide emergency financial-aid grants to qualifying Sandburg students. The required disclosures as outlined by the Department of Education are provided below.

Sandburg is committed to serving our students, providing quality education and helping our students move forward with their educational goals.

 

HEERF grants and distribution reports

Sandburg signed the Certification and Agreement on April 10, 2020, and received its allocation on April 22, 2020. The agreements below outline the purpose of the HEERF awards and specify the requirements for institutional and student use. This statement serves as our assurance that Sandburg has used or intends to use no less than the required amount of funds to provide HEERF grants to students. 

  • The CARES Agreement (HEERF I) provided Sandburg $1,175,052.
    • 50% of the funds received under this agreement, or $587,526, were used to provide emergency financial-aid grants to students.
    • HEERF grants to students (HEERF Student Share) are intended to go directly to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and childcare expenses.
  • The CRRSA Act (HEERF II) provided Sandburg $2,636,911.
    • Of this amount, $587,526 was used to provide emergency financial-aid grants to students. 
  • The ARP Act (HEERF III) provided Sandburg $4,515,215.
    • Of this amount, $2,330,867 was used to provide emergency financial-aid grants to students.
  • The HEERF III: Supplemental Support under the American Rescue Plan (SSARP) (a)(3) provided Sandburg $478,468.
    • Of this amount, $239,234 will be used to provide emergency financial-aid grants to students.

 

HEERF institutions grant

 

HEERF student grants

Emergency financial grants to students under the CARES Act expenditure report:

Section 18004 (e.) Heerf Student Share Reporting

CARES/HEERF disbursement amounts
 Report date
Amount spent
Cumulative student expenditures
Students awarded
Notes
5/10/20

$578,200

$578,200
1,015

 
6/23/20

$1,600

$579,600
1,015

 
8/7/20

$0

$579,600
1,015

 
9/17/20

$7,726

$587,526
1,022

Student CARES Act: 100% expended
10/10/20

$0

$587,526
1,022

Quarterly update — no change
1/7/21

-$700

$586,826
1,021

$700 restored to account for uncashed check
4/5/21

$700

$587,526
1,022

Student Cares Act: 100% expended
7/8/21

$572,245

$1,159,771
2,014

 
10/1/21

-$1,200

$1,158,571
1,999

Uncashed checks, reallocations
1/4/22

$1,154,000

$2,312,571
2,829

 
4/7/22

$1,193,348

$3,489,361
3,014

Allocation of HEERF 3 and adjustments for uncashed checks
7/8/22

$0

$3,489,361
3,014

Quarterly update — no change
10/3/22

$18,460

$3,506,691
3,057

Allocation of HEERF funds and adjustments for uncashed checks
1/5/23

$240,464

$3,746,800
3,771

Allocation of HEERF III Supplemental awards and adjustments for uncashed checks

 

Awarding method: Sept. 2022-Dec. 2022

Student eligibility

To qualify for the funds, students had to:

  1. Be enrolled as of Nov. 28, 2022, for fall 2022.

Award amounts

  • Awards of $152 were provided to students enrolled in one or more credits.

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 1,582: Students enrolled on Nov. 28, 2022 for fall 2022.
  • 1,582: Students awarded

 

Awarding method: July 2022-Aug. 2022

Student eligibility

To qualify for the funds, students had to:

  1. Be Pell eligible
  2. Be enrolled as of July 13, 2022, for summer 2022

Award amount

  • Awards of $71 were provided to students enrolled in one or more credits.

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 262 Pell-eligible students were eligible for payment.
  • 262 students were awarded.

 

Awarding method: Jan. 2022-June 2022

Student eligibility

To qualify for the funds, students had to:

  • Be enrolled as of March 17, for spring semester 2022.

Awarding

Award amounts

  • Awards of $565 were given to any student enrolled in 1-9.5 credits.
  • Awards of $1,145 were given to students enrolled in 10 or more credits.
  • Additional awards were made based on Crisis grant applications, or request for HEERF allocations.  Award amounts varied from $100 to $1000.

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 1,462: Students enrolled on March 17, 2022
  • 1,462: Students awarded

 

Awarding method: Aug. 2021-Dec. 2021

Student eligibility

To qualify for the funds, students had to:

  • Be enrolled as of Nov. 3 for fall semester 2021.

Awarding

Award amounts

  • Awards of $500 were given to any student enrolled in 1-9 credits.
  • Awards of $1,000 were given to students enrolled in 10 or more credits.
  • Additional awards were made based on student success grant applications, or request for HEERF allocations. Award amounts varied from $100 to $1,000.

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 1,600: Students enrolled on Nov. 3, 2021
  • 1,600: Students awarded

 

Awarding method: July 2021-Aug. 2021

Student eligibility

To qualify for the funds, students had to:

  • Be enrolled as of June 30 for summer semester 2021.

Awarding

Award amounts

  • Awards of $150 were given to any student enrolled in 1 or more credits.
  • Additional awards were made based on student success grant applications, or request for HEERF allocations. Award amounts varied from $100 to $1,000.

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 603: Students enrolled on June 30, 2021
  • 603: Students awarded

 

Awarding method: April 2021-June 2021

Student eligibility

To qualify for the funds, students had to:

  • Be enrolled as of March 16 for spring semester 2021.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident or other eligible non-citizens.

Awarding

  • The first round of funds were given to Pell-eligible students and students who had verified citizenship or permanent residence by completing athe FAFSA in the previous five years.
  • A second round of awards were given to students enrolled for spring 2021 and who completed the application verifying citizenship or permanent residence. 

Award amounts

  • Awards of $550 were given to any student enrolled in 10 or more credits.
  • Awards of $250 were given to students enrolled in 9 or fewer credits.
  • Additional awards were made based on student success grant applications, or request for HEERF allocations. Award amounts varied from $100 to $1,000. 

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 1,566: Students enrolled on March 16, 2021
  • 1,211: Students with documentation on file of U.S. citizenship
  • 321: Email invitation to submit application to verify citizenship
  • 1,236: Awards made from applications

To identify eligible students, Sandburg obtained a list of students enrolled after March 16, 2021, for spring semester 2021. Students with documented citizenship were automatically awarded and notified via email of the award. Students without any record on file of citizenship were sent an email and asked to submit an online application to verify citizenship. Applications were opened on March 17, 2021 and closed on April 20, 2021.

 

Awarding method: March 2020-March 2021

Student eligibility

Our initial plan was to provide a portion of the funds to all enrolled student's including dual-credit students; however, guidance from DOE required the institution to limit awards to students who qualified under the 484 of the Higher Education Act.

Filed a FAFSA for the calendar year 2019-20 or 2020-21 to determine eligibility under section 484 of the Higher Education Act as follows:

  • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a degree or certificate program
  • Not be enrolled in elementary or secondary school
  • Be making satisfactory academic progress
  • Not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans
  • Not be in default on a Title IV loan
  • Submit a FAFSA for calendar years 2019-20 or 2020-21, including the student signature on the statement of educational purpose and a valid student SSN
  • Be a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident or other eligible noncitizens
  • Have Selective Service registration verified
  • Have a Social Security number verified
  • Have returned fraudulently obtained Title IV funds
  • Not have fraudulently received Title IV loans in excess of annual or aggregate limits
  • Have repaid Title IV loan amounts in excess of annual or aggregate limits if obtained inadvertently
  • Not have a federal or state conviction for drug possession or sale with certain time limitations

Awards to students

Number of students:

  • 1,725: Students enrolled on March 20, 2020
  • 1,211: U.S. residents beyond high school
  • 1,015: Filed the FAFSA and qualified for CARES payment on May 10, 2020*

To identify eligible students, Sandburg searched the enrolled students, removed dual credit, foreign, and students who hadn't filed a FAFSA, students who weren't meeting SAP requirements, students who hadn't satisfied items listed under 484 of the Higher Education Act listed above. We recognized all students experienced costs due to the closures; so Sandburg included all students who filed a FAFSA regardless of income and/or financial need.

Remaining funds were allocated to students who filed a FAFSA, met the 484 of the Higher Education Act requirements and who were actively enrolled for spring, summer or fall of the calendar year 2020, and who submitted a request through the student success grant program through the Sandburg Foundation. 

Award amounts

Awards were based on credit hours enrolled as of March 20, 2020. Courses dropped prior to that date didn't count when determining eligibility. The average credit hours enrolled was 10.31 credits.

  • Awards of $700 were given to any student enrolled in 10 or more credits.
  • Awards of $350 were given to students enrolled in 9 or fewer credits.

CARES expenses and award limitations

Sandburg allowed anticipated costs for shelter at Hhome and remote learning as follows: While all students may not experience all of these costs, this represents costs a student could experience due to the pandemic.

  • Increase in utilities and home necessities: $200 per month
  • Increase in food, cleaning supplies and general household expenses: $200 per month
  • Allowance of $60 per month for improved internet capacity and phone access understanding multi-family members need access to services
  • Technology and course materials, printing supplies and required for online learning: $600 per term. This included the upgrade of phones, routers, computers, printers and supplies necessary to operate while learning remotely.
  • Healthcare costs: $50 per month for medications, facemasks, office visits, etc.
  • Childcare expenses: $600 per month for students with qualifying children

The cost outlined here established the budget within which CARES funds can be allocated. Remote learning for Sandburg for spring was based on two months for spring 2020 and summer 2020 and total costs ranged from $1,620 to $2,820 for each period. Students weren't asked to report individual costs; however, the total amount of CARES funds to an individual student couldn't exceed these thresholds without further documentation from the student.

By cashing the check or using the direct deposit, students acknowledged they experienced cost related to the disruption of campus operations.

 

Guidance provided by the institution

Payment process

  • Students are paid via check or electronic funds disbursement if selected on the student account.
  • These funds are paid to the student directly, as required by the Department of Education.
  • Students with outstanding balances to the college received the entire disbursement. Any balance due to the college is paid using the normal billing procedures. 

Use of funds

The purpose of these funds, as outlined under the HEERF Student Share, is for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus, such as food, housing, course material, technology, healthcare, and childcare expenses and cost of education.

What you need to know about CARES funds

  • Don't report this as income when filing a FAFSA.
  • This isn't considered financial aid when calculating financial aid and award eligibility.
  • This isn't considered taxable income. 

Other financial opportunities for students

We appreciate Congress making this money available for our students, and we realize this doesn't solve all the financial hardships students may face. The following may be available to help students during this time: 

  • If you've experienced a loss of job or benefits, and you don't already qualify for the maximum amount of financial aid, you may be able to file a Special Conditions request for 2021-22.
  • You may qualify for a pandemic internet subsidy called “Broadband Benefit,” which is a discount on internet costs of up to $50 per month.
  • Immigrant families may qualify for Rental & Utility Assistance. Requirements can be found here. For assistance with the application process, the Welcome Center is open Tuesdays 4-6 p.m. & Fridays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and is located at 117 S. 1st St. Monmouth, IL. 
  • Immigrant families may also qualify for cash assistance through the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Learn more. 
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