Southwestern Community College (SWCC) has signed and returned to the Department Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program which provides Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
SWCC received $1,187,005 under the ARPA program.
As of December 20, 2021, SWCC has awarded and disbursed a total of $1,187,005 of emergency financial aid grants to students under ARPA.
SWCC has awarded emergency financial aid grants to 612 students under the ARPA grant.
SWCC awarded the first round of ARPA funds to students who were enrolled anytime between the date of the national emergency (March 13, 2020) through the end of the Summer 2021 term. These students received an email directing them to an online application where they could choose an amount ranging from $1,000-$5,000 to cover costs incurred due to the coronavirus. SWCC awarded all eligible students half of the amount they requested ranging from $500-$2,500. An additional award of up to $2,500 was disbursed to Pell-eligible students. The additional amount was calculated with the basis of federal Pell grant eligibility as one of the factors in an effort to prioritize grants to students with exceptional need.
SWCC awarded a second and final round of ARPA to first time freshmen students enrolled during the Fall 2021 semester. Each student was awarded $450 of ARPA funds. An additional award of up to $410 was disbursed to Pell-eligible students. The additional amount was calculated with the basis of federal Pell grant eligibility as one of the factors in an effort to prioritize grants to students with exceptional need.
Instructions, directions, and guidance was provided by the institution to students concerning the emergency financial aid grants. An email was provided to students informing them of their eligibility for the ARP emergency financial aid grant for expenses incurred anytime during the national emergency. They were informed of the option to pay off an outstanding balance, sign up for direct deposit, or receive a paper check in the mail.
This is SWCC’s final quarterly posting and it covers all remaining HEERF fund expenditures for the ARPA program Student Portion of funds. There will be no more quarterly public reporting of Student Portion funds expenditures.