HEERF I - CARES Act

Holy Cross CARES Act Distribution to Students Expected Week of May 11


The College has been allocated $959,573 in funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to distribute to eligible students meeting defined criteria to cover emergency expenses arising from the disruption in campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the CARES Act was passed into law, the U.S. Department of Education provided guidance to higher education institutions regarding implementation of the provisions. Guidance from the Department of Education was used in determining how the funds would be distributed to our students. 

Who Will Receive Funds?

The CARES Act directed colleges to prioritize students with the highest financial need. The College will offer a one-time grant to full-time students who meet the Department of Education’s eligibility requirements, based on the student’s expected family contribution (EFC) reported on the 2019-2020 FAFSA. Students with an EFC of $30,000 or less will receive a grant between $500 and $1,000; those with the lowest EFC will generally receive the larger grant. Approximately 1,200 students met the eligibility requirements outlined below and have an EFC at or below $30,000. These grants are not loans and do not need to be repaid. The grants are not subject to income tax.

Eligibility Criteria Based on Requirements of the U.S. Department of Education

  • Must be enrolled for the spring 2020 semester. 
  • Must be a degree-seeking student.
  • Must be eligible to receive federal financial aid (Title IV aid).  Generally the following are necessary to be eligible:
    • Demonstrate financial need
    • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen
    • Have a valid Social Security number 
    • Be registered with Selective Service, if you’re a male (you must register between the ages of 18 and 25)
    • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program
    • Be enrolled at least half-time 
    • Maintain satisfactory academic progress
  • Incurred eligible expenses due to the disruption in campus operations due to COVID-19 under the student’s cost of attendance such as housing, food, course materials, technology, healthcare, or childcare. Each student receiving a distribution must certify  the student has incurred expenses for those items in an amount equal or exceeding the amount distributed.
  • Must have submitted 2019-2020 FAFSA .
  • Must not be enrolled in a fully online program on or before March 13, 2020. Participation in online classes following the College’s move to remote instruction is expected.

Timeframe and Process for Awarding

The offered grants will be posted in the student billing portal STAR. Once the awards are posted, students will be sent an email directing them to view the offered award by selecting the TouchNet Billing+Payment link.   

  • Students will have the opportunity to accept or decline the grant award. 
  • The offer will remain available until June 19, 2020. Awards not accepted by the deadline will be canceled.
  • By accepting the offer, each student is confirming they have incurred “expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses.” Students who have not incurred such expenses must decline the grant award.
  • If a student believes the amount of the grant awarded is greater than the expenses outlined in the previous bullet, they should email the Bursar indicating the lower level of support that is needed so we may adjust the offer.

CARES Act Reporting – Institutional Portion

  • June 30, 2021 - The College used remaining funds to provide additional emergency financial aid grants to students of $83,466 during the quarter ended June 30, 2021.  This amount has been included on the College's Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion.  This reporting is the College's final report for funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
  • March 31, 2021 (PDF)
  • December 31, 2020 – There has been no additional activity since September 30, 2020.
  • September 30, 2020 (PDF)

CARES Act - Student Portion