HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (HEERF) I, II, III 

Institutional and Student Portion Reporting Page

For Quarter Ending Sept 30, 2021

STUDENT PORTION
Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students 
Sections 18004(a)(1), 18004(a)(2), and  18004(a)(3)

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, 2020 (HEERF)

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (HEERF) was signed into law on March 27, 2020.  Napa Valley College submitted the Certification and Agreement forms required to request Emergency Student Aid and the Institutional Portions of the CARES Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) in mid-April 2020.  Napa Valley College intends to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

Total amount of funds that Napa Valley College from the Department pursuant to the institution's Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students is $ 1,062,541.

To determine which students would receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, Napa Valley College used the following approach:

Since all students were impacted by Coronavirus when NVC moved all instruction online for Spring 2020, Emergency Financial Aid Grants were provided to all students who met Federal guidance:  Students who were taking credit courses and filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form or who were eligible to file a FAFSA (U.S. citizen; valid Social Security number; if male, registered with Selective Service; and earned high school diploma or equivalent).  Funding requests were submitted via an online application that asked students to acknowledge that they incurred expenses related to the disruption of college operations due to Coronavirus.  Estimated number of students who may meet this criteria is 2828.

On June 17, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction in the case entitled Oakley v. DeVos (Case No. 4:30-cv-03215), that prohibits the U.S. Department of Education from imposing any student eligibility restrictions on HEERF provided by Congress in the CARES Act, 2020.  The effect of this ruling is that California Community Colleges may immediately disburse emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student's cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare), without regard to a student's eligibility under Title IV of the Higher Education Act or their immigration status. View CCC Chancellor's Office Memo here.  Funding requests were submitted via an online application that asked students to acknowledge that they incurred expenses related to the disruption of college operations due to Coronavirus, and eligibility was expanded to include all students enrolled at Napa Valley College regardless of Title IV eligibility or FAFSA submission.  Estimated number of students who may be eligible to apply under this new criteria is 5635.

Students eligible to receive federal emergency financial aid grants were informed through their NVC student email account with awards viewable through Self Service.  Eligible student applicants were awarded a $350 CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid grant.  Students enrolled in courses that required recuring COVID-19 testing could receive additional emergency grant funds to help offset the extra cost of frequent testing; student lists were submitted by the instructor for each applicable class that required testing.  Students with unexpected, extraordinary costs that met the HEERF criteria could submit a separate written request, with supporting documentation, for additional funds to cover that cost. Awards were disbursed through the BankMobile Disbursements Financial Aid Refund system. Stale check returns were processed, and every effort made to contact the student and reissue the funds. If the student could not be contacted, the funds were returned to the program account to be reissued to another eligible student.

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), 2021 (HEERF II)

On December, 27 2020, the federal government signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), 2021 (HEERF II).   Napa Valley College signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.  Napa Valley College has used or intends to use, the applicable amount of funds designated under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. 

Napa Valley College was allocated $ 1,062,541 from the Department pursuant to the institution's Certification and Agreement for CRRSAA grants to students. 

 NVC developed a need-based prioritization matrix to award CRRSAA (HEERF II) funds to eligible students enrolled in Spring of 2021.  The complete Prioritization of Students for CRRSAA (HEERF II) Funds may be viewed by clicking here.  The total number of students who met the prioritization was 1867, with awards ranging from $175 to $625.

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 (HEERF III)

On March 11, 2021, the federal government signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 (HEERF III).   Napa Valley College signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.  Napa Valley College has used, or intends to use, the applicable amount of funds designated under Section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA and Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

Napa Valley College was allocated $ 3,823,117 from the Department pursuant to the institution's Certification and Agreement for ARPA (HEERF III) grants to students. The estimated number of students who may be eligible to apply for ARPA (HEERF III) funds is 5534.  

The complete list of eligibility requirements and access to the online application and instructions is available on the Emergency Financial Assistance for Students web page at (https://www.napavalley.edu/studentaffairs/FinancialAid/Pages/EmergencyFA.aspx).

ARPA (HEERF III) Emergency financial aid grants are prioritized for eligible domestic students with exceptional need who are enrolled at Napa Valley College at least half-time, but all students who are or were enrolled at Napa Valley College during the Coronavirus pandemic national emergency may apply for funds.  Exceptional Need includes students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grant, California College Promise Grant (CCPG fee waiver), or other federal or state need-based aid OR students who have faced significant unexpected expenses, such as the loss of employment (either for themselves or their families), reduced income, food or housing insecurity, inability to pay rent or utility bills, transportation expenses (i.e. car repair bills), loss of childcare or increase of childcare expenses, documented theft of books, computer, or other academic supplies or tools, etc.  For theft of education related items, students must upload a copy of the police report with their application.

Due to the increasing rate of fraudulent application submissions, students are required to upload a photo of their unexpired, government issued, picture ID (front & back) with their Emergency Financial Assistance Request.  Acceptable documents include, State issued Identification Card, State Issued Driver's License, Passport, Permanent Resident Card, Consular Card, etc.  Students who do not have an acceptable document will be required to upload another form of picture ID (Student ID, Costco Card, etc.) and attend an in-person or online video appointment to meet with a Financial Aid Specialist for live identity verification. Additional documents may be requested to confirm identity.  The Financial Aid Office will email instructions if a video appointment is required.  Students without a proper ID are urged to obtain a government issue ID as soon as possible.

Students may request emergency financial assistance funding using a secure online application process that allows them to upload their verification documentation with their completed application.  The application asks students to identify their exceptional need along with other information.  In addition, students may authorize Napa Valley College to use emergency financial assistance funds to pay any outstanding debt owed to the College, providing students with debt relief and continued access to classes.

Applications are reviewed and processed based on submission date.  Students with missing or suspect identification will undergo additional scrutiny.  Students are notified of award (or need for additional documentation) through their NVC student email account. Awards and missing documentation are available for review through Self Service Financial Aid.  Awards are disbursed to students through the BankMobile Disbursements Financial Aid Refund system.

INSTITUTIONAL PORTION 
Sections 18004(a)(1), 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3)