American Rescue Plan

American Rescue Plan

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law (Pub. L. 117-2 (Mar. 11, 2021)) which provides additional funds for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”) to assist public and private nonprofit colleges and universities in preparing for, preventing, and responding to the COVID-19 global pandemic. These funds are separate from those awarded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA).

Emergency Financial Aid for Students under ARP:

The U.S. Department of Education (“USDOE”) has allocated $3,938,838 to North Georgia Technical College (“the college”) for these emergency financial aid grants to students. The college has signed and returned to the USDOE the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the College intends to use no less than 50% of the funds allocated under Section 314 (a)(1) of the  Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) for students. These funds are to be used to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible expenses include food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care. Students who meet basic eligibility criteria for federal financial aid (Title IV) funding and who have been determined to have an exceptional need were considered for the HEERF III. Information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) were used to determine eligibility for Emergency Grant Funds.

Student Eligibility

  • Active enrollment during the Summer 2021 or Fall 2021 or Spring 2022 semester(s) for a minimum of one (1) credit hour in a program that leads to a certificate, diploma, or degree.
  • Have completed a FAFSA for the 2020-2021 aid year for Summer 2021 or a 2021-2022 aid year FAFSA for Fall 2021 and/or Spring 2022.
  • International and DACA students are eligible
  • Have met all requirements for admission

Student Not Eligible for Emergency Grant Funds

Student populations determined as not eligible for Emergency Grant Funds as defined by the U.S. Department of Education:

  • Dual Enrolled High School Students
  • Joint Enrolled High School Students
  • Transient students – these students may receive funds from home institution
  • Adult Education (non-credit) Students

If you have questions about these Student Emergency Financial Aid Grants under the HEERF III, please contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@northgatech.edu.

Proposed Process for Awarding and Disbursing Emergency funds to Students

Based on the eligibility requirements above, the college initially identified 903 students who met eligibility requirements to receive Emergency Grant Funds. The college disbursed funds to those students determined to be eligible. Funds were awarded by the Financial Aid Department and disbursed to student accounts. Each student account showed a credit balance. ARP funds can be used to cover tuition and fees balances if the student gives prior authorization. The Business Office disbursed any credit balance to BankMobile for release to the student.

The College will disburse funds to three cohorts: Cohort 1 from the Summer 2021 term, Cohort 2 from the Fall 2021 term, and Cohort 3 from Spring 2022 term.

Identification of Cohort 1:

Cohort 1 consisted of those students who have already completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2020-2021 and have met all eligibility requirements stated above. The college initially identified 901 students who were enrolled in Summer 2021 semester for Cohort 1.

The total funding amount allocated to Cohort 1 was $1,309,300 resulting in the award amounts below. The College sent an email and text once the funds were disbursed to student accounts.

Tiers Students Award Total
Zero EFC + FT (verified) 67 $2,000 $134,000
Zero EFC + PT (verified) 387 $1,800 $694,800
EFC > 0 + FT OR 0 EFC (not verified) 65 $1,500 $94,500
EFC > 0 + PT OR 0 EFC (not verified) 383 $1,000 $383,000
Total 901   $1,309,300

 

Identification of Cohort 2:

The college subsequently determined that students who enrolled in the Fall 2021 term continued to face impact from the COVID-19 virus. Cohort 2 consisted of Fall 2021 semester students who met all eligibility requirements as stated above. NGTC identified 1,463 students who were enrolled in the Fall 2021 semester and could be potentially eligible for Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students.

The total funding amount allocated to Cohort 2 was $1,306,492.52.

Tiers Students Award Total
Zero EFC + FT (verified) 282 $1,500 $423,000
Zero EFC + PT (verified) 410 $1,000 $410,000
EFC > 0 + FT OR 0 EFC (not verified) 360 $800 $288,000
EFC > 0 + FT OR 0 EFC (not verified) 411 $451.32 $185,492.52
Total 1,463   $1,306,492.52

The disbursement of Cohort 2 to student accounts took place in October 2021. The College sent an email and text once the funds were disbursed to student accounts.

Identification of Cohort 3:

The college subsequently determined that students who are enrolled in the Spring 2022 term will continue to face impact from the COVID-19 virus. Cohort 3 will consist of Spring 2022 semester students who met all eligibility requirements as stated above. NGTC has tentatively identified approximately 1,307 students who will be enrolled in the Spring 2022 semester and could be potentially eligible for Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students.

The disbursement of Cohort 3 to student accounts took place in March 2022. The College sent an email and text once the funds were disbursed to student accounts.

The total funding amount allocated to Cohort 3 was $1,310,040.

 

Tiers Students Award Total
Zero EFC + PT (verified) 409 $1,200 $490,800
EFC > 0 + FT OR 0 EFC (not verified) 284 $750 $213,000
EFC > 0 + FT OR 0 EFC (not verified) 378 $480 $181,440
Total 901   $1,310,040

Should any Emergency Grant funds remain following the distribution to Cohort 3, the college will disburse the balance of remaining funds to the eligible students identified in Cohort 3. Funds will be disbursed prior to the completion of the Spring 2022 term.

If you have questions about these Student Emergency Financial Aid Grants under the ARP, please contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@northgatech.edu

Institutional Aid Portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under ARP

The USDOE allocated $3,731,736.00 to the college. This award is separate from the funding made available for the ARP Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students described above.

 

Under section 314(c) of the CRRSAA, the college may use the award  to defray expenses associated with coronavirus (including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll) and make additional emergency financial grants to students, which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.

 

Under section 2003(5) of the ARP, the college is required to use a portion of its institutional funds received under this supplemental award to (a) implement evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with public health guidelines and (b) conduct direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial aid adjustment due to the recent unemployment of a family member or independent student, or other circumstances, described in section 479A of the HEA (20 USC § 1087tt).

 

The college may, but is not required to, use funds designated for its Institutional Costs to provide additional emergency financial aid grants to students. If the college chooses to use these Institutional Costs to provide additional emergency financial aid grants to students, then those funds are subject to the requirements for the ARP Emergency Financial Aid for Students.

 

No grant funds may be used to fund construction; acquisition of real property; contractors for the provision of pre-enrollment recruitment activities; marketing or recruitment; endowments; capital outlays associated with facilities related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship; senior administrator or executive salaries, benefits, bonuses, contracts, incentives; stock buybacks, shareholder dividends, capital distributions, and stock options; or any other cash or other benefit for a senior administrator or executive.

 

The college may charge indirect costs to funds made available under this ARP award. As the college does not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate with its cognizant agency for indirect costs, it will appropriately charge the de minimis rate of ten percent of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC). The college may also charge reasonable direct administrative costs to funds made available under this ARP award.

 

The college acknowledges that any obligation under this grant (pre-award costs pursuant to 2 CFR § 200.458) must have been incurred on or after March 13, 2020, the date of the declaration of a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak (85 FR 15337).

 

The college will, to the greatest extent practicable, continue to pay its employees and contractors during the period of any disruptions or closures related to coronavirus.

 

The college will comply with all reporting requirements (including those in Section 314(e)of the CRRSAA and submit required reports to the USDOE, at such time and in such manner and containing such information as the USDOE may reasonably require.

 

The Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts is the state agency that reviews the combined financial statements of the Technical College System of Georgia and its units, which includes this college. The college complies with GDAA’s requirements.

The college acknowledges it is under a continuing affirmative duty to inform the USDOE if the college is to close or terminate operations as an institution or merge with another institution.

 

The college will cooperate with any examination of records with respect to the advanced funds by making records and authorized individuals available when requested, whether by (a) the Department and/or its OIG; or (b) any other Federal agency, commission, or department in the lawful exercise of its jurisdiction and authority. The college will retain all financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report pursuant to 2 CFR § 200.334.

 

The college acknowledges that failure to comply with the terms and conditions of this grant, and/or all relevant provisions and requirements of the CRRSAA or ARP or any other applicable law may result in the college’s liability under the False Claims Act, 31 USC § 3729, et seq.; OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485; 18 USC § 1001, as appropriate; and all of the laws and regulations referenced in the “Applicable Law” section below.

Applicable Law:

The college will comply with all applicable assurances in OMB Standard Forms (SF) SF-424B and SF-424D (Assurances for Non-Construction and Assurances for Construction Programs), including the assurances relating to the legal authority to apply for assistance; access to records; conflict of interest; nondiscrimination; Hatch Act provisions; labor standards; Single Audit Act; and the general agreement to comply with all applicable Federal laws, executive orders, and regulations.

The college certifies that with respect to the certification regarding lobbying in Department Form 80-0013, no Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the making or supplementing of Federal grants under this program; Recipient must complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,” when required (34 CFR part 82, Appendix B).

The college will comply with the provisions of all applicable acts, regulations and assurances; the following provisions of Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99; the OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485; and the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.

Updated: July 2, 2024 - CARES, CRRSAA, ARP & SSARPView the CARES Act, CRRSA & ARP Information and Covid-19 Guidance