Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2). The ARP appropriated approximately $39.6 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and represents the third stream of funding appropriated for HEERF to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Taken together, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (Pub. L. 116–136), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (Pub. L. 116-260), and the ARP represent HEERF I, HEERF II, and HEERF III, respectively.

Students who are or were enrolled on or after March 13, 2020 are eligible for emergency financial aid grants from the HEERF, regardless of whether they completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or are eligible for Title IV. Tacoma Community College is required to prioritize students with exceptional need.

Emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their 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. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.

Tacoma Community College Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding and Reporting

HEERF I, II and III Student Aid

Tacoma Community College acknowledges it signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement, and gives the assurance that Tacoma Community College intends to use no less than 50% of the funds received under HEERF I, II, and III emergency relief funds to students.

Tacoma Community College is required to provide regular reporting to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on the use of funds authorized by the CARES Act. Funds received by TCC under the CARES Act were authorized by Congress and signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020. The information noted below is intended to not only meet the reporting requirements of the CARES Act but also provide information to our college community regarding TCC’s use of the student grant portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

Total Award

Tacoma Community College has been awarded $10,545,172 for Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The College has estimated that 6,000 students may be eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants from Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding HEERF I, HEERF II and HEERF III, respectively.

Funds distributed to students to date

Quarter Ended Amount Distributed Number of Students Awarded
June 30, 2020  $961,610 1,103
September 30, 2020 541,113 596
December 31, 2020 575,442 661
March 31, 2021 10,000 10
June 30, 2021 1,507,500 1,568
September 30, 2021 179,394 511
December 31, 2021 3,166,299 1,745
March 31, 2022 988,545 726
June 30, 2022 2,783,792 1,833
September 30, 2022 4,199 6
December 31, 2022 15,780 20
March 31, 2023 195,751 517
June 30, 2023 54,396 33
Total $10,983,622 9,329

In order to distribute funds quickly, a standard grant of $2,000 was awarded to those students with the greatest financial need.

Automatic disbursements were prioritized as follows:

Tier 1: Homeless students or students at risk of Homelessness
Tier 2: Pell Grant eligible students
Tier 3: Other students who applied for funds

HEERF I, II, III (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) Institutional Portion

Tacoma Community College has been awarded $14,419,089 in HEERF Institutional funding, including $507,006 as part of the Strengthening Institutions program.

Current CARES Information

Please view this page for the most current information about CARES funding.

TCC Key Compliance Events