CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants at East West College

East West College of the Healing Arts (EWC) was given the opportunity and has chosen to participate in receiving and disbursing emergency financial aid grant funding The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) which is authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law on March 11, 2021. EWC has completed and filed an agreement with the US Department of Education (the Department) to use 100 percent of the funds received under Section 2003(a)(4) of ARP to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The total amount of funds that the EWC will receive from the Department under Section 2003(a)(4) is $100,904 The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants that have been distributed from grant funds allocated under section 2003 (a)(4) of the American Rescue Plan is $100,904.

As of March 31, 2022, there are 101 EWC students that are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 2003(a)(4) of the ARP.

There are 26 EWC students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under Section under Section 2003(a)(4) of the ARP as of March 31, 2022.
East West College continues to distribute to students eligible under the federal Title IV programs who had dependents, notification of reimbursement available for childcare costs. This was eligible through March 2022. Eligible students were notified by email to submit receipts for reimbursement.

Currently attending students, who were determined to be Pell eligible from the 2021-2022 FAFSA application, were contacted with a survey asking them to indicate the areas of financial need due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with an opportunity to indicate the level of financial need in each area. Students who responded to this survey were awarded the maximum Pell grant award per the massage therapy program at ¾ time attendance. Students whose award fell below $1000, received a one-time grant issuance of $1000. This utilized a total of $35,584 issued directly to the surveyed students.

The college also distributed additional grant funds directly to students to assist in PPE costs for those who continue to be eligible under the federal Title IV programs, verifiable through a 2021-2022 FAFSA application.

Students are also encouraged to reach out to the EWC Financial Aid, Student Accounts or Student Services staff directly, with any questions regarding the Emergency Financial Aid Grants or their educational and personal situations.

As of April 19, 2022, there are 101 EWC students that are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 2003(a)(4) of the ARP.

There are 22 EWC students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under Section under Section 2003(a)(4) of the ARP as of April 19, 2022.

East West College continued to distribute to students eligible under the federal Title IV programs who had dependents, notification of reimbursement available for childcare costs. This was eligible through March 2022. Eligible students were notified by email to submit receipts for reimbursement.

Currently attending students, who were determined to be Pell eligible from the 2021-2022 FAFSA application, were contacted with a survey asking them to indicate the areas of financial need due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with an opportunity to indicate the level of financial need in each area. Students who responded to this survey were awarded the maximum Pell grant award per the massage therapy program at ¾ time attendance. Students whose award fell below $1000, received a one-time grant issuance of $1000. This left a remaining $1893.73 of the HEERF III funds, which was divided by the 22 responses received for the SP22 grant distribution. All students, apart from those with a minimum award of $1000, received an additional equal amount of $86.08, and those with a minimum award receiving an additional $86.07.

This resulted in a total distribution of $35,450.73, which exhausts the remaining amount of funds for the HEERF III grant.