South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as SFBC&TS) applied for and received funds under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

1.       SFBC&TS signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or 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.

 2.      SFBC&TS has received the sum of $48,424.00 from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

 3.       SFBC&TS distributed the total amount of $48,424.00 of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to eligible students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of September 18, 2020.

 4.       Thirty-two (32) students at SFBC&TS are found to be eligible to participate in the Federal student financial aid programs under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and thus are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

5.      The total number of SFBC&TS students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is thirty-two (32). 

6.       The method(s) used by SFBC&TS to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act are as follows:

The SFBC&TS Financial Aid Department relied upon the eligibility guidelines as follows:

Only students who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA),  may receive emergency financial aid grants. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 the HEA. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants. The criteria to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA include but are not limited to the following: U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen; a valid Social Security number; registration with Selective Service (if the student is male); and a high school diploma, GED, or completion of high school in an approved home school setting.

The SFBC&TS Financial Aid Department Director and staff searched the SFBC&TS active student database for the Spring 2020 semester to determine which students were enrolled and taking on-campus classes as of March 13, 2020, who were eligible for Title IV financial aid funds as stated above.  That number totaled thirty-two (32) students.

It was determined that total number of  eligible students who applied for this grant would receive an equal sum based on the total amount of grant funds ($48,424.00) divided by the total number of eligible students who applied (32).  All thirty-two (32) eligible students applied.  Each of those students received a total grant award of $1,513.25.

7.     Instructions, directions, or guidance provided by SFBC&TS to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants are as follows:

• An email was sent from the SFBC&TS Financial Aid Department to each eligible SFBC&TS student on August 14, 2020, explaining their eligibility and qualifications and deadline for applying; said email provided a link to the HEERF Cares Act application page.  This email was sent via the sfbc.edu email system AND the Populi software system utilized by SFBC&TS.
• The identical information was posted on SFBC&TS’s website, www.sfbc.edu, which included active hyperlinks to the application page.  (See the text below which was originally posted at https://www.sfbc.edu/sfbc-health-alerts and remains on that web page).
• The identical information was also posted on the student news feed page in Populi, the web-based student/faculty/staff software program utilized by SFBC&TS, its staff, students, and faculty.
• Financial Aid Department personnel also spoke with any and all students requesting more information, explanation, or just a personal conversation regarding this Emergency Financial Aid Grant.