WNC has received more than $600,000 in CARES Act Emergency Grant funding for students. CARES Act Emergency Grant funds are designed to assist students with expenses directly related to the disruption of campus operations. Awards will go to students who have completed a FAFSA, met Title IV fund eligibility criteria and were directly impacted by classes going online.

According to JW Lazzari, WNC director of Financial Assistance, WNC is eager to get funds into the hands of students who are directly impacted by the move from in-person instruction to online instruction. These funds are intended to help with unexpected expenses for technology such as laptops, software upgrades, printers, printer ink and webcams. The college hopes that the additional resources will help students successfully complete the semester.

Qualifying students will be automatically awarded funding and do not need to complete an application. They could see funds as early as Wednesday, May 6. CARES Act Emergency Grant amounts vary based on Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is derived from the completion of a FAFSA, and students enrollment level. Award amounts range from $100-$1000.

Students who are not initially eligible to receive CARES Act Emergency Grants and are not part of the automatic awarding cycle, should make sure they complete a 2019-20 FAFSA, complete their financial aid file and submit a CARES Act Emergency Grant Application. The application will be available beginning May 4 on the Financial Assistance homepage at https://www.wnc.edu/financial/.

Students who are not able to establish eligibility for a CARES ACT Emergency Grant will automatically be considered for other campus emergency funding.

For more details on the CARES Act Emergency Grant funding at WNC, go to https://www.wnc.edu/financial/types-of-aid/#CARESact.

WNCs Financial Assistance Office can also help answer questions related to the CARES Act Emergency Grant process. Please contact the office at finaid1@wnc.edu.