CARES Act

Student CARES Funds

All Florida Poly CARES funds for students have been distributed as of January 11, 2023.

Florida Poly CARES Emergency Funding

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many students into stressful and financially challenging personal circumstances. Fortunately, those who are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus are eligible to receive funds from the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) of 2021.

We hope as these funds begin to be distributed, they help relieve burdens you and your families may be carrying in this dramatically changed world.

Florida Poly Cares Application

About Florida Poly CARES Emergency Funding

Florida Poly CARES funds will be disbursed to students to help fulfill financial needs necessary to continue their Florida Poly education. Funds shall be direct payments to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19, such as: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care.

The funds are not broad public assistance funds, but are to be used to help students continue their education.

Eligibility

Students must submit a Florida Poly CARES application for emergency funds for the term in which they are currently registered.
Funds will be disbursed to registered students, which includes undergraduate types and graduate students, in the term for which they are applying for emergency relief, including summer term(s) as determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Criteria

Funds will be paid directly to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19, such as; technology, course materials, food, housing, health care, and child-care. We strongly encourage you to be mindful of technological requirements to continue your academic work as a student at Florida Poly, and therefore emphasize the need for you to have technology that can meet the minimum computing standards to support your progress within your STEM degree in a remote and non-remote instructional environment.
Funds are not disbursed based on prior financial aid calculations and can exceed the student’s cost of attendance, when combined with other aid the student is receiving for the award year. Individual and cumulative grants may not exceed $6,195.
While students may apply each semester they need funds (SP20, SU20, F20, SP21), students are encouraged to only submit once given the expected demand for this one-time, finite resource; unless a significant change in their economic situation can be documented.

Disbursement through Office of Financial Aid

Students submit an online Florida Poly CARES application for emergency funds for the term in which they are currently registered.

Baseline parameters for CARES emergency funding
Food	up to $200
Course Materials and Technology	$300-$1200 (depending on demonstrated need)
Health	up to $300

The Office of Financial Aid utilizes professional judgment judiciously for students in need. Appeals may be granted for amounts greater than what is listed above.

REQUIRED Supporting Documentation: Students will need to provide documentation as best possible based on their circumstance (i.e. student or parent job loss, on campus student now needs to pay rent, receipts from extra expenses, etc.).

Process

Students submit Florida Poly CARES online form and documentation.
Students receive notification that their application was received.
Within 24-48 hours students will receive a response with a decision, the potential amount of the grant if approved, or a request for more information/documentation.
Florida Poly CARES funding will be post to your ledger in CAMS the same day you are approved. Student Business Services will process your approved funding amount as a student refund through BankMobile within the week. If you have not signed up for direct deposit or a BankMobile account, your refund will be mailed as a paper check and will take much longer to reach you. To sign up for BankMobile, please visit their website. Contact Student Business Services for assistance setting up your BankMobile account.