Valley College to receive millions of dollars in emergency funding

The money comes from Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

By Soren Blomquist Eggerling, Staff Writer

Four colleges in the San Fernando Valley will receive emergency funding totaling $196 million announced U.S. Reps. Tony Cardenas (CA-29) and Brad Sherman (CA-30).

Valley College will receive $24,876,025, Mission is obtaining $12,315,025, Pierce is getting $29,643,969 and CSUN is receiving $129,280,593.

The money is being doled out under the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11. The schools receiving funding from the bill are required to invest at least half of it on students facing hunger, homelessness and other hardship according to a press release from Cardenas.

“These funds will provide direct relief to students in the San Fernando Valley, helping them to continue their education and to graduate on time,” said Sherman. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact among Valley [SFV] students and this emergency relief is rightly directed to those students who need it most.”

About $36 billion is being distributed to colleges and universities nationwide as a part of the Rescue Plan, with an additional $3 billion allocated for historically Black colleges and universities, as well as other minority-serving and resource-deprived institutions.

Valley President Barry Gribbons explained that the college is still determining how it will utilize the new resources.

“We do intend to provide some direct awards to students and also continue to provide emergency grants for students who need them because of COVID-related issues,” he noted.

Those awards and grants will encompass employment issues stemming from the pandemic, whether it be “a student or even a family member” according to Gribbons.

“[All of the] money has to be used for COVID-related expenses,” he added.

Students are encouraged to contact their respective institutions for help applying for emergency grants and awards. Gribbons did not provide details as to how that process would be implemented in light of the new funds.