Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund
Welcome! We know that life under COVID has been extremely challenging, especially if you’ve lost your job, lost work hours, or haven’t been able to find a new job. Montgomery College is here to help. If you qualify, we have a new scholarship opportunity to help you pay for classes to learn new skills, earn a license or credential, and assist you in your job search.
Learn more about the GEER Funding opportunity in the GEER Program Overview (PDF, 
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GEER scholarship application Portal is currently closed
The GEER application portal is currently closed. The application portal will re-open October 15, 2021, to accept new applications.
If you have already submitted an eligibility form, it is being reviewed and you will receive communications from the GEER team within 3-4 weeks of your application submission. A submission of the eligibility form does not mean you are approved for the GEER scholarship. For next steps, please follow instructions in the email communication from GEER.
If you have any questions, you can email us at geer@montgomerycollege.edu and a program staff will respond to your inquiry. During this peak application processing time, allow 8-10 business days for a GEER staff member to respond to your inquiries. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
GEER Background Information
The Governor of the State of Maryland has established a fund to help Maryland residents who have been impacted by COVID. This funding supports eligible individuals to enroll in workforce training classes that lead to a labor market recognized credential. In effect, these trainings will provide students with credentials and skills to quickly return to work. Montgomery College will award this funding to eligible students on a first come, first served basis while funding is available.
Services
Students may qualify for support in one or more of three areas: course tuition/fees; technology and book needs; other fees. Depending on participant needs and available resources, students may use this funding for:
- Course tuition and fees up to $3,500 per participant
- One-time technology and book voucher to be used for approved course(s). This one-time voucher is up to $1,000 per participant for courses 18 hours or more.
- Other fees (for example, books, certification/licensing, testing fees) up to $500 per participant
Students may also receive additional support with career planning and education decisions, referrals for social services, and job search services.
Sources for career guidance include:
- Educational Opportunity Center
240-578-2076 (during normal business hours) or email MCEOC@montgomerycollege.edu - Career Coach (copy entire link below to browser)
Career Coach - Welcome to Career Coach (emsicc.com) - GEER’s Placement and Learning Advisor
Email geer@montgomerycollege.edu to request an appointment with the Placement and Learning Advisor.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be a current Maryland resident.
- Be legally eligible to work in the U.S. at the time of application submission.
- Have their employment status affected by COVID – this includes job loss, reduction in hours/pay, unstable employment, or challenges finding new employment.
- Owe no more than $5,000 to Montgomery College.
- Be enrolled in or ready to enroll in a GEER approved course.
Deadlines
Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis while funding is available.
Class Locations and Types of Instruction
Notice: Some Fall classes are delivered by Structured Remote: 2-way interactive at a specific time. Some are Hybrid: a combination of Online and Face to Face. Others are Face to Face. As COVID-19 conditions continue to change, we may transition some classes back to campus. Please check your student account to verify your class schedule, learning structure, and location as it may change. If you need to make any changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
If you have GEER specific questions contact GEER@montgomerycollege.edu.
Before you Apply
- Review the GEER Orientation PowerPoint (PDF, )
- Read the GEER Program Guide (PDF, )
- Get your required documents ready. Here is a List of Acceptable Documents. (PDF, )
- Choose your career area and course(s).
- Review the GEER Approved Courses List. (PDF, ) This list is updated frequently.
- Choose your career area. If you need help choosing a career area, contact the Educational Opportunity Center at MCEOC@montgomerycollege.edu
- Questions about a particular program of study? Contact the WDCE Program area (PDF, ) .
- For GEER student advising contact, GEER@montgomerycollege.edu to request an appointment.
- Review the GEER Approved Courses List. (PDF,
How to Apply:
- Complete the GEER Eligibility Screening Formnew window. This will begin your GEER application process. If you are eligible to move forward, there will be a full GEER application later on in the process.
- Your eligibility screening form will be reviewed within 3-4 weeks of your submission.
- If you are eligible you will get an email with the link to the full application and instructions on next steps.
- You must complete the full GEER application, and upload all GEER required documents (PDF, ) by the deadline to be eligible for funding.
All applications will be thoroughly reviewed. Incomplete applications can delay the review process. This application review process can take time and application volumes are high, your patience is appreciated. You will be contacted by email for follow up actions and decisions. Check your email and spam folders regularly. Respond in a timely manner to help your application process move along smoothly.
Please note, applying and submitting documents does not mean you are approved for the GEER program. If you are approved, you will receive an official award letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
This funding is for Maryland residents whose job or job search has been impacted by COVID. This means you lost a job, had your hours/pay reduced, unstable employment or have had difficulty finding a new job.
This funding is for Maryland residents whose job or job search has been impacted by COVID. This means you lost a job, had your hours/pay reduced, unstable employment, or have had difficulty finding a new job.
Applicants must:
- Be a Maryland resident.
- Be legally eligible to work in the U.S. at the time of the application submission.
- Have their employment status affected by COVID - this includes a job loss, reduction in hours/pay, unstable employment, or challenges finding new employment.
- Owe no more than $5,000 to Montgomery College.
- Be enrolled in or ready to enroll in a GEER approved course (PDF, ) .
If you meet the preliminary eligibility requirements, you will be instructed to upload a copy of one document for each of these categories.
- Current Maryland residence
- Valid Employment authorization document
Click here for the complete list of acceptable documentation for GEER. (PDF, ) There are many documents we can accept. If you do not have these documents and may
have an alternative document, please let us know.
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) . Make sure that we have the program you’re looking for. If you need help choosing
a course or program of study, contact: EOC at MCEOC@montgomerycollege.edu or GEER at geer@montgomerycollege.edu.
If you need more information about different jobs, Career Coach is an excellent resource. It will give you information on jobs, job outlook, careers, programs, area openings, and salaries.
Career Coach (copy entire link below to browser):
Career Coach - Welcome to Career Coach (emsicc.com)
Other resources:
- Educational Opportunity Center: MCEOC@montgomerycollege.edu
- WDCE Programs:
- Questions about a particular program of study? Contact the WDCE Program area (PDF, )
- Questions about a particular program of study? Contact the WDCE Program area (PDF,
- GEER:
- Meet with a GEER student advisor. Email GEER@montgomerycollege.edu to request an appointment with the Placement and Learning Advisor.
Other Options:
- If you need a high school diploma to get a job, you may be interested in the GED Test Preparation Programnew window.
- If you speak another language and need to learn more English to earn a credential, check out the Work Plus! Job Training for English Language Learnersnew window.
- Please note; GEER does not provide funding for either GED or Work Plus! programs.
Some classes are held remotely. Some courses meet face to face if there is a lab or clinical time required for credentials or licensing. Class locations may change as we transition back to in-person classes. If you are a GEER participant, check your student account to verify your class schedule and location.
We understand the situation can change quickly and Montgomery College is working hard to keep everyone as safe as possible. For more information, see Montgomery College COVID Information.
Check out the Workforce Development Schedule of Classes to see when the next courses
will be offered. Or check the listing of GEER Approved courses, (PDF, ) for course information.
A list of GEER approved courses (PDF, ) is provided. Check back frequently as more information on the specifics of course
location, days and times will be updated within 2-3 weeks of the opening of registration.
This information will also be updated on the webpage.
Other Options at Montgomery College:
- If you need a high school diploma to get a job, you may be interested in the GED Test Preparation Program.
- If you speak another language and need to learn more English to earn a credential, check out the Work Plus! Job Training for English Language Learners. Work Plus Programs.
- Please note; GEER does not provide funding for either GED or Work Plus! programs.
You may qualify to receive help paying for books for your class or for fees to take your credential tests.
Students completing a certification training successfully can contact the GEER program to request reimbursement for exam fees. GEER can prepay for selected types of exam fees. Exam fee payment while funding is available. Email GEER@montgomerycollege.edu for more information.
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) for a complete list of program rules and student responsibilities.
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This $1,361,801 grant, awarded to Montgomery College from the U.S. Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, is 100% funded from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Education Stabilization Fund Program - Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. CFDA 84.425C.
GEER II
This $1,007,733 grant, awarded to Montgomery College from the U.S. Department of
Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, is 100% funded from the Coronavirus
Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, 2021 Education Stabilization
Fund Program - Governor’s Emergency Education Relief II (GEER II) Fund. CFDA 84.425C.
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