Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), Section 2003 of the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (ARP) Assistance Listing Number 84.425E

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768),or at www.govinfo.gov/​content/​pkg/​FR-2019-02-13/​pdf/​2019-02206.pdf.

           On March 11, 2021, the President signed into law the ARP (Pub. L. 117-2). This new law makes available approximately $39.6 billion for institutions of higher education under HEERF, with funding appropriated through existing programs previously authorized under the CRRSAA (Pub. L. 116-260).

           With this notice, the Secretary is announcing the availability of HEERF grant funds under the ARP (a)(1) programs under ALNs 84.425E and 84.425F. These programs, with some changes, are a continuation of the CRRSAA section 314(a)(1) program, which the Department implemented as two funding streams: (1) the Student Aid Portion (ALN 84.425E) for financial grants to students, and (2) the Institutional Portion (ALN 84.425F) for institutional uses of funds related to the coronavirus.

           Eligible institutions are institutions of higher education, as defined in sections 101 and 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002(c). Allocations for these programs will be calculated according to the formulas in ARP section 2003(1) and section 314(a)(1) of the CRRSAA. Under ARP section 2003, grant awards under these programs may be used to (1) defray expenses associated with coronavirus (including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll) or (2) provide financial aid grants to students (including students exclusively enrolled in distance education), which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care. In making financial aid grants to students, an institution of higher education must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants. The amount each institution must use for financial aid grants to students is determined by calculating the sum of 50 percent of the amount each institution receives under the formula factors in CRRSAA section 314(a)(1)(A)-(D); and 100 percent of the amount received under the formula factors in CRRSAA section 314(a)(1)(E)-(F). This amount is identified for each institution in the allocation table.

            Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.425E.