OPE: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), Section 2003 of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) that meet the criteria as a Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), Assistance Listing Number 84.425M | ED GRANTS 080221 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 080221 002

This grant opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) as funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), specifically ARP Section 2003. It targets institutions that meet the criteria for the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) and is listed under Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.425M. The broader context is that ARP, signed into law on March 11, 2021 (Public Law 117-2), provided about $39.6 billion in additional HEERF support for colleges and universities, using funding mechanisms tied to earlier authorities in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). This particular notice announces the availability of ARP HEERF funds for SIP-eligible institutions and explains how schools receive funds, what the money can be used for, and what conditions come with accepting and drawing down the award.

Eligibility is limited to public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education that meet the federal definition of an IHE under sections 101 and 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), and that appear on the ARP (a)(2) SIP Allocation Table. In other words, being an IHE is necessary but not sufficient; the institution must also be identified by the Department as part of the SIP allocation for this ARP program. Awards are not competitive in the usual sense; they are allocated by formula. The amount an eligible institution receives is calculated using the formulas referenced in ARP Section 2003(2) and CRRSAA Section 314(a)(2), rather than being based on a narrative proposal scored against selection criteria.

The allowable uses of funds are built around two main purposes. First, institutions may use grant funds to defray expenses associated with coronavirus. The notice gives concrete examples of these institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs tied to the shift to distance education, training for faculty and staff, and payroll. Second, institutions may use funds to provide direct financial aid grants to students, and the student eligibility is broad enough to include students enrolled exclusively in distance education. Student grants can cover any component of the student cost of attendance or other emergency costs caused by the pandemic, with examples such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), and child care. When distributing student aid, institutions are required to prioritize students with exceptional need, explicitly including Pell Grant recipients as a key example, and the Department strongly encourages institutions to provide student aid to the maximum extent possible.

Beyond these general spending categories, ARP adds specific required set-asides/activities for institutions receiving funds under ALN 84.425M. Under ARP Section 2003(5), a portion of the funds must be used for two required efforts. One is implementing evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in alignment with public health guidelines. The other is conducting direct outreach to financial aid applicants to inform them about the option to request a professional judgment adjustment to their financial aid based on changed circumstances like recent unemployment or other financial changes, as described in HEA Section 479A (20 U.S.C. 1087tt). This requirement is meant to ensure students know they may be eligible for recalculated aid if their financial situation shifted due to the pandemic.

The notice also explains how funds are delivered depending on an institution's prior participation under CRRSAA. For institutions that previously received a CRRSAA Section 314(a)(2) award under the same listing (84.425M), the Department will issue supplemental ARP funds automatically. These schools do not need to submit a new application to receive the supplemental award. Instead, the project director listed on the most recent Grant Award Notification (GAN) will receive an email indicating that the supplemental award has been made. A key practical point is that once an institution draws down any amount of the supplemental funds, that action counts as acceptance of the new ARP terms and conditions and acceptance of a new Supplemental Agreement associated with the ARP award.

Compliance and reporting also matter. The Department signals that institutions that have not met required HEERF reporting obligations may experience delays in receiving their supplemental ARP awards and/or may receive awards with restrictions that prevent drawing down the money (for example, a restricted payment status) until reporting requirements are satisfied. In effect, failure to keep up with required HEERF reporting can slow access to funds even if the institution is otherwise eligible and allocated an award.

Finally, the notice addresses institutions that are on the ARP SIP Allocation Table but did not receive the earlier CRRSAA 314(a)(2) award. Those institutions are not automatically funded; they must apply to receive an ARP (a)(2) SIP grant under ALN 84.425M. The application deadline for those institutions is set as within 60 days of the notice being published. The opportunity listing information included in the source data notes an original closing date of March 7, 2022 for this posting, along with the opportunity number (ED GRANTS 080221 002) and the classification as a mandatory grant opportunity in the education funding category.

For operational details such as submission instructions, pre-application and application requirements, performance measures, priorities, and official contacts, the notice emphasizes that the controlling guidance is the official Federal Register application notice. It also points applicants to the Department's Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published February 13, 2019, 84 FR 3768) for addresses and standard submission procedures, even though this HEERF program functions primarily through formula allocations and, for many institutions, automatic supplemental awards.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OPE: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), Section 2003 of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) that meet the criteria as a Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), Assistance Listing Number 84.425M" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.425.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-08-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-03-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

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