The last of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) were approved for more than 240 institutions on Wednesday, with the vast majority going to assist colleges that serve diverse and low-income student populations.
The grant money—totaling $198 million—is being targeted to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), rural institutions and community colleges, which were shut out of the Biden Administration’s Back Better Plan that stalled in Congress. The overall American Rescue Plan has directed nearly $40 billion to institutions through the COVID-19 pandemic, and this round gives another boost to those struggling to meet needs and facing enrollment losses.
“The institutions that serve our highest-need students were not only hit hard by the pandemic but in many cases have also struggled with chronic underinvestment and funding inequities,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This funding will help HBCUs, MSIs, community colleges, and other inclusive institutions better support their students, from investing in campus mental health to providing financial relief to meeting housing, transportation, and child care needs.”
Through the grants, colleges and universities also have been able to wipe out balances to get students to completion while reducing the costs of class materials. One of the big targets of funds has been best practices that address COVID-19 response and mitigation. All of it has helped institutions in their retention efforts and in bringing back students who have stopped out.
“When we invest in stronger supports for our students, we help remove barriers to their success so that they can stay on track with their studies, complete their degrees, and ultimately, build rewarding careers,” Cardona said.
What is unclear during this period of inflation and rising costs to institutions is whether there will be further relief on the horizon. Community colleges already have received $10 billion under the ARP, with MSIs ($13 billion), HBCUs ($2.6 billion) and tribal colleges ($190 million) getting big relief packages. In his 2023 budget plan, President Joe Biden has proposed a sizeable boost to those institutions—$750 million more than in 2021—in hopes of further assisting them and their students.
Will that happen? Biden’s proposal for free community college for all was eliminated from his Build Back proposal. Some states such as Maine are planning to provide additional supports to community colleges, for example, knowing that they again may not get the funding they need when budgets are finalized. Biden is still hoping to help students defray costs through an increase in Pell Grant allowances, which is outlined in his FY23 budget.
The Department of Education reminds institutions that HEERF money, and any leftover funds, not only can be used toward COVID-19-related expenses and emergencies but also toward initiatives designed to retain students. They must, however, give half of those funds to those with the greatest need.
The following is a breakdown of what each state has received under the American Rescue Plan and in HEERF funding:
State ARP HEERF
Alabama $805 million $1.54 billion
Alaska $42.3 million $83 million
Arizona $717 million $1.48 billion
Arkansas $413 million $793 million
California $5.29 billion $10.2 billion
Colorado $518 million $1 billion
Connecticut $380 million $755.3 million
Delaware $123 million $241.3 million
Florida $2.41 billion $4,64 billion
Georgia $1.42 billion $2.72 billion
Hawaii $143 million $297 million
Idaho $207 million $385.7 million
Illinois $1.32 billion $2.56 billion
Indiana $715 million $1.39 billion
Iowa $375 million $712.2 million
Kansas $347 million $654 million
Kentucky $496 million $953 million
Louisiana $697 million $1.34 billion
Maine $126 million $243 million
Maryland $651 million $1.27 billion
Massachusetts $847 million $1.63 billion
Michigan $1.06 billion $2.05 billion
Minnesota $568 million $1.09 billion
Mississippi $576 million $1.12 billion
Missouri $670 million $1.29 billion
Montana $122 million $234 million
Nebraska $218 million $412 million
Nevada $214 million $412.3 million
New Hampshire $166 million $305.5 million
New Jersey $944 million $1.84 billion
New Mexico $245 million $462.7 million
New York $2.76 billion $5.33 billion
North Carolina $1.32 billion $2.56 billion
North Dakota $95.8 million $178.4 million
Ohio $1.18 billion $2.3 billion
Oklahoma $456 million $914 million
Oregon $417 million $794.1 million
Pennsylvania $1.36 billion $2.68 billion
Rhode Island $185 million $357 million
South Carolina $605 million $1.16 billion
South Dakota $95.9 million $186.5 million
Tennessee $824 million $1.57 billion
Texas $3.44 billion $6.6 billion
Utah $506 million $948.5 million
Vermont $66.4 million $128.2 million
Virginia $951 million $1.85 billion
Washington $680 million $1.32 billion
West Virginia $213 million $417.1 million
Wisconsin $580 million $1.1 billion
Wyoming $44.6 million $83.5 million
DC $187 million $376.4 million
Puerto Rico $787 million $1.61 billion
