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 for the Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) Program Assistance Listing Number 84.425L

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Education is reopening the application period for institutions of higher education (IHEs) eligible for HEERF, ARP Act funds under the grant funding streams: ARP (a)(1) HEERF grant funding as authorized under section 2003(1) of the ARP (Assistance Listing Numbers (ALNs) 84.425E and 84.425F); ARP (a)(2) HEERF grant funding as authorized under ARP section 2003(2) for MSI and SIP institutions (ALNs 84.425L, and 84.425M); and ARP (a)(4) grant funding under the Proprietary Institution Grant Funds for Students Program (ALN 84.425Q). The Secretary takes this action to allow eligible applicants additional time to submit their Certifications and Agreements (applications), and associated data submissions for approved information collections under OMB control numbers 1801-0005, 1840-0842, 1840-0843, 1840-0852, and 1840-0855. This notice reopens the period for transmittal of applications for all eligible applicants that appear on the published allocation tables for ARP (a)(1), (a)(2) SIP and MSI, and ARP (a)(4) funding, along with the Required Proprietary Institution Certification (RPIC) until March 7, 2022. Please note that institutions that are not included on the ARP(a)(1) and (a)(2) allocation tables, but that are eligible institutions, may apply under the Supplemental Support Under the American Rescue Plan (SSARP) funding opportunity. -

Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information.

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.

Background: On March 11, 2021, the President signed the ARP into law (Pub. L. 117-2). This law makes available approximately $39.6 billion for IHEs under HEERF, with funding appropriated through existing programs authorized under the CRRSAA.

With this notice, the Secretary is announcing the availability of HEERF grant funds under the ARP (a)(2) MSI program (ALN 84.425L).

Eligible institutions are IHEs, as defined in sections 101 and 102(c) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002(c). Allocations for eligible IHEs will be calculated according to the formulas found in ARP section 2003(2) and section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA. Under ARP section 2003, grant awards under this program may be used to (1) defray expenses associated with the coronavirus, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff training, and payroll; and (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 the coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care, mental health care, or childcare. In making financial aid grants to students, an IHE must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as Pell recipient students. IHEs are urged to devote the maximum amount of funds possible to student financial aid grants.

Additionally, under ARP section 2003(5), institutions must use a portion of their funds under ALN 84.425L to (1) implement evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with the public health guidelines; and (2) conduct direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial aid adjustment due to recent unemployment status or other changes in financial circumstances as described in section 479A of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087tt).

The Department is not requiring IHEs that received grants under section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA to submit a new or revised application to receive funding under the ARP (a)(2) MSI program. As a result, the Department will award supplemental funds to eligible IHEs that received a section 314(a)(2) award under the CRRSAA, ALN 84.425L (identified by a Grant Award beginning with P425Lxx). No action is required by eligible IHEs to receive these supplemental awards. The project director identified on the most current Grant Award Notification (GAN) will automatically receive an email indicating a supplemental award has been made to your institution. Please note that drawing down any amount of these supplemental funds constitutes an institution's acceptance of the new ARP terms and conditions and a new Supplemental Agreement, which are attached to this notice for reference.

IHEs that have not yet complied with the reporting requirements of the HEERF grant program may receive delayed supplemental ARP (a)(2) awards and/or may receive awards with a restriction on the ability to draw down those awarded funds (route payment status) until the institution has satisfied its HEERF reporting obligations.

IHEs that did not receive a CRRSAA section 314(a)(2) MSI award but that are on the Department's section 2003(2) ARP MSI Allocation Table may apply for and receive an ARP (a)(2) MSI grant award. The Department must receive an application from such institutions within 60 days of the publication of this notice.

Assistance Listing Number 84.425L.

Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information.

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.

Background: On March 11, 2021, the President signed the ARP into law (Pub. L. 117-2). This law makes available approximately $39.6 billion for IHEs under HEERF, with funding appropriated through existing programs authorized under the CRRSAA.

With this notice, the Secretary is announcing the availability of HEERF grant funds under the ARP (a)(2) MSI program (ALN 84.425L).

Eligible institutions are IHEs, as defined in sections 101 and 102(c) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002(c). Allocations for eligible IHEs will be calculated according to the formulas found in ARP section 2003(2) and section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA. Under ARP section 2003, grant awards under this program may be used to (1) defray expenses associated with the coronavirus, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff training, and payroll; and (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 the coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care, mental health care, or childcare. In making financial aid grants to students, an IHE must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as Pell recipient students. IHEs are urged to devote the maximum amount of funds possible to student financial aid grants.

Additionally, under ARP section 2003(5), institutions must use a portion of their funds under ALN 84.425L to (1) implement evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with the public health guidelines; and (2) conduct direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial aid adjustment due to recent unemployment status or other changes in financial circumstances as described in section 479A of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087tt).

The Department is not requiring IHEs that received grants under section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA to submit a new or revised application to receive funding under the ARP (a)(2) MSI program. As a result, the Department will award supplemental funds to eligible IHEs that received a section 314(a)(2) award under the CRRSAA, ALN 84.425L (identified by a Grant Award beginning with P425Lxx). No action is required by eligible IHEs to receive these supplemental awards. The project director identified on the most current Grant Award Notification (GAN) will automatically receive an email indicating a supplemental award has been made to your institution. Please note that drawing down any amount of these supplemental funds constitutes an institution's acceptance of the new ARP terms and conditions and a new Supplemental Agreement, which are attached to this notice for reference.

IHEs that have not yet complied with the reporting requirements of the HEERF grant program may receive delayed supplemental ARP (a)(2) awards and/or may receive awards with a restriction on the ability to draw down those awarded funds (route payment status) until the institution has satisfied its HEERF reporting obligations.

IHEs that did not receive a CRRSAA section 314(a)(2) MSI award but that are on the Department's section 2003(2) ARP MSI Allocation Table may apply for and receive an ARP (a)(2) MSI grant award. The Department must receive an application from such institutions within 60 days of the publication of this notice.

Assistance Listing Number 84.425L.