ED Provides $2.97B To Minority Institutions Impacted by Pandemic
As the federal government continues to address economic concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education (ED) recently turned its focus on minority institutions by providing some $2.97 billion in emergency grants through the American Rescue Plan Act under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
The agency issued $1.6 billion to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), $143 million to Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and another $1.19 billion to Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and under-resourced institutions eligible for the Strengthening Institutions programs, many of which are community colleges. About 1,800 minority institutions nationwide received funding.
“The American Rescue Plan provided critical funds to make sure our nation’s institutions of higher education ― particularly those that serve students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic ― receive the resources they need in order to provide students with a high-quality education and the social, emotional and mental health supports to earn their degrees and thrive,” said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
Minority institutions receiving these funds are using them for initiatives aimed at engaging disconnected students, expanding mental health services and creating more robust retention programs to ensure more students make it to graduation and are prepared to enter our nation’s workforce.
Along with this funding, ED has provided an additional $225 million in financial assistance under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act to support public and nonprofit institutions, many of which are HBCUs or MSIs, and their students with the greatest unmet needs related to the pandemic through the Supplemental Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education and the Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity grant programs. These funds will largely help community colleges that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. This investment will allow such colleges to award additional financial aid to students and fund student support services, such as mental health counseling, retention and reengagement in postsecondary education.
Hopefully these emergency funds will enable these minority institutions to address issues of great concern in their communities.
Join us for our following Thompson Grants events:
Thompson Grants Workshop: The American Rescue Plan Act | August 26, 2021
Thompson Grants Workshop: Reevaluating Your Policies & Procedures | September 14 - 15, 2021 |
Chicago, IL
