January 20, 2022 Department of Education Announces Supplemental Support under American Rescue Plan GrantToday, the Department of Education (ED) announced an additional $198 million in American Rescue Plan funs that will primarily support community colleges and other institutions with the greatest needs. ED will be inviting applications next week for the $198 million grant opportunity under the Supplemental Support under American Rescue Plan (SSARP) program to support colleges and universities with the greatest unmet needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In awarding funds, the Department will prioritize community colleges and rural institutions of higher education (IHEs) that serve a high percentage of low-income students and have experienced enrollment declines since the start of the pandemic. Funds will be awarded in late spring. The Department will encourage eligible institutions to use SSARP funds toward:
Department of Education Announces Additional Guidance on Use of ARP Funds to Meet Students’ Basic NeedsThe Department of Education (ED) also announced new guidance on how colleges can use new and existing ARP funds to meet students’ basic needs such as housing and food security; and guidance on how colleges can use existing data to connect students to other federal benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Affordable Connectivity Program at the Federal Communications Commission. The guidance provides examples of how colleges and universities can use the institutional portion of their HEERF grants to make initial investments into basic needs supports for students and expand the reach of existing supports to help students navigate financial challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including insecurity with housing, food, and childcare. ED is also sending a Dear Colleague Letter to all public and private higher education institutions informing them that they can use Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) data to communicate with students about other public benefits programs that they may be eligible for, such as SNAP and the Affordable Connectivity Program. The letter encourages colleges to coordinate with campus stakeholders, like student organizations, financial aid administrators, or student life groups, to inform their campus community of these benefits. ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Spread the word. Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) E-Alert network. To join, simply e-mail publicpolicy@acct.org with 'LAW Alert' in the subject of the e-mail. For more community college news from inside the beltway, follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/CCTrustees) or like us Facebook (facebook.com/CCTrustees). Have questions? Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges. If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. |