The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was established to provide emergency funding to institutions of higher education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief funding was distributed to the University from the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) in three separate funding streams beginning in March 2020.
Three Funding Streams
- HEERF I: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) act, signed into law on March 27, 2020.
- HEERF II: The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), signed into law on December 27, 2020.
- HEERF III: The American Rescue Plan (ARP), signed into law on March 11, 2021.
Each stream has certain differences in the suggested uses and required applicability for the funds. Each stream splits the funding into two separate grants, the Student Aid Portion and the Institutional Portion.
Student Aid and Institutional HEERF Grants
The first grant is referred to as the “Student Aid Portion.” This portion of the grant stipulates that the entirety of the funding is to be granted to students, prioritizing those in financial need. The second grant is referred to as the "Institutional Portion", where the funding can be utilized by the institution.
Both grants have separate reporting requirements. Read the reporting requirements using the links below.
UMass Amherst HEERF Reporting Requirements
OPE has established reporting requirements for both the Student and Institutional Portions. The reporting requirements are available at:
FAQs
You may learn more by visiting these frequently asked questions (FAQs):