Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund

Frequently Asked Questions about the Institutional Portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under Section 18004(a)(1) and 18004(c) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

The CARES Act establishes and funds the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Sections 18004(a)(1) and 18004(c) of the CARES Act, which address the HEERF, allow institutions of higher education to use up to 50 percent of the funds they receive to cover any costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus so long as such costs do not include payment to contractors for the provision of pre-enrollment recruitment activities, including marketing and advertising; endowments; or capital outlays associated with facilities related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship (collectively referred to as “Recipient’s Institutional Costs”). These FAQs address only the funds for Recipient’s Institutional Costs provided by the Secretary to an institution under Section 18004(a)(1) and subject to Section 18004(c).

All CARES Act grant resources and guidance can be found on the Office of Postsecondary Education’s webpage