New Jersey’s public colleges will have access to an additional $68.8 million in federal funds to help institutions provide educational services to students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday.
The new aid from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act comes through the U.S. Department of Education to the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. This fund provides governors flexibility through an emergency block grant to decide how best to meet the needs of students, schools, post-secondary institutions and other education-related organizations in their states.
Murphy said he is focusing the GEER funds on New Jersey post-secondary institutions given the significant financial burdens they are facing because of the pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic upended life on campuses throughout New Jersey. Institutions of higher education will be feeling its financial ripple effects not just for months but for years to come,” said New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Zakiya Smith Ellis. “While we urge the federal government for additional funding that could benefit every student in our state, we are pleased this pool of funding will be dedicated to supporting institutions of higher education and students hardest hit.”
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Since the CARES Act was passed in March, colleges in New Jersey have been given $300 million in emergency funding, including $289 million for public and private colleges and $11.9 million distributed to New Jersey minority- and low-income-serving institutions.
The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education will make this new funding available through emergency assistance grants to institutions through a formula that considers, among other things, institutional expenses incurred as a result of the pandemic.
GEER funds may be used to cover the costs of expenditures incurred on or after March 13, when a national emergency was declared. More information about how and when institutions can apply will be forthcoming.
