CARES Act Implementation
Commonly known as the CARES Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R.748) passed Congress on March 27. Authorizing over $2.2 trillion in emergency stimulus relief, this legislation included several key pieces to support Native students across the nation.
Department of Interior
Congress appropriated $69 million for the operation of Bureau of Indian Education programs and services. Though NIEA appreciates the efforts to engage in tribal consultation on the delivery of funding, severe delays in delivery of these funds to Bureau-funded schools reduced the impact of emergency aid and resulted in greater need as schools have been directed to reopen on September 16, 2020.
K-12 Schools
The BIE provided $46.1 million in funding for K-12 schools, including both Bureau-operated and tribally- controlled schools. To find out more about the funding available for your school, please click the link below.
Tribal Colleges and Universities
The BIE provided $20.2 million in funding for tribal colleges and universities. To find out more about the funding available for your school, please click the link below.
To access the most recent guidance on the use of CARES Act funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, please click here.
Department of Education
Under the CARES Act, Congress allocated $30.75 billion for the Education Education Stabilization Fund to support education programs and services impacted by the spread of COVID-19.
Bureau of Indian Education
$154 million set aside for schools and programs funded through the Bureau of Indian Education. Funding was allocated to both K-12 schools and tribal colleges and universities.
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
$13.2 billion allocated to SEAs for the purpose of providing LEAs with emergency relief. Funding is awarded to states in the same proportion as each state received funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2019.
Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund
$3 billion set aside for states based on the number of students served and the number of students served under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
$13.95 billion to institutions of higher education. Of these amounts, 7.5 percent, or $1.04 billion is targeted to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Servicing Institutions (MSIs), including Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
Education Stabilization Fund Discretionary Grants
$308 million set aside for states with the highest COVID-19 burden. Funding made available through two separate grant competitions for education innovation and workforce preparation.
CARES Act Project SERV
$100 million in emergency grants to prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 disruptions. Typically awarded following a violent or traumatic event, the Department is currently holding the majority of these funds in reserve while grantees develop plans with other emergency CARES Act funding.
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Head Start
$750 million for making payments under the Head Start program, and
Up to $500 million will be available for operating supplemental summer programs to existing grantees determined most ready to operate those programs by the Office of Head Start.
Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
$8.8 billion for Child Nutrition Programs, available until Sept. 30, 2021 to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.