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An Unprecedented Investment: Community Colleges' Use of Federal Emergency Aid

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Title: An Unprecedented Investment: Community Colleges' Use of Federal Emergency Aid
Language: English
Authors: Tia Jane Monahan (ORCID 0009-0009-9648-9499), Hollie Daniels Sarica (ORCID 0000-0002-4393-487X)
Source: Grantee Submission. 2026.
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 37
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305B200017
R305X220022
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Resource Allocation, Emergency Programs, Federal Aid, Grants, Higher Education, COVID-19, Pandemics, Expenditures, Community College Students, Student Needs, Educational Finance
Geographic Terms: California, Texas, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
DOI: 10.1080/10668926.2026.2652923
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for community colleges and their students, exacerbating existing resource disparities and creating new obstacles to student success. The U.S. federal government's Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) Fund provided nearly $25 billion to community colleges over three years, representing a historic investment in these institutions. This study examines how community colleges distributed and utilized HEER funding through analysis of nationwide expenditure data from 976 colleges and survey responses from 170 colleges across six states. Findings show that approximately 90% of community colleges spent all or nearly all of their HEER funds, with colleges distributing almost all of the emergency aid to most of their student population while using institutional funds to maintain operations, enhance technology infrastructure, and expand non-academic student supports. Colleges prioritized students with exceptional need and reported high levels of success in helping students cover expenses and mitigate hardships. With HEER funding now expired, colleges express significant concerns about sustaining expanded student supports, particularly emergency aid and mental health services. These findings reveal critical lessons for future funding policies and highlight the ongoing need to address systemic resource inequities in community college finance. [This paper was published in "Community College Journal of Research and Practice."]
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679852
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Report
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  Data: An Unprecedented Investment: Community Colleges' Use of Federal Emergency Aid
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tia+Jane+Monahan%22">Tia Jane Monahan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9648-9499">0009-0009-9648-9499</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hollie+Daniels+Sarica%22">Hollie Daniels Sarica</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4393-487X">0000-0002-4393-487X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Grantee+Submission%22"><i>Grantee Submission</i></searchLink>. 2026.
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 37
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
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  Data: R305B200017<br />R305X220022
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  Data: Reports - Research
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  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Two+Year+Colleges%22">Two Year Colleges</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+Colleges%22">Community Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resource+Allocation%22">Resource Allocation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emergency+Programs%22">Emergency Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Federal+Aid%22">Federal Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grants%22">Grants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Expenditures%22">Expenditures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+College+Students%22">Community College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Needs%22">Student Needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+York%22">New York</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Michigan%22">Michigan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ohio%22">Ohio</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tennessee%22">Tennessee</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Higher+Education+Emergency+Relief+Fund%22">Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/10668926.2026.2652923
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for community colleges and their students, exacerbating existing resource disparities and creating new obstacles to student success. The U.S. federal government's Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) Fund provided nearly $25 billion to community colleges over three years, representing a historic investment in these institutions. This study examines how community colleges distributed and utilized HEER funding through analysis of nationwide expenditure data from 976 colleges and survey responses from 170 colleges across six states. Findings show that approximately 90% of community colleges spent all or nearly all of their HEER funds, with colleges distributing almost all of the emergency aid to most of their student population while using institutional funds to maintain operations, enhance technology infrastructure, and expand non-academic student supports. Colleges prioritized students with exceptional need and reported high levels of success in helping students cover expenses and mitigate hardships. With HEER funding now expired, colleges express significant concerns about sustaining expanded student supports, particularly emergency aid and mental health services. These findings reveal critical lessons for future funding policies and highlight the ongoing need to address systemic resource inequities in community college finance. [This paper was published in "Community College Journal of Research and Practice."]
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED679852
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/10668926.2026.2652923
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 37
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Resource Allocation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emergency Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Federal Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Expenditures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Needs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: California
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Texas
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New York
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Michigan
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ohio
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tennessee
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: An Unprecedented Investment: Community Colleges' Use of Federal Emergency Aid
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            NameFull: Hollie Daniels Sarica
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              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Grantee Submission
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