Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE): Supplemental Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education (SAIHE) Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.425S | ED GRANTS 032921 001

Supplemental Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education (SAIHE) - FAQs

What is the SAIHE grant opportunity (ALN 84.425S)?

Supplemental Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education (SAIHE), listed under ALN 84.425S, is a U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) discretionary grant program. It was created to address remaining, unfilled institutional needs caused by the coronavirus pandemic after other Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) money authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) had already been allocated.

What problem is SAIHE designed to address?

SAIHE is intended to fill COVID-related financial and operational gaps that remained at certain colleges and universities even after prior CRRSAA HEERF allocations. The program is described as a targeted, supplemental source of aid for institutions the Secretary determines have the greatest unmet needs tied to coronavirus impacts, rather than a broad, formula-based distribution to all institutions.

Who administers SAIHE?

The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), under FIPSE, and it is run as a discretionary grant competition.

What is the legal authority for SAIHE?

The program’s legal authority comes from CRRSAA (Division M of Public Law 116-260), specifically section 314(a)(3). That provision set aside 0.5 percent of a portion of the Education Stabilization Fund for Part B of Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA).

How much funding is associated with the SAIHE set-aside?

The notice describes the set-aside as approximately $113.5 million.

Is SAIHE part of HEERF?

SAIHE is described as a supplemental program created in the context of HEERF allocations under CRRSAA. It was designed to address unmet needs that persisted after other CRRSAA HEERF funds were allocated, functioning as an additional targeted stream rather than another broad formula allocation.

Which institutions are eligible to apply for SAIHE?

Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001) that are public or private nonprofit institutions.

Are proprietary (for-profit) institutions eligible for SAIHE?

No. Proprietary (for-profit) institutions are not eligible for SAIHE. The synopsis explains that while proprietary institutions could be eligible for certain CARES Act grants, CRRSAA section 314(a)(3) restricts this specific program to institutions eligible under Part B of Title VII of the HEA, which excludes proprietary institutions for SAIHE.

Does being a public or private nonprofit IHE automatically make an institution eligible?

No. The opportunity indicates that applicants must also meet the criteria associated with the specific "absolute priority" under which they apply. Eligibility depends both on being a qualifying public/private nonprofit institution of higher education and on satisfying the priority-specific requirements described in the official Federal Register notice.

What are "absolute priorities" in this competition?

The synopsis references multiple "absolute priorities" and states that applicants must meet the criteria tied to the specific absolute priority under which they apply. The detailed requirements for each absolute priority are described in the official Federal Register application notice referenced in the synopsis.

How is institutional eligibility typically determined for SAIHE?

With the exception of Absolute Priority 4, the Department indicates that institutional eligibility is based on the institution’s six-digit OPEID (the federal identifier used for administering Title IV student aid programs).

What is an OPEID and why does it matter for SAIHE?

An OPEID is a six-digit federal identifier used to administer Title IV student aid programs. For SAIHE, the Department indicates that (except for Absolute Priority 4) institutional eligibility is typically keyed to the institution’s six-digit OPEID.

Were there corrections made to the original Notice Inviting Applications (NIA)?

Yes. The Federal Register information tied to this opportunity includes an administrative correction to the original FY 2021 Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) that was published on March 29, 2021 (86 FR 16338).

What changed in the correction related to Absolute Priority 6?

The correction changed the relevant year for a Pell Grant recipient percentage threshold used for eligibility under Absolute Priority 6 to Fall 2019, replacing an earlier reference to 2018.

What changed in the correction related to Absolute Priorities 2 and 5?

The correction removed language that tied eligibility for Absolute Priorities 2 and 5 to December 27, 2020 (the CRRSAA enactment date).

Did the correction change other parts of the competition requirements?

No. The correction notice emphasizes that all other requirements and conditions in the NIA remained the same, meaning applicants still needed to follow the original structure of the competition, priorities, and submission rules, with only the specified fixes applied.

Where are the official and controlling requirements for applying?

The synopsis states it is only a summary and that the controlling requirements are in the official Federal Register application notice. Applicants are directed to consult the Federal Register notice for decisive details about eligibility, priorities, and submission requirements.

What additional application instructions are applicants directed to use?

Applicants are directed to the Department’s "Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs" (published February 13, 2019, 84 FR 3768) for standard instructions on how to obtain and submit applications, including pre-application steps, application package requirements, performance measures, priorities, and program contacts.

What type of grant is SAIHE?

SAIHE is categorized as a discretionary grant competition administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

What was the closing date listed for this opportunity?

The listing shows an original closing date of April 28, 2021.

Why does the synopsis emphasize consulting the Federal Register notice?

The description repeatedly notes that what is provided is only a synopsis. Because eligibility depends on meeting requirements tied to specific absolute priorities and because corrections were issued to the NIA, the Federal Register notice is presented as the controlling source for the official rules, criteria, and instructions.

How is SAIHE different from broad formula distributions of emergency aid?

SAIHE is described as narrowly targeted and supplemental. Rather than distributing funds broadly through a formula, it is aimed at public and nonprofit institutions that the Secretary determines have the greatest remaining unmet needs connected to coronavirus impacts after earlier CRRSAA HEERF allocations.

What kinds of institutions did Congress intend to help with SAIHE?

The program description indicates Congress intended to direct extra support to public and private nonprofit institutions that were not adequately served by earlier CRRSAA HEERF allocations. Examples mentioned include institutions enrolling large graduate student populations and institutions that did not otherwise receive an allocation under CRRSAA.

If an institution is unsure whether it qualifies, what does the synopsis suggest?

The synopsis indicates that the decisive details for whether an institution qualified (and under which absolute priority) are in the official Federal Register notice and related Department guidance referenced in the synopsis, including the Common Instructions for discretionary grant programs.