Wasserman Schultz Announces More Than $700M for South Florida Colleges, Universities, Students

Biden-Harris Admin. releases American Rescue Plan funds for local institutions; At least half the funding to be distributed to students as emergency financial aid

Washington, May 12, 2021
Today, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) announced more than $700 million in emergency funding for colleges, universities, and students in Broward, Miami Dade, Palm Beach and Monroe Counties under the American Rescue Plan.

Washington DC – Today, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) announced more than $700 million in emergency funding for colleges, universities, and students in Broward, Miami Dade, Palm Beach and Monroe Counties under the American Rescue Plan. The funding will help local institutions cope with the severe financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue serving their students safely. 

At least half of the funding each institution receives will be distributed in the form of emergency cash assistance grants to students who are facing hunger, homelessness, and other hardship. The American Rescue Plan provides $36 billion for nearly 3,500 public and private, nonprofit colleges and universities nationwide.

“This deadly pandemic hit our students and colleges particularly hard, and both are absolutely vital to our community and economy,” said Wasserman Schultz. “The American Rescue Plan invests more than $700 million dollars in emergency funds into South Florida higher education classrooms and students to ensure a continuity of education that benefits our entire region. I’m proud that we were able to deliver this lifeline to thousands of South Florida scholars across numerous colleges and universities and I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for allocating it so quickly.” 

Among the colleges, universities and students at South Florida institutions receiving funding under the American Rescue Plan are:

Broward College:                                $102,138,704
Florida Atlantic University:                $69,493,600
Florida International University:        $120,768,382
Miami Dade College:                          $175,596,703
Nova Southeastern University:           $21,276,551
Palm Beach State College:                  $71,199,106
Saint Thomas University:                   $4,682,531
Barry University:                                $13,842,233
Florida Memorial University              $5,815,082
Lynn University                                  $5,241,671
University of Miami                           $21,291,392

Here’s the larger list of schools in South Florida, and around the state and nation, which are receiving funding: click here.

Students should contact their institutions for more information about how they can apply for an emergency grant. 

The American Rescue Plan also includes nearly $3 billion in additional funding – which will be distributed at a later date – for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), other Minority-Serving Institutions, and other under-resourced institutions. To read more about emergency education funding under the American Rescue Plan, click here. 

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