Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced more than $163 million in emergency funding for colleges and universities in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District from the American Rescue Plan. The funding will help local institutions recover from the severe financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue serving 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 struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their education.  

“Alabama’s 7th Congressional District is home to 13 colleges and universities that have remained hard at work educating and training their students despite the unprecedented devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis,” said Rep. Sewell. “The success of our colleges, universities, and students is critical to the success of the 7th District and the State of Alabama. That is why I am proud to announce over $585 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan for higher education across the state, $163 million of which will be going directly to institutions in the 7th District. This funding will provide urgently needed relief to the students who need it most and will put our educational institutions back on a path to prosperity.”

The American Rescue Plan provides $36 billion for nearly 3,500 public and private, nonprofit colleges and universities nationwide. Of that, it provides $584,970,497 to colleges and universities in Alabama and $163,188,175 to colleges and universities in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.

The colleges and universities in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District receiving funding under the American Rescue Plan are:

• Alabama State University - $18,957,151
• Birmingham Southern College - $2,713,567
• Judson College - $1,056,290
• University of West Alabama - $6,442,634
• Marion Military Institute - $1,316,884
• Miles College - $9,309,538
• Stillman College - $3,860,086
• University of Alabama - $54,903,000
• University of Alabama at Birmingham - $35,738,916
• Lawson State Community College - $12,746,110
• Shelton State Community College - $10,789,753
• George Corley Wallace State Community College - Selma - $5,191,777
• Midfield Institute of Cosmetology - $162,469

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.