Can ESSER Funds be used for Travel?

The answer is yes, you can use ESSER funds to pay for travel to conferences.

We know that it can sometimes be difficult to completely understand where your federal dollars can and cannot be spent, especially when it comes to traveling for professional development. Your ESSER funds are eligible to be spent on your travel to and from EDspaces, but make sure to read the FAQ below from the U.S. Department of Education.

May ESSER funds be used for travel for professional development?

Yes, as long as it is reasonable and necessary. The three iterations of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, as authorized by the CARES Act, CRRSA Act, and ARP Act, allow the use of funds for any activities that are authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the IDEA, Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, and Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.

This means ESSER funds can be used for the same allowable professional development and training activities for which ESEA funds can be used, including travel to conferences for professional development. According to the Uniform Grants Guidance, federal funds can be used for the following if they are properly accounted for and meet the reasonable and necessary standard:

  • Attending a conference, including registration, room, and travel. 2 CFR 200.432.

This information was pulled from an article written by Kristin Baier on the Future of Ed Tech Insiders and the full article can be found at this link: https://blog.fetc.org/can-esser-funds-be-used-for-travel-for-pd/