Guide to Using Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) Funds

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) authorizes two Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) programs: the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program and the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program. A local educational agency (LEA) may use SRSA funds to pay for activities that are allowable under Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III; Title IV, Part A; and Title IV, Part B of the ESEA. RLIS funds may be used for any allowable activities under Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III; and Title IV, Part A; as well as parental involvement activities. An LEA may only use REAP funds for allowable costs, as defined in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements (Uniform Guidance, 2 C.F.R. Part 200), which include, among other things, the requirement that costs be reasonable and necessary for the accomplishment of program objectives.

To learn more about allowable uses of SRSA and RLIS funds and for additional examples, please view the REAP Uses of Funds Webinar recording. For information on obligating and drawing down REAP funds, see the REAP Grant Performance Period webpage. For information on how to access SRSA funds in G5, see the Guide for Accessing SRSA Grant Funds in G5.

Supplement and Not Supplant Requirement

Both SRSA and RLIS funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State, or local education funds. For information about the supplement and not supplant requirement, please see III-C-2 of the REAP Informational Document.

The Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA)

An LEA eligible for the SRSA program (including a dual-eligible LEA that elects to receive funds through RLIS) may exercise a key flexibility provision in the ESEA. Section 5211(a) of the ESEA, known as AFUA, gives an eligible LEA authority to spend its Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A funds the LEA receives on activities authorized under several ESEA programs. The authority is specifically designed to give small, rural LEAs greater latitude to spend their Federal funds in ways that best address an LEA’s particular needs. For details regarding AFUA, see the REAP Informational Document.

How to Use this Guide

Below is a searchable list of examples of possible uses of REAP grant funds, subject to the requirements described above. The list is illustrative only, and not intended to be exhaustive, and applies only to funds awarded under REAP. Funds awarded under another ESEA Title program are subject to the rules and requirements of that program; for more information on individual programs, see the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education website. To use this webpage, you can filter by activity topic (e.g., “Technology Devices”) or by REAP program (i.e., SRSA, RLIS, or SRSA and RLIS). (Note: to see the most results, filter by “SRSA and RLIS” and then either SRSA or RLIS to see additional examples specific to the individual programs.) You can also search by word (e.g., “computer”) and get results containing that word. The examples listed below may be allowable uses of REAP funds. However, the question of allowability is fact specific (e.g., whether a use of funds is reasonable and necessary and supplements but does not supplant other uses of funds depends on the specific circumstances). If your State or LEA has additional questions related to cost allowability, please contact REAP at reap@ed.gov.