As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the U.S. Department of Education made available almost $3 billion for the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER). Governors across the nation must be strategic with their use of GEER funds to support education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief report begins by describing the challenge behind determining the best use of the GEER allocation. As part of the solution to this challenge, it shares four ideas governors should consider for targeted funding the can help their states respond to and prepare for the continued impacts of COVID-19. Lastly, it details four ways governors can maximize return on investment (ROI) of GEER.