Dept. of Education offers $1 million in grants for Hunger-Free Campus program

Harrisburg, Pa. — The Pa. Dept. of Education has opened applications for Hunger-Free Campus grant funding to help institutions of higher education ensure that students have continual access to healthy, nutritious foods.

Last year, $1 million in grants was given to 30 different institutions.

“Learning and achieving is much harder to accomplish when you’re trying to learn on an empty stomach, and food insecurity knows no age or geographic limits. It impacts learners from pre-K to postsecondary in all areas of the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “This grant funding will continue the critical work of addressing food insecurity on Pennsylvania’s college and university campuses so students can focus on learning rather than hunger.”

Institutions may apply through the eGrants system . Additional information about the grant is available on the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus Initiative webpage . Applications will be accepted until Sept. 23 at 11:59 p.m.

Colleges with the PA Hunger-Free Campus or PA Hunger-Free Campus+ designation may apply for competitive funding in an amount up to:

$20,000 for institutions with 3,000 or fewer learners$40,000 for institutions with 3,001 to 7,000 learners$60,000 for institutions with 7,001 learners or more

Grants are available to both PA Hunger-Free and PA Hunger-Free+ campuses. Schools with a PA Hunger-Free Campus+ designation implemented additional innovative solutions to address student hunger and other basic needs for their campus community, such as offering a variety of meal plans, including an option that provides ten or fewer meals weekly to avoid interfering with SNAP eligibility, creating or implementing meal-sharing programs, educating student leaders on campus to develop student-centered programs, or facilitating innovative community partnerships.