Hunger Free Campus

• The 2025 Request for Proposal (application) is expected in July 2025. If your campus is planning to apply, here is the 2024 Hunger Free Campus RFP for reference as you prepare.

Eligible applicants include the following organizations, located in Minnesota, that provide eligible services to eligible participants:

• Public postsecondary institutions
• Nonprofit, degree-granting, private postsecondary institutions physically located in Minnesota and registered with the Office of Higher Education under section 136A.63
• Tribal colleges

Competitive applicants should:

• Be able to demonstrate student-need on their campus
• Have capacity to maintain all five of the following designation criteria for at least one year after post-grant closeout:
  • Have an established on-campus food pantry or partnership with a local food bank to provide regular, on-campus food distributions;  
  • Provide information to students on SNAP, MFIP, and other programs that reduce food insecurity.  The institution shall notify students in work-study employment of their potential eligibility for SNAP benefits and provide information to those students that includes eligibility criteria and how to apply for benefits;
  • Hold or participate in one hunger awareness event per academic year;  
  • Have an established emergency assistance grant that is available to students; and
  • Establish a hunger task force that meets a minimum of three times per academic year.
• Secure institutional funds, in addition to grant funds, in order to sustain the designation criteria
• Incorporate student-feedback and perspective into the implementation process, and
• Institutions applying for a Sustaining Designation Grant must demonstrate a partnership with a local food bank or organization or other source of funding that ensures regular, on-campus distributions

Institutions must reapply at least every four years to maintain the designation.

Minnesota public, private, and tribal colleges may earn a Hunger Free Campus designation if they are actively taking strides to reduce food insecurity and improve basic needs resources on their campus. To receive a Hunger Free Campus designation, institutions must meet the following criteria:

1. Have an established on-campus food pantry or partnership with a local food bank to provide regular, on-campus food distributions;
2. Provide information to students on SNAP, MFIP, and other programs that reduce food insecurity. The institution shall notify students in work-study employment of their potential eligibility for SNAP benefits and provide information to those students that includes eligibility criteria and how to apply for benefits;
3. Hold or participate in one hunger awareness event per academic year;
4. Have an established emergency assistance grant that is available to students; and
5. Establish a hunger task force that meets a minimum of three times per academic year.

Hunger Free Campus designations are given out by the institutions’ student organization in partnership with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. In order to apply for a designation, connect with:

• Two-year public colleges - LeadMN
• Four-year public colleges (not UMN) - Students United
• University of Minnesota, any campus: UMN Student Senate
• Private Institutions: MN Private College Council 

Institutions must reapply at least every four years to maintain the designation.

The total appropriation is $2,500,000 and of this amount, up to $500,000 in one-time funding is available for equipment grant.

• Sustaining Designation Grant (Sustaining Grant): For the purpose of supporting colleges and universities who have already received a Hunger Free Campus designation and are requesting funds to sustain and continue their work. The maximum grant award for an institution pursuing the Sustaining Designation Grant is $15,000.
• Pathways to Designation Grant (Pathways Grant): For the purpose of supporting colleges and universities who have not received a Hunger Free Campus designation and will be seeking designation within the next year. The maximum grant award for an institution pursuing the Pathways to Designation Grant is $25,000.
• Equipment Grant: For the purpose of supporting colleges and universities in purchasing the equipment necessary to operate an on-campus food pantry. Institutions may apply for this grant alone or in addition to a sustaining or pathways grant. The maximum award amount for an institution requesting an equipment grant is $25,000. Up to $500,000 in one-time funding is available for equipment grant. 

• Alexandria Technical & Community College
• Augsburg University
• Bemidji State University
• Central Lakes College
• College of St. Scholastica
• Concordia College
• Concordia University, St. Paul
• Inver Hills Community College
• Macalester College
• Metropolitan State University
• Minnesota State College Southeast
• Minnesota State University, Mankato
• North Hennepin Community College
• Northwestern Health Sciences University
• Pine Technical & Community College
• Riverland Community College
• Rochester Community and Technical College
• Saint Paul College
• Southwest Minnesota State University
• St. Olaf College
• St. Cloud State University
• University of Minnesota Duluth
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Winona State University