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ST. PAUL (KFGO) – The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) has awarded grant funding to help address food insecurity on college campuses.
A total of $360,000 is being given through the 2026 Hunger Free Campus grants.
“For too many Minnesota students, food insecurity is a daily concern,” OHE Commissioner Dennis Olson said. “This initiative is helping students access the nutrition they need to focus on their studies and finish their program. I look forward to a day when every campus in the state is hunger free.”
Communications Director Keith Hovis says the recipients include private, non-profit and tribal colleges, and the funding can be used for a wide range of things.
“Establishing a food pantry on campus or partnering with a local food bank to bring food to campus to distribute to students. Information campaigns like making sure that you’re connecting with students around what benefits are available like SNAP or the Family Investment Program. You can hold events or provide emergency assistance,” Hovis explains.
Each college had the chance to get up to $50,000. Nine colleges in total are getting funding, including Concordia College and Red Lake Nation College.
Grant funds must be used for eligible expenses that support, fulfill, or sustain the following Hunger Free Campus requirements:
- Maintain an on-campus food pantry or partnership with a local food bank to provide regular, on-campus food distributions
- Provide information to students on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), and other programs that reduce food insecurity
- Notify students in work-study employment of their potential eligibility for SNAP benefits and provide information to those students about eligibility criteria and how to apply for benefits
- Hold or participate in one hunger awareness event per academic year
- Provide emergency assistance grants to students
- Establish a hunger task force that meets a minimum of three times per academic year and that includes at least two students currently enrolled at the institution
Awarded colleges are also required to match the award by at least 50% through in-kind or monetary contributions.
The 2026-2027 Hunger Free Campus Grant recipients are:
- Augsburg University
- $50,000
- Carleton College
- $30,954
- College of St. Scholastica
- $17,600
- Concordia College
- $44,516.19
- Herzing University
- $49,941.81
- Macalester College
- $50,000
- Red Lake Nation College
- $38,988
- St. Catherine University
- $50,000
- St. Olaf College
- $28,000
Learn more about the Hunger Free Campus Grants on the OHE website.
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