Search

In the past few decades, the cost of college has risen significantly, while federal, state, and institutional financial aid and family income have remained stagnant or declined (Goldrick-Rab, 2018). As a result, many college students struggle to afford the full cost of college attendance and may experience basic needs insecurity, including the lack of access to healthy food, stable housing, reliable transportation, affordable child care, physical and mental health care services, the internet and technology, and other necessities they need to survive and thrive in a postsecondary academic setting. To support students' postsecondary success, ECMC Foundation launched the Basic Needs Initiative (BNI) in 2019, funding seven grantee organizations to further the development and sustainability of basic needs services at postsecondary institutions through direct service, technical assistance, and research. This evaluation report primarily draws on data collected in spring 2022, including survey data from nearly 60 postsecondary institutions who partnered with the BNI grantees and interviews with college staff members leading basic needs centers and students who accessed basic needs services at 5 postsecondary institutions. The evaluation found that the postsecondary institutions working with BNI grantees provided their students with a wide variety of basic needs services, with food assistance and emergency aid being most common. Case study findings revealed promising implementation practices, and students shared practical actions colleges can take to alleviate the stigma associated with accessing services. Moving forward, postsecondary institutions would benefit from implementation support and advocacy for basic needs services.