Funding #RealCollege Supports at Community Colleges: Health Conversion Foundations

Now that many (most?) community college administrators recognize that students must have their essential needs met if they are going to learn and succeed in school (check out this new study!), I’m going to reflect on the most common question they ask me:

Where’s the money?

For real — providing basic needs supports is not free, and you can’t do it well by simply loading up an already-taxed student affairs pro with more to do. (Seriously don’t — just stop. We know who you’re doing that to and it’s doesn’t jibe with your DEI commitments!)

The good news is that there are funds available to help finance this work, and sources out there that I’m willing to bet you haven’t already tapped. Stuff that goes beyond alumni fundraising and gifts from grocery stores, things that I’m hoping you’re already doing. I’m going to write about one option today, and I promise there’s much more to come.

But first, a caveat: I firmly believe that local, state, and federal governments should fund this work because the ROI is large — investing in student basic needs supports improves college attainment and transition to the workforce, but also…