MiLEAP Awarded Nearly $5 Million Federal Grant to Advance Student Basic Needs Work
Michigan receives largest of three competitive Basic Need grants under FIPSE to support implementation of recommendations from MiLEAP College Student Basic Needs Task Force
LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) has been awarded nearly $5 million through the U.S. Department of Education’s Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program to advance efforts to address basic needs barriers facing Michigan students.
“Every Michigan student deserves the chance to build a bright future,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Today’s announcement continues our work to lower the cost of higher education and make it easier for students to pursue a postsecondary degree. This investment prepares Michiganders for thriving careers and gets us closer to our state’s Sixty by 30 goal. Let’s keep working together to help every student succeed.”
Michigan’s award was the largest of just three grants selected in Fiscal Year 2026 through a highly competitive national process, under the $9.9 million Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program, which is part of the federal government’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).
The four-year grant will support implementation of recommendations from Michigan’s College Student Basic Needs Task Force, with a focus on helping students connect with existing resources and strengthening the capacity of institutions to identify and respond to basic needs.
“When students are struggling to meet their basic needs, it can be difficult to stay focused on completing a degree or credential,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, executive director of MiLEAP. “This investment gives Michigan an important opportunity to move from recommendations to implementation. We’re proud to bring resources to Michigan that will help create conditions that allow more students to succeed and reach their educational goals.”
The Basic Needs Task Force was launched in 2024 to identify ways to reduce basic needs insecurity as a barrier to postsecondary success. With support from The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, the Task Force developed its 2025 report, which included recommendations for addressing these barriers and an analysis of the challenges facing Michigan students.
Among other data, the report found that 20% of Michigan undergraduates experienced low or very low food security, while 44% of Michigan community college students surveyed reported experiencing housing insecurity during the previous 12 months.
A survey of 9,420 Michigan Reconnect applicants found that 31% reported housing insecurity, 31% reported food insecurity, 32% reported caring for children and 40% reported mental or physical health challenges.
“Michigan’s students are the future of our state’s workforce and economy, and we must make sure they have the support they need to complete their education and build successful careers,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI). “This federal investment will help more students succeed, strengthen Michigan’s workforce, and create more opportunities for good-paying jobs here at home.”
Research cited by the Task Force also found that, among students experiencing basic needs insecurity who did not access campus resources, 74% said they did not know the resources existed, whether they were eligible, or how to access them.
These findings point to an opportunity for institutions to strengthen how they identify students who may need support and connect them with resources already available on campus and in their communities.
“We’ve heard from colleges and universities across Michigan that strengthening how they support students’ basic needs is a priority,” said Sarah Szurpicki, deputy director overseeing MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education “This investment creates an opportunity to bring that work together across the state, coordinate efforts, share resources and strategies, and build on what’s already working.”
To advance these efforts, the federal grant will support three primary areas:
- Campus navigation and basic-needs hubs: Supporting participating institutions in proactive outreach, individualized navigation, resource connections, application and renewal assistance, and follow-up.
- State benefit pathways: Strengthening processes and partnerships that can help eligible students access and maintain benefits, including Medicaid and SNAP.
- Professional development and institutional capacity: Providing training, coaching and other support to help institutions strengthen basic-needs practices and build connections across campus and community partners.
The project will also establish shared data, reporting, and evaluation practices to help MiLEAP and participating institutions better understand student needs, assess implementation and identify practices that can be sustained and expanded.
“We commend Michigan for listening to students, bringing together key constituents, prioritizing research and data, and taking demonstrable action that will improve basic needs security and lead to more degrees for Michiganders,” said Dr. Sara Abelson, assistant professor and senior director of education and training at The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs.
The grant builds on Michigan’s continued efforts to increase postsecondary attainment and advance the state’s Sixty by 30 goal of having 60% of working-age adults earn a skill certificate or degree by 2030.
Learn more about Michigan’s basic needs work and access resources by visiting MiLEAP’s Basic Needs Resource Hub.
###
About MiLEAP:
Established by Gov. Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP ensures every Michigander has a path to prosperity from birth to earning a postsecondary credential that leads to high-wage careers. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
