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Request for Applications: College Food Security | NM Higher Education Department

Request for Applications: College Food Security

Home / Request for Applications: College Food Security
College Food Security Initiative at New Mexico Higher Education Institutions
Fiscal Year 2022 Application

Click Here to Download the RFA Template and Guidance 

Purpose of Grant and Problem It Solves

The New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) is accepting applications for fiscal year 2023 (FY23) grants titled “College Food Security Initiatives at New Mexico’s Higher Education Institutions.” The purpose of this program is to address food security and will prioritize initiatives that address students having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food at New Mexico’s public colleges and universities. The grant is designed to assist colleges and universities in building essential capacity and infrastructure to create or support efforts that address issues of food security for students, promote wellness, and help outreach to vulnerable people who may experience hunger on a daily basis on their campuses and in their communities. Innovation in addressing food security needs, moving from emergency meals to reliable food options on campus, will be prioritized.

Available Funding

A total of $900,000 will be awarded. There are two types of grants:

  1. General Proposals: Twelve (12) $50,000 grants for innovate proposals to assure food security at New Mexico’s public higher education institutions and Tribal colleges; or
  2. Special Priority: Either two (2) or three (3) $100,000 to $150,000 grants for a weekly box meal service for vulnerable students. This project is envisioned for high-need campuses with little to no food services. Ideally, the funding will be used in coordination with existing commercial kitchen equipment to provide students who do not have access to food services a weekly box service with prepared meals. Students would pick up the box with a minimum of two meals per day, akin to commercial meals services like Freshly or Home Chef.
Key Dates
  • Application Open: July 20, 2022
  • Application Deadline: August 22, 2022
  • Review of Award: September 2, 2022 
  • Announcement of Award:  September 5, 2022
Submissions

Please submit completed applications via email to Joel Zimmerer, Executive Administrative Coordinator, at Joel.Zimmerer@hed.nm.gov.

Questions

For any questions, please contact Dr. Patricia Trujillo, Deputy Secretary, at Patricia.Trujillo@hed.nm.gov or (505) 476-8400.

Eligible Applicants
  1. Public, post-secondary, higher education institutions or Tribal colleges in New Mexico
  2. Non-profit organizations or Tribal education departments that work with college students to address food scarcity issues. Collaborations between these entities and higher education institutions are encouraged.
Evaluation Criteria

The New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) will select awardees based on the following:

  1. Alignment of proposed activities with the purpose of the grant;
  2. Cost of service relative to need and cost efficiency;
  3. Positive relationships and outreach with student populations and communities; and
  4. Demonstrated commitment to addressing one or more areas of the six criteria in the framework for a “Hunger-Free Campus Designation.” The six criteria are:
  • Campus has an established on-campus food pantry or partnership with a local food bank to provide regular, on-campus food distributions;
  • Campus provides information to students on federal SNAP and other programs that reduce food insecurity;
  • Campus partners with local farms, non-profit organizations, or supports a campus farm to provide fresh food;
  • Campus holds or participates in at least one hunger awareness event per academic year;
  • Campus has an established emergency assistance grant that is available to students; and
  • Campus has an established hunger task force that meets a minimum of two times per academic year.
Grant Period

September 15, 2022 to June 15, 2023

Submissions

When submitting your application, please combine all relevant items into one PDF and save the file as “ACRONYMofyourschool/org.FoodSecurity.08.22”.

Example: NMHED.FoodSecurity.08.22

Please submit completed applications via email to Joel Zimmerer, Executive Administrative Coordinator, at Joel.Zimmerer@hed.nm.gov.

Questions

For any questions, please contact Dr. Patricia Trujillo, Deputy Secretary, at Patricia.Trujillo@hed.nm.gov or (505) 476-8400.