SDSU receives NASH funding for Basic Needs Kit program
The award by the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) was given to programs that enhance affordability and improve equitable access to higher education.
San Diego State University has been awarded $10,000 from the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) to help support resources for students facing food and financial insecurities.
SDSU is among 32 recipients, including seven other California State University (CSU) campuses, to receive funding as part of the NASH Catalyst Fund awards. This funding round, totaling $220,000, targeted California public higher education systems with initiatives enhancing affordability and improving equitable access to higher education.
NASH sought out programs and initiatives at institutions within the CSU system, University of California system and California Community Colleges system that demonstrated innovative practices with potential for replication and scale. The Catalyst Fund focuses on discovering innovative ideas to share with NASH’s extensive network of systems nationwide, helping advance all students.
“As the nation’s largest and most diverse public four-year university system, providing equitable access to a high-quality education is central to the California State University’s mission,” said CSU chancellor Mildred García.
“We are grateful to NASH for funding innovative programs at our universities that help remove financial barriers and increase academic and career opportunities for our diverse students,” García added. “Through our engagement with NASH and collaboration with our California public higher education partners, we are building scalable models to advance student success that exemplify our nation’s fundamental value of opportunity for all.”
The Catalyst Fund award will specifically help support SDSU’s Basic Needs Center and its Basic Needs Kit program, which provides students with items such as soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, laundry detergent, Scantron forms, notebooks, and menstrual products. Pregnant and parenting students may also request diapers and baby wipes.
The Basic Needs Center launched the kit program in fall 2023. The kits are meant to provide short-term support while the center works to connect students to long-term self-sufficiency resources like CalFresh, Medi-Cal and CalWORKs.
“We are very excited to receive this award to enhance the scale of our Basic Needs Kits, which are an invaluable resource for SDSU students,” Basic Needs Center director Evie Baez said. “We hope to develop and share a process for other campuses to implement in order to provide low-barrier access to essential hygiene products.”
The center also helps students with financial education, financial aid, scholarships and employment, and provides transportation services, help with groceries and food pantry access.
“We are thrilled to recognize innovative initiatives across all three of California's public higher education systems. With NASH's support these institutions are breaking down financial barriers, making higher education more accessible and affordable for all students,” said Jessica Todman, NASH executive vice president.
“This investment is a testament to our commitment to fostering student success and sharing best practices across our extensive network through the Power of Systems,” Todman said. “We hope the insights gained from this work will enable us to scale evidence-based interventions beyond California, as the collective efforts of all our systems aim to advance prosperity for the nation.”
