Colleges could offer grant-funded free meals to low-income students

The Agriculture Secretary would award competitive grants to eligible colleges and partner organizations to provide free meals and snacks to low-income students. Eligible institutions generally must have at least 20 percent of undergraduate students eligible for Federal Pell Grants. Eligible partners may include food providers, pantries, meal hubs, and qualifying college consortia. Grant applications must explain how the recipient will identify and reach low-income students. Recipients must provide between 1 and 10 free meals per student each week. Recipients must follow federal nutrition requirements, spend no more than 20 percent of grant funds on equipment, and give priority to students with serious basic-needs challenges, Pell Grants, or work-study jobs. The text authorizes funding for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 but does not provide a specific funding amount. Each grant could last no more than 2 years. The Agriculture and Education Secretaries would have 120 days after enactment to create a data-sharing agreement and develop nutrition requirements.

Benefits from the proposed college meal program would not count as other financial assistance when colleges calculate certain federal student-aid amounts. This applies to students who receive meals through the program described in the bill. The exclusion applies only to the financial-aid calculation identified in section 471(3) of the Higher Education Act.