Basic Needs Annual Report

To The Regents of the University of California March 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary 3

Background 4

Re-evaluating Goals and Benchmarks 7

Progress on Recommendations 10

Key Challenges 15

Opportunities and Next Steps 18

Conclusion 19

Appendix: Basic Needs Goal Tracker 20

KEY TO ACRONYMS
AB Assembly Bill
CCAMPIS Child Care Access Means Parents In School
CCC California Community Colleges
CDSS California Department of Social Services
CEJA Center for Economic Justice in Action
CHC Center for Healthy Communities
CHEBNA California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance
COA Cost of Attendance
CPL California Policy Lab
CSU California State University
EBT Electronic Benefits Transfer
FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid
FNS Food and Nutrition Service
HCV Housing Choice Voucher
HUD Housing and Urban Development
IRAP Institutional Research and Planning
NCCSEN National Coalition for College Student Essential Needs
SB Senate Bill
SFS Student Financial Support
SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SPARK Student Parent Action through Research Knowledge
TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
UC University of California
UCGSES University of California Graduate Student Experience Survey
UCUES University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The University of California (UC) has been at the forefront of student basic needs
initiatives for the last fifteen years, providing State and national leadership,
elevating student voices, producing groundbreaking research, and developing
promising practices. In 2020, the Regents’ Special Committee on Student Basic
Needs produced systemwide recommendations for improving these basic needs
efforts, including an annual report to the Regents. These recommendations are
outlined in the report, The University of California’s Next Phase of Improving
Student Basic Needs.1 The following report provides systemwide updates on
progress toward these goals, with highlights from Academic Year 2023–24.

UC campuses have made progress toward achieving these goals. In 2023–24,

over 70,000 students received critical supportive services at basic needs centers,
and over 17,000 CalFresh applications were submitted systemwide. Nearly $3.5
million dollars were provided in emergency grants. Peer-to-peer support has also
been critical, with over 400 students employed in campus basic needs centers.
Important lessons have been learned in the last several years as UC has striven to
reach the Regents’ aspirational goals of cutting student food and housing
insecurity by half. Among the most important of these lessons are the limited
capacity of basic needs centers to provide both emergency and preventative
programs; that the scope of student food and housing insecurity surpasses UC’s
ability to eliminate it independently; the essential nature of collaborations with
State, community, and segment partners; and the critical insights that data
provides. UC has responded to these challenges by improving services and
supports, advocating at State and national levels, and leading the way on
research and training.

1
The University of California’s Next Phase of Improving Student Basic Needs

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 3

BACKGROUND

The University of California has established itself as a national and adequate housing (to sleep, study, cook, and shower);
leader in student basic needs, producing some of the most healthcare to promote sustained mental and physical well-being;
promising practices, innovative programs, and informative affordable transportation; resources for personal hygiene care;
research. Input from UC students, staff, and leaders has also and emergency needs for students with dependents.
been instrumental in crafting progressive legislation that
supports efforts to reduce student food and housing insecurity. 2025 BASIC NEEDS GOALS
In 2020, the UC Board of Regents set the aspirational goal of The benchmark for the UC Regents’ aspirational goal of cutting
reducing student food and housing insecurity by 50 percent student food and housing insecurity in half by 2025 was the
by 2025. The University has made significant progress in 2018 student experience survey results. Ongoing food and
implementing measures to support students’ basic needs housing insecurity rates are estimated with results from the
while learning more about the challenges of achieving such UC Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES)8 and the
a goal within the context of broader economic challenges. UC Graduate Student Experience Survey (UCGSES),9 which
Annual funding from the State to support student food and are administered in alternating years systemwide. The last
housing efforts has been instrumental to this process. The UCUES was administered in 2024, and the last UCGSES was
University receives $19.5 million in ongoing state funding to administered in 2023. The food security questions are based
support student basic needs and rapid rehousing efforts. All on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Six-
ten UC campuses have well-developed basic needs centers Item Food Security Survey Module.10 UC developed housing
with various services, including robust CalFresh outreach and security questions based on the McKinney-Vento Act
application assistance. definition of homelessness.11 Figures 1 and 2 show the
UC supports a holistic view of basic, or essential, needs, progress made toward food and housing insecurity goals for
recognizing that students’ fundamental needs are often undergraduate and graduate students.
dependent on one another. Students’ housing costs, for Figure 1: Undergraduate food and housing insecurity,
instance, affect what resources they have left for food, 2018–2024 Source: UCUES
transportation, childcare, or other essentials needs. Students
47% 48%
also need safe places to study, sleep, care for their hygiene, 43%
and attend to their mental health.2 The ability of students to 39%
fulfill their basic needs affects their mental health, physical 2025
GOALS
health, and academic performance.3,4,5 The Intersegmental
24%
Working Group 47%
on Basic Needs, comprising
43% representatives
from UC, the California Community 43% Colleges (CCC), and the 8%
39% (CSU) system, met in 2021 to provide 7% 7%
California State University
2025 2018 2020 2022 2024 2020 2022 2024
recommendations to the Governor’s Council for GOALS Post-Secondary
FOOD INSECURITY HOUSING INSECUR
Education.6 From these discussions and after input 24%from UC
student leaders, researchers, and staff, UC established the
7
2025
following systemwide definition of basic needs: 7% 8% 7%
GOALS

3.5%
2018that supports
An ecosystem 2020 financial
2022 stability
2024 by ensuring 2020 2022 2024
equitable access to nutritious and sufficient food; safe, secure,
FOOD INSECURITY HOUSING INSECURITY

2
Redefining Basic Needs for Higher Education: It’s More Than Minimal Food and Housing According to California University Students
3
Food Insecurity in Higher Education: A Contemporary Review of Impacts and Explorations of Solutions
4
Pathways from Food Insecurity to Health Outcomes among California University Students
5
No food for thought: Food insecurity is related to poor mental health and lower academic performance among students in California’s public university system
6
The Opportunity to Strengthen Basic Needs Supports for California’s Post-Secondary Students through Partnership and Shared Accountability
7
Redefining Student Basic Needs for Higher Education: A Study to Understand and Map University of California Basic Needs
8
UCUES Survey Instrument
9
UCGSES Survey Instrument
10
Six-item Short Form Food Security Survey Module ([Link]); UC [Link]
11
42 USC CHAPTER 119, SUBCHAPTER VI, Part B: Education for Homeless Children and Youths

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 4

 Figure 2: Graduate student food and housing insecurity, ANNUAL DATA COLLECTION
2021–2023 Source: UCGSES Campus basic needs programs collect annual data on the
number of unique students served across their food and
35% 35% housing efforts, as well as on the programs their centers
provide. This information is then reported to the UC Office
of the President. Figure 3 illustrates the number of unique
21% 21% 2025 2025 students served at each campus between July 1, 2023 and June
GOALS GOALS
30, 2024. These food and housing programs included, but were
13% 13% 2025 not limited to:
2025
5% 5%
GOALS GOALS
3% 3% 2.5% • CalFresh application and outreach assistance
2.5%
2021 2023
2021 2023 2023 2023
2021 2021
FOOD INSECURITY
FOOD INSECURITY HOUSING HOUSING
INSECURITY
INSECURITY
• Food assistance for CalFresh-ineligible populations
• Food pantries and food distributions
Undergraduate food insecurity increased by five percentage
points between 2022 and 2024 as pandemic era emergency • Meal vouchers or grocery cards
aid programs and expanded CalFresh eligibility ended, from • Emergency housing
43 to 48 percent of respondents. Between 2021 and 2023, • Crisis grants
graduate food insecurity increased by 14 percentage points,
from 21 to 35 percent. Food insecurity is reflected in other Figure 3: Unique Students Served by Campus
populations in the post-pandemic era as well. According to the
Unique Students Total Student
California Student Aid Commission, 66 percent of students in Campus Total
Served* Contacts**
California are food insecure.12 Nationally, nearly four million
Berkeley 7,896 26,711
students are food insecure.13 Overall food insecurity rates for
U.S. households also rose over a two-year period, from 10.2 Davis 12,569 94,673
percent in 2021 to 13.5 percent in 2023. Undergraduate food Irvine 7,016 31,962
insecurity rates rebounded to prepandemic levels in 2024, and
graduate student food insecurity rates increased significantly Los Angeles 8,322 66,830

between 2021 and 2023. Housing insecurity, however, Merced 3,822 13,906
has remained relatively stable for both undergraduate and
Riverside 5,456 37,874
graduate students.14
San Diego 7,248 41,684
Historically underserved populations are disproportionately
affected by housing and food insecurities, experiencing San Francisco 2,270 29,632
them at higher rates than other populations. These include Santa Barbara 10,971 79,053
parenting and international students, students of color, Pell
Santa Cruz 8,053 35,420
recipients, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Total 73,623 457,745
Source: Campus 2023–24 annual basic needs and rapid rehousing reports
*The number of unique students served is calculated through a
variety of data collection methods, most commonly the number
of individual student identification cards that have been “swiped”
at basic-needs centers. These represent the total number of
individual students served. Due to differing data collection methods
and data infrastructure available across campuses,
minor duplication may occur.

**Student contacts represent the total number of student

identification card “swipes,” or the total number of times
students were served by basic needs

12
Food and Housing Basic Needs Survey 2023
13
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Estimated Eligibility and Receipt among Food Insecure College Students | U.S. GAO
14
The UCUES began including housing insecurity questions in 2020.

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 5

The following includes additional basic needs program data
for 2023–24, also collected annually:
• Number of students who received emergency basic needs
grants: 2,760
• Total amount of emergency basic needs grants: $3,489,317
• Number of students served by a UC campus food pantry:
40,593
• Number of students served by UC food distribution sites:
26,811
• Number of students who received UC meal vouchers: 9,376
• Number of students who received food/grocery cards:
4,902
• Number of CalFresh prescreens: 52,928
• Number of submitted CalFresh applications: 17,281
• FTE of professional staff at campus basic needs centers: 56
• Number of student staff at campus basic needs centers:
422

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 6

 RE-EVALUATING GOALS AND BENCHMARKS

Over the last fifteen years, efforts to address food and LESSONS LEARNED: REDUCING STUDENT
housing insecurity have made progress toward supporting FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITIES
students’ immediate basic needs challenges. In 2023–24,
Years of basic needs work have allowed the UC community
campuses served over 70,000 unique students through basic
to learn important lessons about the successes, challenges,
needs services and campus supports. UC is also dedicated
and limitations of available resources. Among the most
to reducing the stigma associated with accessing services
important of these was differentiating between emergency
and ensuring that students are met with care and dignity.
and preventative services.
Although campuses are serving a high number of students
across the system, what we are learning from practitioners Emergency resources address immediate health and safety
and researchers is that these variations in, particularly, food concerns. For example, a student sleeping outside in a nearby
insecurity are likely due to a combination of economic factors, park or their car is experiencing immediate threats to their
the ending of pandemic-era relief programs, and the inability health and safety. A student struggling but so far able to pay
of federal financial aid to keep pace with rapidly rising costs. their rent in an otherwise safe, adequate, and fixed space
Also, as living costs rose in recent years, emergency relief does not have an emergency need. Such a student would be
programs associated with the pandemic sunsetted.15 Housing unable to access most emergency housing programs until they
insecurity rates have remained relatively stable, likely due to became homeless or until loss of housing was imminent.
successful campus basic needs programs, housing protections A preventative approach to the latter student’s situation is
over the pandemic and students’ prioritization of housing over ideal so that the student would not need to experience the
food. This prioritization, then, leads to higher food insecurity displacement or stress of losing their housing. Additionally,
levels.16 staff would not need to engage the significant time and
Additionally, overall food and housing security rates do resources required to attend to emergencies. One of the most
not convey all the significant food or housing insecurity effective preventative approaches is a housing subsidy. These
improvements for individual students. For instance, a student subsidies help close the gap between the cost of housing and
may progress from having very low food security to low what a person can actually afford. They are also usually less
security (indicating greater access to nutritious food) due expensive and employ a longer-term strategy than emergency
to campus services and supports, but they would still be services. However, campuses lack adequate funding to cover
categorized as food insecure. It is important to continue both emergency resources that address immediate health and
assessing progress toward reducing food and housing safety concerns as well as homeless prevention programs such
insecurity. as these. Additionally, state basic needs funding restrictions
have historically emphasized emergency over preventative
Considering all that the UC system and the broader higher
efforts.
education community have learned, a more refined approach
is necessary to capture students’ lived experiences and Students also experience significant barriers to accessing
practitioners’ inputs more accurately. For instance, basic community resources and public benefits that could stabilize
needs programs’ effects on student well-being—such as stress their situations before emergency interventions become
levels, safety, and feelings of belongingness—are important necessary. Community-based organizations often do not
indicators of program success. Students becoming more aware have the capacity to serve students who need to access their
of available resources and/or gaining greater financial stability basic needs programs, and many deem students a lower
also indicate positive impacts. As the system continues priority than other populations. To complicate matters,
to improve its data collection methods and accumulates college students are categorically ineligible or must meet
more longitudinal data, it will also be important to consider additional criteria to qualify for public benefits that could
retention, academic performance, and graduation rates for help, including CalFresh (the California State Supplemental
those who access services over time. Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) and Housing and

See Basic Needs Annual Regents Report, January 2024

15

Redefining Basic Needs for Higher Education: It’s More Than Minimal Food and Housing According to California University Students
16

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 7

Urban Development (HUD) programs. CalFresh provides challenge by expertly leveraging state resources, collaborating
monthly benefits to purchase food, and HUD programs, such with community organizations to provide students with more
as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), provide affordable services, and creating innovative programs to address regional
housing. Due to this combination of factors, campus basic needs. This has been effective at connecting students with
needs programs must devote most of their funding to solving resources. The California Policy Lab (CPL) found that 14.8
emergency situations rather than investing in preventative and percent of undergraduate UC students and 8.6 percent of UC
sustainable approaches that would be more efficient and more graduate students participated in CalFresh in Academic Year
effective in the long run. 2021–22. This was more than triple the participation rate of
undergraduates and more than eight times the participation
Recent research has verified the effectiveness of these
rate of graduate students in 2016–17.20,21 This was largely
preventative approaches. Unaffordable housing and limited
due to the rise in campus outreach and application assistance
housing assistance programs are the primary causes of
made possible by State funding and broader research and
homelessness.17 Housing subsidies, particularly in combination
media coverage on student eligibility. Basic needs centers
with supportive services like case management—including
also collaborated with dozens of community organizations
rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing—are
systemwide to provide students with more food, housing, and
significantly cheaper and more effective than emergency
other critical services. Doing so enabled them to target limited
shelters or transitional housing. Savings come in immediate
State funding and amplify the effects of both campus and
programming costs and reduced use of other emergency and
community programs.
public services, such as hospital emergency rooms, in-patient
hospital stays, detoxification centers, and jails. Indeed, an At the federal level, UC advocated for federal financial aid
Urban Institute comparative analysis of housing programs and other assistance programs, including the Child Care
found that preventative programs were over five times less Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant to support
expensive than emergency shelters for families. Participants parenting students and for expanding student eligibility for
in subsidized housing programs also experience better health the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These
outcomes and higher incomes and are more likely to find combined efforts have been pivotal in addressing food and
permanent housing than those who received traditional, housing insecurity and educating the public on these issues.
emergency-based homeless services.18 Eliminating eligibility However, advocacy efforts have not gained enough support to
barriers to HUD programs based on student status would be eliminate basic needs struggles.
an important step to making their critical resources available.
Increasing funding to both HUD and campus basic needs DATA IS KEY FOR TARGETED INTERVENTIONS
centers would provide these programs with the resources Robust data have provided important information to better
they need to offer emergency and longer-term, more effective inform basic needs initiatives. Campus basic needs centers
solutions to housing insecurity and homelessness. collect data on outreach, services, and supports, as well
as the total number of students served in their food and
STATE, FEDERAL, AND COMMUNITY housing programs. This information has been essential
COLLABORATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL to understanding the scope of basic needs insecurities,
UC cannot independently eliminate food and housing improving programs, and developing innovative responses.
insecurity for its students, nor are UC students the only ones At least 50,000 students have accessed basic needs resources
who experience them. While a college degree is the most systemwide every year since 2020, with last year’s counts
consistently effective path to improving socioeconomic reaching over 70,000. This indicates not only the high need for
mobility,19 achieving this task has been made more difficult for those programs, but also successful outreach. Data and
millions nationwide by the struggle to provide the most feedback from basic needs staff also determined that while
essential needs for their households. The scale and scope of food programs are more commonly accessed than housing
the problem go beyond what UC can solve on its own. programs, housing is just as critical—and sometimes more so—
to the health and safety of our students.22
Campus basic needs programs have responded to this
17
Homelessness in the US - National Coalition for the Homeless; Income - National Alliance to End Homelessness
18
Ending Chronic Homelessness Saves Taxpayers Money; Rapid Re-housing’s Role in Responding to Homelessness
19
Education pays : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
20
CalFresh Participation Among California’s College Students: A 2021-22 School Year Update
21
California Community College and University of California student participation in CalFresh food benefits
22
Redefining Basic Needs for Higher Education: It’s More Than Minimal Food and Housing According

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 8

In 2024, CPL released an expansion to their study estimating
the percentage of students participating in CalFresh. Their
latest analysis estimates the number of likely eligible students
who actually received CalFresh benefits. Twenty-two percent
of likely eligible UC undergraduates and 27 percent of likely
eligible UC graduate students participated in CalFresh in
fall 2019.23 Twenty-four percent of eligible undergraduates
participated in spring 2022. The CDSS CalFresh Student Data
Dashboard also indicates that CDSS denies more than half of
all student applications statewide.24 At the same time, campus
basic needs staff have emphasized that students often have
difficulty obtaining all of the necessary documents, getting in
touch with the right CDSS staff, and receiving clear and timely
information on their cases.25,26
Together, this indicates that more robust technical and
application assistance supported by CDSS and different forms
of outreach may be necessary to increase participation rates.
As a result of these lessons learned, University leaders are
working closely with CPL and CDSS to develop data-sharing
agreements that would inform efforts to improve CalFresh
outreach and participation.

23
Filling the Gap: CalFresh Eligibility Among University of California and California Community College Students - California Policy Lab
24
CF dashboard - PUBLIC | Tableau Public
25
Feedback from basic needs staff and AB 1326 legislative report see Templates & Resources - CalFresh Outreach.
26
SNAP Student Rules Are Not So Snappy: Lessons Learned From a Qualitative Study of California County Agency Workers

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L REPORT 9

PROGRESS ON RECOMMENDATIONS

Since 2020, the UC Basic Needs Annual Report to the Regents

has included updates on recommendations for policymakers
and advocates, University leaders, student service
• UC returns a proportion of revenue generated from tuition
practitioners, researchers, and students. UC continues to make increases to University financial aid programs. With
progress in each of these areas. The following sections provide the Regents’ approval of the Tuition Stability Plan, this
highlights from 2024, while Appendix A provides a more proportion increased by 12 percent, from 33 to 45 percent.
detailed summary of progress toward these goals. In 2023–24, the total UC need-based grants awarded to
California students exceeded $1 billion for the first time.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
• The Middle Class Scholarship provided $219 million to
POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES 81,000 UC undergraduates in 2023–24, an increase of $68
Student basic needs challenges can be ameliorated with million from the previous year.
funding, including student financial aid and access to
supportive programs. Recommendations for policymakers
and advocates focus on increasing student financial aid and
removing unnecessary barriers to financial aid (Priority 1.1 and
1.2); updating the State definition of basic needs to align with
the holistic approach reflected in UC’s definition (Priority 1.3);
and continuing existing efforts, and improving partnerships
with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to
support CalFresh outreach and application assistance (Priority
1.4). This section highlights efforts toward these goals in
2023–24. See Appendix A for detailed descriptions of each
goal.

Financial Aid
Priorities 1.1 and 1.2: Financial stability underpins basic
needs security—if students can afford their living costs, their
risks of food and housing insecurity diminish. Direct aid is one
of the most effective ways to support low-resourced students.
UC’s Student Financial Support (SFS) regularly reassesses its
students’ estimated total cost of attendance (COA) by
administering cost of attendance surveys for undergraduate
and graduate students. The COA is the context for UC’s
financial aid programs and how it assesses affordability,
making accuracy important. SFS has increased the COA
between 5 and 9 percent each year for the past three years, as
survey results show that UC students experienced inflation
like the rest of the country.
Both the State and UC have increased the amount of financial
aid provided to students in recent years, as well as improved
access to funds. The University has also been a long-standing
advocate of student-centered initiatives, such as Double the
Pell, reforming the Middle-Class Scholarship, and improving

Nearly Half of Renter Households Are Cost-Burdened

27

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 10

diapers, technology, childcare, and mental health services • Led by UCENC at CEJA, UC partnered with the USDA’s Food
and resources” for all three State public higher education and Nutrition Services (FNS) in 2024 to establish a Multi-
segments. Previously, this did not apply to UC. This is an Store Owner (MSO) contract. This simplifies the
important step to ensuring that students’ needs are reflected authorization and renewal of UC self-operated retail campus
in legislative language. However, Assembly Bill (AB) 2033 sites to accept Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Retail or
benefits provided by CalFresh or CalWORKs. (The previous
does not provide for additional State basic needs funding, nor
process had been a barrier for store owners.) UC is the first
does it change funding restrictions. UC continues to educate
higher education institution in the country to develop an
legislators, policy and research organizations, and advocacy
MSO contract with USDA FNS. As of December 2024, UC
leaders about the importance of creating funding guidelines has 19 active onsite EBT retail locations and three more
that support students’ holistic basic needs. planned for spring 2025. CEJA and UCOP Procurement are
providing ongoing technical assistance to campuses.
Expanding Student Eligibility For Public Benefits
• UCENC staff at CEJA took leadership roles in redesigning the
Public benefit programs such as CalFresh, HUD housing
California Department of Social Services Student Eligibility
subsidies, and the California Work Opportunity and
Decision Tree, now operational across all California counties.
Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) have enormous potential This model has been shared with national partners to
to address the gap between students’ needs and available support the development of comparable tools.
resources. However, students face significant and targeted
• The UC Social Services Community of Practice, led by
restrictions when qualifying for benefits. Particularly
campus basic needs staff, submitted over 60 feedback points
considering historic rises in the cost of living, these resources to CDSS for the final version of the newly published CDSS
are more necessary than ever. UC has made several steps to Student Handbook 2.0. This handbook provides guidelines
encourage lawmakers and CDSS to expand student eligibility on student CalFresh eligibility. Counties have historically
for public benefits. UC’s new systemwide basic needs been inconsistent in their procedures around student rules.29
consortium, the UC Essential Needs Consortium (UCENC), The handbook is operational across all California counties
housed at the Center for Economic Justice in Action (CEJA) and has been shared with national partners to inform and
at UC Santa Cruz, has already made important contributions develop comparable tools.
to furthering these efforts. Community and higher education • Nine campuses participate in the CalFresh Outreach
partners have also provided important collaborations. Subaward, a contract administered by CHC that allows
institutions to receive additional federal funds to support
Priority 1.4: The UC community has continued to invest in
CalFresh outreach. UCOP will begin participating in 2025.
deepening collaborations with the California Department
of Social Services, both on campus and systemwide levels, • UC representatives continue providing critical insights
in order to improve student access to public programs, during the quarterly statewide CalFresh Student Eligibility
Workgroup facilitated by CDSS. These convenings among
including CalFresh. In 2024, UC also partnered with the USDA
higher education, community organizations, advocates, and
to increase access to nutritious food on UC campuses. This
CDSS promote efficient statewide communication and
section highlights campus and systemwide efforts in 2023–24.
problem-solving that address unintended consequences of
• In 2024, UC, CSU, and CCC collaborated with the Center CalFresh student rules, eligibility screenings, and application
for Healthy Communities (CHC) at CSU Chico State to interfaces like BenefitsCal.
complete a systemwide survey to assess the effectiveness
of CDSS county liaisons with campuses. Passed in 2021, PROGRESS ON RECOMMENDATIONS
AB 1326 requires all California county human services FOR UNIVERSITY LEADERS
agencies to assign a staff person as a liaison to county The guiding recommendations for university leaders include
higher education institutions. The survey revealed that
adjusting COA to reflect the actual cost of living (Priority 2.1);
campus staff’s knowledge of CalFresh and MediCal
advocating for increased mental health funding to provide
increased after a liaison was assigned, but the same was
not true for CalWORKs, the State Temporary Assistance to mental health supports for students impacted by the stressors
Need Families (TANF) program. Additionally, the level and of struggling with basic needs (Priority 2.2); strengthening
quality of interactions with liaisons, as well as the liaisons’ alliances with community partners and higher education
knowledge of public programs and capacity to serve the segments to strengthen regional approaches (Priority 2.3);
campuses, varied.28 and prioritizing basic needs for historically underserved

For a detailed report on UC survey results, see Legislative reports | UCOP. For CHC’s intersegmental report, see the CalFresh Outreach Resource Hub.
28

According to Helping College Students Get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Facilitators and Barriers to Students Accessing the Federal Nutrition Assistance
29

Program as well as feedback from basic needs staff and students over several years.

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 11

populations (Priority 2.4). This section highlights key updates • UCOP and UCENC leads meet regularly with the California
made towards Priorities 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 in 2023–24. See Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance (CHEBNA), a
Appendix A for detailed descriptions of each goal. trisegmental alliance with basic needs leaders across UC,
CSU, and CCC. In 2024, UC hosted CHEBNA’s first in-person
Advocating for Mental Health Funding conference since the COVID-19 pandemic, working closely
Priority 2.2: When students struggle to meet their basic with campus and central office representatives from CSU
needs, it can lead to negative mental health markers and and CCC. CHEBNA has begun planning the 2026
trisegmental summit, which will be hosted by CCC.
decreased academic performance, including depression,
anxiety, and lower grade point averages.30 In 2022–23, The • Representatives from UCOP and UC campuses participate in
University successfully advocated for an increase of $1 million the Student-Parent Action through Research Knowledge
in State mental health funds to support UC’s systemwide (SPARK) Collaborative, a national group of leaders and
subject matter experts on student parents that share
efforts to meet the demand, as well as an increase of $200,000
knowledge, best practices, and policy experiences.
in rapid rehousing funds as part of mental health efforts.
UC has continued to progress in supporting its students’ • The UC Parenting and Pregnant Students Community of
intersectional mental health and basic needs. Practice, facilitated by UCOP, is a monthly systemwide
convening to support student parenting initiatives. This
• Senate Bill (SB) 326, the Behavioral Health Services Act, community has engaged with national and state leaders to
passed the primary election with UC’s support. SB 326 provide insights and mutual learning opportunities.
expands the distribution of mental health funding, services,
• In 2024, UCOP and CEJA began hosting regular systemwide
and resources.
calls to encourage communication and information sharing
• UC is partnering with the Department of Healthcare Services among campus Basic Needs directors and Financial Aid
to implement the multipayer fee schedule, which enables Directors. CEJA also launched new systemwide basic needs
campuses to receive State reimbursements from behavioral education and training workshops and a pilot grant program.
health services provided to students regardless of health
• UC Merced and UC Riverside are collaborating with local
insurance payer. Insurance complications have been a
community colleges while leveraging State funds to create
concern for students and practitioners. This initiative allows
joint housing and increase community college transfer rates
for greater student access to mental health services.
to UC. UC Merced’s project is expected to provide 488 beds
• UCOP hosted its second annual systemwide Student Well- once it is completed in 2027.32 UC Riverside’s project is
Being Leadership Summit in October 2024. This summit expected to provide 1,500 beds and be completed by 2026.
convenes basic needs, mental health, and well-being leaders
• UC leaders regularly meet with federal and State basic needs
—including students—from across the system for the
purposes of developing collaborative strategies and groups, including the new National Coalition for College
deepening partnerships. Student Essential Needs (NCCSEN) facilitated by the Hope
Center. NCCSEN includes over 150 community leaders from
Creating Regional Approaches across the United States. UC leaders also participate in the
Priority 2.3: UC prioritizes regional approaches to basic needs quarterly Student Eligibility Working Group hosted by CDSS,
monthly statewide meetings on CalFresh efforts hosted
and develops or maintains mutually beneficial collaborations
by CHC, monthly national meetings supporting parenting
with partners in CSU and CCC, community organizations,
students, and ongoing conversations with organizations
philanthropic organizations, and researchers to improve basic
dedicated to improving student basic needs.
needs efforts and inform the broader public about student
basic needs.
Prioritizing Basic Needs for Historically
• In 2024, UCOP basic needs leads collaborated with CHC
Underserved Populations
at CSU Chico State to implement and analyze results from
the survey required by AB 1326. This survey evaluates the Priority 2.4: Basic needs insecurities are not experienced
effectiveness of county human services agency liaisons to at the same rate and in the same ways by all populations.
campuses.31 As CSU and CCC also worked with CHC on this Historically underserved populations face additional barriers
survey, insights were gathered from and shared among all to meeting their basic needs and accessing services. Pell
three segments. recipients and student parents, along with first-generation,

30
No food for thought: Food insecurity is related to poor mental health and lower academic performance among students in California’s public university system
31
For a detailed report on UC survey results, see Legislative reports | UCOP, 2024-25. For CHC’s intersegmental report, see the CalFresh Outreach Resource Hub.
32
UC Merced, Merced College to Provide New Housing for Transfer Students | Newsroom

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 12

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 13
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCHERS • This year, UCOP launched a Basic Needs Data Working
Group, a pilot project with volunteer UC campuses to
The three guiding recommendations for researchers include
correlate basic needs service utilization with student
examining the interrelationships among basic needs (Priority
demographics.
4.1; researching barriers and facilitators of CalFresh (Priority
4.2; and creating student basic needs assessments and • UCOP Institutional Research and Planning (IRAP) is
updating the Basic Needs Dashboard, which publishes the
identifying best practices, especially for those from historically
results of UCUES and UCGSES in an interactive platform.
underserved groups (Priority 4.3). See Appendix A for detailed
Updates will improve the dashboard’s interactive
descriptions of each goal. components and provide customizable analysis tools.
Examining the Interrelationships Among Basic Needs • UCENC at CEJA offered a series of systemwide basic needs
and Researching Barriers and Facilitators of CalFresh education and training workshops throughout the year to
share knowledge, improve and identify best practices, and
Priorities 4.1 and 4.2: UC has a long history of leading
consider future priorities.
research and innovation. Last year, UCOP began five years of
pilot funding for UC’s Essential Needs Consortium, housed
at CEJA.33 A focus of this consortium is to advance research
and evaluation. This was the second year of that funding, and
CEJA has continued to make contributions. CEJA supported
six separate UC campus basic needs research projects with
over $529,000 in 2023–24. These projects explored the effects
of CalFresh on student food insecurity and stress, the impact
of increased CalFresh access, SNAP application processes
for students, access to basic needs services for historically
underserved groups, student-driven solutions to food security,
and community learning in basic needs. These are scheduled
to be completed by June 2025. A second call was made in the
fall of 2024 for another round of funded projects.
California Policy Lab analysis has continued to confirm that
student CalFresh exemptions present formidable barriers
for food-insecure students to access the program and that
nuances to these exemptions have significant impacts. After
the 2022 and 2024 CalFresh participation and eligibility
studies, CPL concluded that a lower proportion of CCC
students qualified than UC students. The most influential
contributors to this disparity were household composition and
type of CalGrant received. While UC students generally
receive CalGrants with TANF funding, CCC students do not.
Additionally, community college students are more likely to
live with family, making their household compositions
significantly different from single students living on their own.
This data confirmed the lived experiences of students that
staff and practitioners have articulated, validating and
communicating those realities.

Creating Student Basic Needs Assessments and

Identifying Best Practices
Priority 4.3: UC is continually advancing the study of best
practices and improving basic needs assessments, especially
for those from historically underserved groups.

About the UC Essential Needs Consortium—Center for Economic Justice and Action
33

UC basic needs centers employed 346 undergraduate students and 76 graduate students in campus basic needs centers.
34

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 14

KEY CHALLENGES

Funding leaves campus basic needs programs to triage emergency

UC has invested millions of dollars into supporting its needs first for as many students as possible, making difficult
students’ basic needs, and the State provides $19.5 million spending trade-offs among its programs without the necessary
yearly for basic needs and rapid rehousing. Of the 2,760 resources to significantly lower food or housing insecurities.
students who received emergency basic needs grants last year, Their dedication to students, efficient use of resources, and
approximately half were funded by University aid and half by innovative programming have played pivotal roles in ensuring
the State. Yet this funding is inadequate to eliminate either the health and safety of thousands of students, stabilizing
food or housing insecurity systemwide. housing insecurity, and preventing more dramatic rises in food
insecurity.
California has long been a high-cost state, with living costs
increasing since the pandemic. Rent increased by over 35 Eligibility Barriers to Public Programs
percent statewide since 2020, while wages increased by 22 Students continue to be categorically ineligible for CalFresh,
percent. It would take twice the State’s median income to the California SNAP program, and must meet additional
purchase a mid-tier home and 1.5 times the median income criteria to participate in many HUD programs, including
to purchase a bottom-tier home.35 Utilities have increased by the HCV.40 CalFresh is the largest and most effective food
approximately 45 percent since 2020, gasoline by 28 percent, security program in the nation, while HCV is the largest rental
and household food by 27 percent.36 A 2023 California assistance program.41 Expanding students’ eligibility for these
Community Poll found that 40 percent of respondents programs would significantly improve their ability to attain
considered moving out of the State due primarily to the high food and housing security.
costs associated with housing, healthcare, and everyday
expenses.37 (The average monthly mortgage for a two-bedroom CalFresh
home is over $4,600, and the average rent is over $2,700.) Students enrolled at least half-time between the ages of
For low-resourced students, those costs are challenging, 18 and 49 must meet the following specific exemptions, in
particularly when considering that the majority of students addition to income and citizenship requirements, to be eligible
who used campus basic needs supports could not cover an for CalFresh:42
unexpected emergency expense over $100. Nearly one-quarter
• Working a paid job at least 20 hours per week on average
could not cover an emergency expense of any amount.38
• Receiving TANF-funded Cal Grant A or Cal Grant B
The University does not have the resources to absorb the
• Receiving disability-based income
full financial consequences of these widespread economic
challenges. State basic needs allocations remain low compared • Physically or mentally unfit to work 20 hours per week
with the need, as a result of flat funding formulas that do not • Parenting a child under age 6 or parenting a child under age
account for rises in the cost of living or other inflationary 12 without adequate childcare
factors. Budgetary language for UC basic needs is also • A single parent attending full-time with a child under age 12
significantly more restrictive than for CCC, specifying how UC
• Participating in a Local Program that Increases
campuses are to spend funds on food and housing supports.
Employability
The restrictive nature of these requirements does not align
with the modern lived experiences of college students.39 This • Approved for State or federal work study and anticipating a
work assignment that term
35
California Housing Affordability Tracker (4th Quarter 2024) [EconTax Blog]
36
Inflation Tracker [EconTax Blog]
37
Many California residents are considering leaving the state - Los Angeles Times
38
Results from the UC Basic Needs Research and Evaluation team online survey administered to all students who accessed basic needs services during fall 2022, at nine
participating University of California campuses. Fifty-nine percent could not handle an unexpected emergency costing over $100, and 23 percent could not handle an
emergency of any amount.
39
Bill Text - AB-102 Budget Act of 2023
40
HCV_Guidebook_Eligibility_Determination_and_Denial_of_Assistance.pdf
41
[Link]
42
Student Eligibility Decision Tree—1 Pager

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 15

• Receiving CalWORKs benefits
• Attending school as part of an employment and training
program approved by CalFresh
• Not planning to register for the next school term
Only a minority of UC students are potentially eligible, as
reported by CPL. Graduate students face additional challenges
to receiving benefits, as CDSS income formulas do not readily
translate to students whose earnings are through fellowships,
grants, or assistantships. When students do qualify, they may
experience difficulty obtaining all of the necessary paperwork,
completing the application or recertification processes, or
receiving timely communication from CDSS.43 CDSS has also
had difficulties maintaining consistent procedures on student
eligibility determinations both within and between counties.44

Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)

To qualify for HCV, students must meet the following criteria
in addition to income and citizenship requirements:45
• 24 years of age or older; or an independent student who will
be 24 by December 31 of the award year
• A veteran
• Married
• Has a dependent child
• Is a person with disabilities, as defined by HCV, who was
receiving HCV as of November 30, 2005 The number of students who first started receiving CalFresh
• Is a graduate or professional student benefits in the preceding year as well as the total number of
• Is individually income eligible, and the student’s parents are students in the preceding year receiving CalFresh.51
individually or jointly income eligible The CalFresh Student Data Dashboard, mandated by Senate
Bill (SB) 187, provides helpful information on student CalFresh
participation, demographics of participants, common reasons
for denial, and approval rates. However, this information
is only supplied in the statewide aggregate, with no data
disaggregated by segment or campus.52
In an effort to improve CalFresh student outreach and
enrollment, the University is actively discussing new data
sharing agreements with CDSS and promising practices
with CSU and CCC. UC representatives have also requested
that CDSS improve their BenefitsCal website—the State’s
application website for public benefits—so that students can
43
Templates & Resources—CalFresh Outreach See AB 1326 Legislative Report under AB 1326 heading.
44
Helping College Students Get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Facilitators of and Barriers to Students Accessing the Federal Nutrition Assistance Program
45
HCV_Guidebook_Eligibility_Determination_and_Denial_of_Assistance.pdf
46
Federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Rental Assistance
47
Templates & Resources—CalFresh Outreach See AB 1326 Legislative Report under AB 1326 heading.
48
The 2024–25 California Spending Plan: Proposition 98 and K–12 Education
49
2022 GCOAS Report 09-12-22
50
The question on the 2019 UCUES concerning parenting status is comparable to the 2022 GCOAS question concerning parenting status. Results from internal UCOP analysis.
51
Bill Text - AB-102 Budget Act of 2023. ([Link])
52
CF dashboard—PUBLIC | Tableau Public

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 16

identify their campus. This will improve data collection and
allow for segment and campus-level data on student CalFresh
participation.
The University is continuing to assess data infrastructure
for basic needs at campus and segment levels. Basic needs
State funding does not provide adequate resources to both
supply campuses with program funds and purchase new data
management programs that would improve collection and
reporting processes. UCOP is currently collaborating with
Institutional Research and Planning (IRAP) to develop new
data reporting processes that would ease the burden on
campuses and improve efficiency.

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 17

OPPORTUNITIES AND NEXT STEPS

• Advocate that financial aid programs meet the true costs of • Collaborate with CDSS, California higher education
living, including improving federal financial aid and refining segments, and campus partners to reduce barriers
the University’s total cost-of-attendance calculation experienced by four-year university students enrolling in
methodology. Support financial aid efforts to implement AB CalWORKs and HUD programs. Encourage the legislature to
2458, which requests that UC develop a cost-of-attendance provide funding for on-campus CalWORKs programs, similar
adjustment policy for student parents and update the to what CCC receives through Proposition 98. Encourage
campus net price calculator to include a baseline student- the legislature to increase funding for HUD and other low-
parent cost estimate. (Priorities 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 4.1) income housing programs, being sure to include students as
• Address insufficient funding for UC basic needs and related an eligible population. (Priorities 1.4, 2.3, 2.6, 2.8, 3.1, 5.1,
mental health programs. Address the lack of funds for both 5.2)
emergency and preventative programs. Consider holistic • Continue to innovate CalFresh and basic needs outreach
approaches that include advocating for improved student approaches with the purposes of reaching more students,
access to public benefits. Encourage the legislature to align increasing CalFresh enrollment, and encouraging basic
Budget Act language for UC basic needs funds with the more needs service use by historically underserved populations.
inclusive definition of basic needs outlined for all three (Priorities 3.2, 5.1, 5.2)
segments in AB 2033 (Priorities 1.3, 2.2, 2.5) • Continue investigating the needs of and elevating services
• Continue investigating how basic needs insecurities and supports for parenting students. Parenting students are
disproportionately affect historically underserved groups. disproportionately affected by basic needs insecurities, and
Use Basic Needs Service Data Working Group insights their positive educational outcomes have multigenerational
to better understand campus service use and to improve effects, including helping the University and the State reach
data collection methods. Share knowledge with segment and educational attainment goals. (Priorities 2.4, 5.1, 5.2)
state partners to continue developing best practices. • Convene, attend, and facilitate basic needs professional
(Priorities 1.4, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.2) development and learning opportunities, particularly those
• Continue investigating how basic needs and mental health that encourage knowledge sharing across all three segments
challenges intersect, particularly for historically underserved and across campus units. Collaborate with mental health,
populations. (Priorities 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.8, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3, 5.2) case management, and well-being programs. (Priorities 2.3,
• Encourage data-sharing agreements with CDSS that 2.8, 3.3)
would enable public higher education segments to better
understand their students’ CalFresh participation rates,
demographics, reasons for denial, and other pertinent
information for the purposes of improving CalFresh outreach
and enrollment. Use data to inform policies, programming,
and legislation. (Priorities 2.3, 2.8, 3.1, 4.2)
• Continue to deeply examine the interrelations among the
various components of basic needs, including food, housing,
financial/economic needs, health care, hygiene, mental
health, well-being, safety, sleep, and transportation. (Priority
4.1)
• Support policy changes to eliminate college student
eligibility barriers to public programs, including CalFresh and
HUD. Encourage CDSS liaisons to provide technical and
application support beyond CalFresh to include CalWORKs,
HUD, MediCal, and other public benefits. (Priorities 1.4, 2.3,
2.6, 2.8, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2)

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 18

CONCLUSION

The University of California’s staff, students, and leaders have shown diligence
in and dedication to supporting students’ basic needs. Through advocacy efforts,
research, and the development of some of the most promising practices in the
nation, students at UC receive critical food and housing support. These efforts
have minimized increases in food insecurity over time and have stabilized
housing insecurity. However, UC is but one institution in a broader context of
economic concerns. California remains a high-cost state, with housing prices
out of reach for even those who earn median incomes. This is not limited
to California, as millions of students nationwide experience food insecurity.
Students still remain ineligible for the largest national food and housing support
programs, and federal financial aid has failed to keep pace with cost of living.
To address this collective crisis, higher education, philanthropic and research
organizations, and state and national leaders continue to work towards a
common vision to support these efforts. The University will continue to track
progress on basic needs initiatives and use the Regent’s recommendations as
inspiration for stewarding these efforts.

UNIVE R S IT Y OF CA LIFOR NIA 2025 BA S IC NE E DS A NNUA L R EPORT 19

 Appendix A: Progress Towards Regents Recommendations, 2023–24

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES PROGRESS

1.1 Advocate for greater investment in financial aid at the federal, State, In Progress
and University levels: stronger financial aid helps prevent basic needs
insecurity. With an additional $500 million in need-based grants, the
University could: (1) decrease, by half, the number of undergraduate
students who would need to borrow or work and (2) increase by 60
percent the amount of aid available to support students living expenses.
1.2 When the State’s budget allows, advocate for legislation that would In Progress
eliminate unnecessary barriers for UC students in the State’s Cal Grant
program and provide additional summer financial aid for students
enrolled in summer session.
1.3 Advocate for the State adoption of the UC definition of student basic Complete
needs.
1.4 Continue the work of county Human Services' collaboration with Ongoing
campuses to provide staffing for regular on-campus county (and food
bank) office hours and for technical and application assistance for
student CalFresh applicants.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY LEADERS PROGRESS
2.1 Refine the total cost-of-attendance calculation methodology, especially In Progress
the algorithm used to account for off-campus rent costs, to ensure that
the calculated cost of attendance accurately represents the true local
cost of living.
2.2 Advocate for an increase in mental health funding to ensure that the Complete
University has the capacity to meet demand for mental health services,
including for students whose need for mental health services is related
to basic needs insecurity.
2.3 Create regional approaches to basic needs by strengthening alliances Ongoing
with UC partners (e.g., Agriculture and Natural Resources),
intersegmental partners (e.g., the California Higher Education Basic
Needs Alliance, California Community Colleges, the California State
University), private/independent colleges and universities, and
external partners (e.g., the Hope Center and other national entities).
2.4. Prioritize basic needs resources for historically underserved student Ongoing
populations including, but not limited to, low-income, LGBTQ,
community college transfer, parenting, undocumented, current/former
foster, and carceral system-impacted students, as well as student
veterans.
2.5 Prioritize basic needs as a goal of campus development or In Progress
advancement fundraising campaigns.
2.6 Continue to invest in direct partnerships between county offices of Complete
Health and Social Services and campus Governmental Relations to
ensure regular office hours for on-campus county staff to assist
students with the CalFresh application.
2.7 Coordinate financial aid packages with the notification of CalFresh Complete
eligibility.
2.8 Advocate for collaboration with county and community services to Ongoing
improve basic needs services for students.
 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STUDENT SERVICE PRACTITIONERS PROGRESS
3.1 Maximize enrollment of eligible graduate and undergraduate students in Ongoing
CalFresh by continuing to work with county agencies to increase
application assistance.
3.2 Ensure that students who are experiencing food insecurity but do not Ongoing
qualify for CalFresh (e.g., undocumented and international students)
have access to nutritious food.
3.3 Continue to share promising practices related to basic needs and to Ongoing
coordinate strategies across campuses and intersegmental partners.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCHERS PROGRESS

4.1 Further examine the interrelations between the various components of Ongoing
basic needs, including food; housing; financial and economic needs;
health care; hygiene; mental health, well-being, and safety; sleep; and
transportation.
4.2 Continue researching barriers and facilitators of CalFresh enrollment Ongoing
systemwide, particularly the factors that influence student eligibility, and
monitor CalFresh enrollment and application rates among UC students.
4.3 Establish assessments of basic needs interventions and identify In Progress
practices that best support the experiences of students, especially
those from historically underserved groups.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STUDENTS PROGRESS
5.1 Encourage more students—on individual campuses and across the Ongoing
system—to access basic needs resources by raising awareness about
basic needs insecurity in order to normalize students’ availing
themselves of assistance.
5.2 Ensure that all campus basic needs committees include undergraduate Ongoing
and/or graduate student representatives.

More details on progress towards regents recommendations can be found at

[Link]

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