Per State guidelines, State-funded grants are paid via reimbursement unless indicated otherwise in Legislation. This helps ensure responsible stewardship of public dollars.
The State is not supporting purely local initiatives through this grant. An initiative that covers multiple cities or geographies within Michigan can demonstrate and influence state-wide impact.
Yes, but there must be an actual mechanism and plan in place by which it would be scaled. It cannot be a hypothetical plan for scaling, or a pilot.
Because we hope to receive innovative and surprising proposals, we decline to offer specific examples. We are interested in hearing diverse, evidencebased ideas that are focused on communications and marketing and incorporate one or more of the key focus areas. Projects should be designed to, as described in the RFP: help potential postsecondary students and their families understand both the value of higher education and the realities of college costs. Projects should incorporate tested messaging, strategic outreach, and/or research-based communication tools.
We are open to grantees targeting a specific narrow demographic or a broad range of students and families. It is most important that a grantee is demonstrating intentionality in defining the demographic they hope to reach, and a logical strategy for reaching that demographic.
Yes, the department may issue more than one award at the maximum award amount of $250,000.00.
Yes, you may include partner letters of support as PDF attachments emailed as part of your grant application. This is encouraged.
While we decline to comment on a specific organization’s eligibility, only federally designated, charitable nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.
Approximately 80% of our Michigan Achievement Scholarship and FAFSA marketing campaigns are targeted toward high school students and their parents, primarily through digital messaging and other outreach efforts, with the remaining 20% of the campaign using broader tactics (TV, billboards, print advertising, etc.) that reach a wider general audience. The department also targets adults 25 and over for Michigan Reconnect. While it varies from year-toyear, the spending on Reconnect outreach is roughly one-third to one-half the spending on Achievement Scholarship outreach. In the department's statements about funding complementary efforts, we are speaking of broader considerations than just audience. We encourage grantees to also consider how their specific outreach approach, tactics, messaging, and/or media will complement the State’s existing outreach efforts. As the State’s efforts are wide-reaching, we do expect there will be some overlap in the population(s) being targeted.
Yes, the list you provided captures the outreach campaigns conducted by the Office of Higher Education. In addition, Outreach Analysts within the Office of Higher Education connect with students and community members through college fairs, community events, and at public/private high schools, as a way to promote Mi Student Aid programs and FAFSA completion. The Office of Higher Education also hosts a webinar series for high school counselors and support staff to learn about Mi Student Aid programs.
We require applicants submit their proposal via the MiLEAP application document provided on the MiLEAP Office of Higher Education website. As the MiLEAP application document is a fillable form, the form does not allow bullet points but images can be uploaded into it. The narrative portion of the application, which includes the cover page through the proposal description responses, should be 20 pages or less.
Funding can be used for new programming or for the enhancement/expansion of existing programming. Project milestones that include specific goals for the number of students served will be helpful.
The applicant should demonstrate significant state-wide impact through their application. The size and scope of the impact will be considered in applicant selection. We cannot comment on particular applicant situations without the context of the full application.
The purpose of the new Hunger-Free Campus Activities Grant opportunity is to support public, tribaland independent institutions of higher education in Michigan in implementing sustainable solutions to addressing student basic needs on campus, and specifically food insecurity of students. Ideally these strategies and solutions are in partnership with local and/or state organizations that address food insecurity.
Michigan public, Tribal and independent colleges and universities are eligible to apply for the new Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant from MiLEAP.
No, the Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant does not have eligibility requirements for students (e.g., poverty level) to receive assistance provided by grant funds.
Eligible expenses for the Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant include:
Yes, grant funds may be used for staff member(s) time for grant activities. Staff time on grant activities should be for responsibilities new/unique to the grant, not for regular responsibilities of the staff member(s).
No, indirect costs are not permitted for the Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant.
Grantees willbe required to submit a final report to MiLEAP Office of Higher Education no later than November 1, 2026 detailing how the Hunger-Free Campus grant funds were spent, activities implemented, the impact of those grant activities and expenditures on student food access at the college/university, lessons learned from the grant activities, and planned next steps for sustainable solutions to student food insecurity at the college/university.
Financial Status Reports/requests for reimbursement are due within 30 days of the end of each month during the grant term. The only exception is the request for reimbursement for September, which will be due no later than October 5, 2026. The final request for reimbursement (for September) has a firm deadline of no later than Monday, October 5, 2026.
Payments will be made by MiLEAP Office of Higher Education to the grantee on a reimbursement basis for actual agreement expenditures made during the period. Documentation of the expenditures must be provided with the request for reimbursement.
Hunger-Free Campus Activities Grant Applications must use the Grant Application Document and be submitted via email to MiLEAP-OHE-GrantsApply@michigan.gov. Grant Applications are due on Friday, February 13, 2026 by 3 p.m. EST.
We anticipate announcing grant awards mid-March 2026, with a grant term of April 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026.
Yes, personal hygiene products are an eligible expense for the Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant in the “Food pantry products and supplies” category. However, the focus of this grant is addressing student food insecurity. Therefore, food products should be the primary expenses for the food pantry with this grant.
