Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy supports institutional teams in examining how emergency aid programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated to improve student success outcomes.
The Academy is structured to build internal institutional capacity to develop sustainable emergency aid programs, apply documented best practices for strategic resource allocation, and strengthen institutional approaches to addressing short-term financial disruptions that can affect student continuation.
The Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy is a cohort-based training and implementation support engagement designed for colleges and universities seeking to build or strengthen emergency aid programs.
Through guided learning, practical planning, and measurement tools, institutional teams develop sustainable emergency aid strategies designed to support persistence and retention by addressing short-term financial disruptions that can interrupt student progress.
Applications for the Spring 2026 academy are due March 4, 2026. The academy begins March 18, 2026.
Participants will:
Define the purpose and appropriate use of emergency aid within their institutional context
Identify and use relevant data to assess program use and institutional impact
Develop institution-specific action plans for the sustainable and effective distribution of emergency aid funds
The Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy is designed for colleges and universities seeking to build or strengthen institutional emergency aid programs that address short-term financial disruptions affecting student continuation.
This academy is well suited for institutions ready to engage a cross-functional team of institutional leaders and students who share responsibility for program design, implementation, and evaluation.
Participating teams typically include:
Institutional leaders in student affairs, financial aid, and advancement
Representatives from academic advising, retention, finance, or student success functions, as appropriate
Students who contribute lived experience and inform program design, communication, and implementation considerations
Institutions typically participate with teams of at least three members. Broader cross-campus participation can strengthen planning, implementation, and long-term sustainability.
Institutions participating in the Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy build the capacity to move from short-term, ad hoc responses to a coordinated, sustainable emergency aid program.
Through the academy, institutions are supported in:
Designing emergency aid programs grounded in documented best practices
Establishing clear program frameworks that define purpose, eligibility, funding sources, and accountability
Developing approaches to measure program use and institutional impact
Strengthening institutional capacity to address short-term financial disruptions that can interrupt student progress
The Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy is a guided, practical engagement that combines structured learning, planning support, and measurement tools.
Through a series of scaffolded sessions, institutional teams build shared understanding, analyze existing practices and data, and develop a clear emergency aid program plan aligned with institutional goals for persistence and retention.
Academy sessions draw from national research and peer practice. Institutions use planning and data tools to support program design, assess utilization, and inform resource allocation decisions.
Institutional teams receive facilitation and coaching from Gardner Institute staff and partner experts. Peer exchange across participating institutions supports shared learning and practical problem solving.
Across multiple institutions, participants report:
Clearer program structures and governance for emergency aid
Improved ability to track program utilization and outcomes
Greater alignment across student affairs, financial aid, advancement, and finance
Early indicators of improved student persistence associated with timely emergency aid support, as observed through institutional data
Illustrative institutional examples and findings are documented in a published Gardner Institute report.
The Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy does not provide emergency funds to students.
Instead, the academy supports institutions in building the structures, processes, and measurement practices needed to design, implement, and sustain effective emergency aid programs over time. The focus is on institutional capacity, not one-time relief.
Five-week structured workshop series March 18- April 22, 2026
Cross-functional institutional teams of at least three members, including institutional leaders and students.
Fees for the Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy are scaled based on total undergraduate enrollment and reflect the scope, duration, and level of support provided through the engagement.
Undergraduate Enrollment and Academy Fees
| Undergraduate Enrollment | Academy Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 undergraduates | $6,380 |
| 2,001–5,000 undergraduates | $7,810 |
| 5,001–10,000 undergraduates | $9,900 |
| 10,001–15,000 undergraduates | $12,210 |
| 15,001+ undergraduates | $14,520 |
Undergraduate Enrollment is based on College Navigator.
Fees reflect participation in a five-week academy and include facilitated sessions, planning resources, data tools, and peer exchange opportunities.
Fees may be paid over two fiscal years, subject to institutional policies and approval.
The academy is offered through fixed cohort dates. Institutions are encouraged to learn more about participation timelines and expectations through an information session.
Institutions interested in building sustainable emergency aid capacity are invited to learn more about the Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy.
info@gardnerinstitute.org
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As part of the Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy, participating institutions worked with the Gardner Institute and rpkGroup to design and deploy emergency aid plans supported by structured workshops and technical assistance.
The academy model emphasizes connecting short-term emergency aid support to lasting institutional strategy by combining peer learning with expert guidance. Participating institutions engaged cross-functional teams of institutional leaders and students to develop and implement emergency aid programs aligned with persistence and completion goals.
Across institutions that implemented emergency aid programs and reported outcome measures, institutions observed higher continuation and completion rates among students who received emergency aid compared to those who did not.
These findings are reported by participating institutions and reflect early outcomes associated with the implementation of structured emergency aid programs. Results vary by institutional context, program design, and implementation decisions.
Illustrative institutional findings are documented in a published report developed in partnership with rpkGroup.
NPR article 2 in 5 college students face food insecurity – colleges are working to help”
The academy is designed to support colleges and universities in building and strengthening emergency aid programs through structured planning, facilitated workshops, and tools to measure program use and institutional impact.Applications for Spring 2026 are now open.
Applications for the Spring 2026 Emergency Aid for Basic Needs Academy are now open.
Institutions are encouraged to apply by March 4, as preference is given to applications received by that date.
Institutional teams that include leaders responsible for emergency aid planning, student support, financial aid, and advancement, along with student representatives, benefit most from this engagement. Teams should include at least three persons, and no more than 10.
The synchronous meetings will be held Wednesdays 3-4 pm EST
The academy does not provide emergency funds. Instead, it helps institutions design, implement, and evaluate sustainable emergency aid programs that align with institutional goals for persistence and retention.
You will receive an application confirmation email within 1 week of applying. A link to pay for the academy will be sent to the person indicated on the application. Once the payment has been made you will receive further information from the Academy facilitators. Please contact info@gardnerinstitute.org
Updated: January 15, 2026
