1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; modifying the Hunger-Free Campus program; 
1.3 	appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 135A.137, 
1.4 	subdivision 3.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 135A.137, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 3.Competitive grant. (a) Institutions eligible for a grant under this subdivision 
1.8 	include public postsecondary institutions and Tribal colleges.
1.9 	(b) The commissioner shall establish a competitive grant program to distribute grants 
1.10 	to eligible institutions to meet and maintain the requirements under subdivision 1, paragraph 
1.11 	(a). Initial grants shall be made to institutions that have not earned the designation and 
1.12 	demonstrate a need for funding to meet the hunger-free campus designation requirements. 
1.13 	Sustaining grants shall be made to institutions that have earned the designation and 
1.14 	demonstrate both a partnership with a local food bank or organization that provides regular, 
1.15 	on-campus food distributions and a need for funds to maintain the requirements under 
1.16 	subdivision 1, paragraph (a).
1.17 	(c) The commissioner shall give preference to applications for initial grants and to 
1.18 	applications from institutions with the highest number of federal Pell Grant eligible students 
1.19 	enrolled. The commissioner shall consider the head count at the institution when awarding 
1.20 	grants. The maximum grant award for an initial institution designation is ~~$8,000~~ $10,000. 
1.21 	The maximum grant award for sustaining an institution designation is ~~$5,000~~ $8,000.
2.1 	(d) The commissioner, in collaboration with student associations representing eligible 
2.2 	institutions, shall create an application process and establish selection criteria for awarding 
2.3 	the grants.

2.4 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.5 	$500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the 
2.6 	general fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the Hunger-Free 
2.7 	Campus program under Minnesota Statutes, section 135A.137.