Tools & Resources

The community of institutions interested in emergency aid continues to grow. Participants, students, researchers, and college and university leaders are sharing resources and developing tools to strengthen this work. Here you will find a collection and catalog of many resources and tools discovered, shared, and improved upon by the evolving emergency aid community. Search and review reports, videos, and presentations, learn about events, and explore tools to help improve and expand the use of emergency aid.

Increasing Community College Completion Rates Among Low-Income Students

A study examines aid accessibility for low-income students overcoming the barriers to community college completion.

Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education: Selected Results & Institutional Stories

This NSSE survey demonstrates the importance of integrating diversity efforts throughout higher education institutions.

Making College Affordable

Providing low-income students with the knowledge and resources needed to pay for college.

Rethinking SNAP Benefits for College Students

Young Invincibles recommends simplifying SNAP enrollment and expanding eligibility so more students can benefit.

CSU Basic Needs Action Report

Report on actions taken as part of CSU's basic needs initiative, to serve students who are food and housing insecure

CSU Study of Student Basic Needs

Report released in 2018 from CSU study on basic needs insecurity among students across the CSU system

SchoolHouse Connection Annual Report

SchoolHouse Connection's annual report from 2017, detailing their work to overcome homelessness through education

Moving the Needle on FAFSA Completion

How changes to federal financial-aid policy can broaden access to higher education

CSULB professor talks basic needs insecurity

Dr. Rashida Crutchfield of CSULB shares about basic needs insecurity students face on their path through education.

Emergency Aid Rubric

Use this rubric to further understand and self-assess the effectiveness of emergency aid efforts.

UIA Completion Grants

Completion grants have proven to be an effective tool for improving completion rates among historically underserved students.

Emergency Student Loan Guidelines

Guidelines and process for funding and distributing emergency student loans.

Emergency Aid Network

Emergency Aid Network identifies strategies that promote emergency aid and financial literacy programs in Texas.

#RealCollege: A National Convening

#RealCollege is a meeting of leaders working to transform higher education to meet the needs every student.

Financial Need and Aid Volatility

This report by NAFSAA focuses on lowest income students and their projected need for aid.

Increasing FAFSA Completion Rates

Learn from four state's programs online resources and understand how they successfully promote equitable FAFSA completion.

Assessing Food Insecurity on Campus

This brief by the Urban Institute looks at food insecurity among college students.

Roadblocks to Student Success

Learn some facts about some financial roadblocks to student success and how to address them.

designing student money management center

Designing a Successful Student Money Management Center

Learn how institutions can design a successful student money management program through assessment and evaluation

Fewer Low-Income Students Attending Colleges

Education Dive measures how colleges affect inter-generational mobility among students, especially those from low-income backgrounds.

Higher Education Financial Wellness Summit

The Higher Education Financial Wellness Summit is focused on improving student financial wellness.

Food / Fund Raising Toolkit

Find printable plans and marketing tips for creating food pantries and raising money at your institution.

Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility

Using data from college students from 15 years create mobility report cards – statistics on students’ earnings outcomes and their parents’ incomes.

Dash Emergency Grant

Learn about the Dash Emergency Grant program, which aims to help low-income students stay in college and graduate.

Aligning Aid with Enrollment

MDRC examines an alternative approach to dispersing aid to help students stretch their financial support and cover expenses.

male students looking at library computer

Increasing Community College Completion Rates

See how case management intervention impacted community college completion rates among low-income students.

Using Innovations in Financial Aid to Support College Success

Learn how innovations in financial aid can support college success

Need-Based State Financial Aid

A snapshot on the current state of need-based financial aid programs across the country.

Undergraduate Financial Aid in the United States

Types of aid, process for applying, policy concerns, and the fundamental justifications for financial aid.

Leveraging Technology to Eliminate Achievement Gaps

Find solutions to summer melt, choosing a major and other challenges that hinder student retention.

A Stronger Nation

A Stronger Nation offers viewers a deep dive into postsecondary attainment data at the national, state, county, and metropolitan-area levels.

National Trends in Delivering Emergency Aid

Learn about the trends in delivering emergency aid and what institutions can do to succesfully maintain their programs.

Strategies to Improve Financial Health & College Completion

Affordability and financial health issues put college students at risk of dropping out.

College Costs in Context: A State-by-State Look at College (Un)Affordability

Report takes important deep dive into state-level college affordability and the share of family income required to cover the net price.

Voices from the Field

Reos Partners interviewed several key emergency aid practitioners. Explore and analyze the interview responses here.

Following the Student’s Journey: Meeting Basic Needs

Five institutions present on their work related to low-income students' food and basic needs insecurity.