Food for Thought Act of 2023

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to institutions of higher education to provide free meals to low-income students through existing on-campus meal programs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Food for Thought Act of 2023 2. Free meals for low-income college students Part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq. 8 Meals for low-Income students 420A. Free meals for low-income students (a) Authorization From amounts made available under subsection (j), the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to provide free meals to low-income students through on-campus meal programs. (b) Applications (1) In general An eligible entity desiring to receive an award under subsection (a) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. Such application shall include— (A) a plan for identifying eligible students and conducting outreach; and (B) an assurance that the eligible entity will— (i) conduct outreach to students with respect to the grant program under this section, encourage student participation in such program, and inform students of— (I) their potential eligibility for participation in other Federal, State, and local benefit and support programs, including means-tested Federal benefits programs such as SNAP; and (II) the processes for obtaining more information, confirming eligibility, and accessing benefits under such programs; (ii) evaluate institutional policies relating to the purchase of on-campus meal plans and whether such policies create barriers to enrollment and persistence for low-income students; (iii) identify ways to mitigate any institutional policies that are found, through the evaluation described in clause (ii), to create barriers described in such clause; and (iv) in the case of an eligible entity that is a consortia of eligible institutions of higher education that includes eligible institutions that do not have on-campus meal programs, provide an explanation with respect to how the eligible entity will ensure that low-income students attending such institutions will be able to easily access free meals provided under this section. (2) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to— (A) an eligible entity that is an eligible institution of higher education that is— (i) a community college; (ii) a minority-serving institution described in section 371(a); or (iii) located in an area served by a local educational agency that is eligible for special assistance payments under section 11(a)(1) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)(1) (B) an eligible entity that is a consortia of eligible institutions of higher education, in which at least 50 percent of such institutions meet at least 1 of the requirements under clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (A). (c) Mandatory activities (1) In general An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use such grant funds to provide, through on-campus meal programs, not fewer than 1, and not more than 10, free meals per week to each low-income student selected by such entity to participate in the program under this section. (2) Priority In selecting low-income students to participate in the program under this section, an eligible entity shall give priority to— (A) students with the greatest financial need; and (B) students who indicate that they are experiencing food insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness, or other insecurity with respect to basic needs. (d) Permissible activities In addition to the mandatory activities in subsection (c), an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section may use not more than 10 percent of such grant funds to— (1) facilitate the enrollment of on-campus vendors as authorized retailers in SNAP; (2) support the operation of an on-campus food pantry; and (3) purchase food infrastructure equipment, including microwaves, refrigerators, and other such equipment determined by the Secretary to be necessary. (e) Administrative costs Not more than 5 percent of the grant funds provided to an eligible entity under this section for any fiscal year may be used for administrative purposes. (f) Grant period Grants awarded to eligible entities under this section shall be for a period of 5 years. (g) Campus meal program Eligible entities receiving grants under this section may contract with third-party food service vendors to provide on-campus meals. (h) Reports (1) Recipient reports (A) In general At the end of the 5-year grant period, an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary a report on— (i) how such entity used the grant funds, including the shares of such funds used for each of the activities described in subsections (c), (d)(1), and (d)(2); and (ii) the success rates of students who participated in the grant program under this section (using benchmarks such as persistence, coursework completion, transfer, and completion rates). (B) Disaggregation The information reported in subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be disaggregated, where possible, by— (i) race; (ii) ethnicity; (iii) Pell recipient status; (iv) income; (v) gender; and (vi) age. (2) Secretary report (A) In general Not later than 1 year after the Secretary receives the reports required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the overall impact of the program under this section. (B) Disaggregation The information described in subparagraph (A) shall be disaggregated, where possible, by— (i) sectors and types of institutions; (ii) whether an institution is a minority-serving institution described in section 371(a); and (iii) whether an institution has an open admissions policy. (i) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that an eligible entity awarded a grant under this section should, to the extent practicable— (1) ensure meals served pursuant to a grant under this section are consistent with the nutritional requirements and goals of the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans published under section 301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 ( 7 U.S.C. 5341 (2) ensure access to vegetarian meals, vegan meals, culturally and religiously appropriate meals, and meals that accommodate common food allergies; (3) build and encourage the use of on-campus food pantries; (4) encourage on-campus vendors to increase the use of climate-friendly options; and (5) buy products to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with providing free meals to students and purchasing food infrastructure equipment. (j) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years. (k) Definitions In this section: (1) Community college The term community college (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (A) an eligible institution of higher education that has an on-campus meal program that is provided through an institutionally owned or operated food service or one or more third-party food service vendors; or (B) a consortia of eligible institutions of higher education, of which at least one has an on-campus meal program that is provided through an institutionally owned or operated food service or one or more third-party food service vendors, provided that such an eligible institution with an on-campus meal program is geographically accessible to the students of the eligible institutions that do not have on-campus meal programs. (3) Eligible institution of higher education The term eligible institution of higher education (4) Snap The term SNAP 7 U.S.C. 2012(t) .

Summary: Food for Thought Act of 2023 This bill allows the Department of Education to award grants for eligible institutions of higher education to provide free meals to low-income students through on-campus meal programs.