Nearly one in four college students struggle with food insecurity. In the past decade, states and postsecondary institutions have expanded the nutritional support provided to students, including efforts to increase participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The authors leverage Colorado data to examine college student participation in SNAP and describe college efforts to provide SNAP outreach and application support.

Addressing College Student Food Insecurity in Colorado

Student Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and College Practices

Lindsay Daugherty, Brian Phillips, Jonathan H. Cantor, Amanda Perez, Jennifer Kret, Michael Vente

ResearchPublished Jun 2, 2025

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Nearly one in four college students struggle with food insecurity. Over the past decade, states and postsecondary institutions have expanded support for student nutritional needs through food pantries, emergency aid grants, and efforts to increase student participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through outreach and application assistance. RAND partnered with the Colorado Department of Higher Education and the Colorado Department of Human Services to build evidence on state and local efforts to expand college students’ SNAP participation.

In this report, the authors (1) identify trends in SNAP eligibility, applications, denials, and participation for college students enrolled at Colorado postsecondary institutions between the 2014–2015 and 2021–2022 academic years; (2) assess how SNAP eligibility and participation varies across key student subgroups and across Colorado institutions; and (3) explore college efforts to scale SNAP outreach and application support in Colorado and highlight promising approaches from leading institutions and remaining barriers hindering student SNAP participation. The analyses draw on statewide administrative data on college enrollees and SNAP participants and applicants, surveys of staff who manage students’ basic needs, and interviews with postsecondary institutions that are leaders in basic needs support and other state and nonprofit stakeholders.

Key Findings

  • SNAP participation and application rates among Colorado college enrollees have increased since 2019.
  • SNAP participation rates were higher, on average, for community college and technical school enrollees than for university enrollees, and there was wide variation in SNAP participation rates across Colorado postsecondary institutions.
  • Changes in state and federal eligibility criteria between 2019 and 2022 expanded the percentage of college enrollees who were eligible for SNAP. However, the share of eligible students who participated in SNAP generally declined over this period.
  • There were high denial rates of SNAP applications for college enrollees, and denials increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
  • Women, adult learners, and students of color were more likely to be eligible for SNAP and were more likely to participate when eligible.
  • All Colorado universities responding to a spring 2024 survey reported offering SNAP outreach or application support, while only two-thirds of community colleges and technical schools reported offering such SNAP support. Universities were also more likely to report intensive case-management support.
  • Most Colorado postsecondary institutions began offering SNAP support between 2018 and 2024.
  • Staff at leading postsecondary institutions identified five factors that helped with their SNAP support efforts: (1) full-time staff members who are trained on SNAP eligibility and case management, (2) leadership support and funding, (3) access to the state’s SNAP application system, (4) robust outreach and referral approaches that destigmatize services, and (5) integration with food pantries and other critical wraparound services.

Recommendations

  • Colorado postsecondary institutions and their nonprofit and county SNAP partners should continue to provide and expand SNAP outreach and application support to reach eligible students who are not participating.
  • Colorado state agencies should continue to support efforts to scale SNAP outreach and application assistance. States can support college efforts by allocating funding for basic needs support to colleges, establishing legislation to require certain practices or staff positions, and providing guidance and professional development.
  • Colorado should consider targeting funding and professional development to community colleges to support basic needs and SNAP capacity-building.
  • Colorado and other states can consider ways to expand eligibility for SNAP to college students and should clearly communicate about these eligibility changes when they are made.

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Daugherty, Lindsay, Brian Phillips, Jonathan H. Cantor, Amanda Perez, Jennifer Kret, and Michael Vente, Addressing College Student Food Insecurity in Colorado: Student Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and College Practices. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3587-1.html.
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This research was sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences and conducted within RAND Education and Labor.

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