Believe In Students Inc

TO PROVIDE COLLEGE STUDENTS STRUGGLING WITH BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY WITH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.

FAST FUND NETWORK - THE FAST FUND IS THE ORGANIZATION'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, WHERE SMALL-DOLLAR, FLEXIBLE EMERGENCY AID GRANTS ARE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE BASIC NEEDS CHALLENGES THAT THREATEN THEIR ABILITY TO STAY IN SCHOOL. THE ORGANIZATION DOES THIS BY ORGANIZING A NETWORK OF FACULTY ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO SERVE AS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM LEADERS TO ENGAGE FACULTY, STAFF, AND IMPACTED STUDENTS IN ADDRESSING STUDENT BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY, INCLUDING DISSEMINATING EMERGENCY GRANTS FROM FUNDS RAISED THROUGH BIS AND OTHERS. IN 2023, BIS DISTRIBUTED 100,090 DIRECTLY, AND COORDINATED AND SUPPORTED 30 OTHER FAST FUND LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HELP THEM RAISE AN ADDITIONAL 438,869 TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AS EMERGENCY AID. THE AVERAGE GRANT SIZE INCREASED SLIGHTLY, FROM 262 TO 302, DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY NEEDS RELATED TO HOUSING COSTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PUBLISHED ITS FIRST IMPACT REPORT, WHICH GENERATED A MAJOR FEATURE STORY IN ONE OF THE PREMIER HIGHER EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS. THE REPORT CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS://BELIEVEINSTUDENTS.ORG/WP- CONTENT/UPLOADS/2023/10/BELIEVEINSTUDENTS_FASTFUNDIMPACTREPORT_2023-3.PDF

GATHER FOOD HALL IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS BY UTILIZING A PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN MODEL THAT PROVIDES VOUCHERS FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTRA SUPPORT AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES. BIS BROUGHT TOGETHER A SERIES OF PARTNERS TO HELP LEARN FROM PAST FAILURES IN MODELS LIKE THIS, AND GENERATE A CONCEPT THAT CAN BE SUSTAINABLE WHILE ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL GOOD. TOGETHER, THE PARTNERS HAVE FORMED A NEW LLC TO ADVANCE THE CONCEPT, WHILE BIS FOCUSED ON CREATING A SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS AND BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR DEEPER IMPACT ONCE THE FOOD HALL OPENS.

BIS IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL HOME OF THE REAL COLLEGE MOVEMENT, A NATIONAL EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND REDEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STUDENT-READY COLLEGE. THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND EXECUTE STRATEGIES TO BETTER ADDRESS STUDENTS' BASIC NEEDS IN A WAY THAT WILL INCREASE PERSISTENCE AND GRADUATION. IN 2023, BIS PRODUCED AND DISSEMINATED TWO REPORTS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF EMERGENCY AID ON STUDENT PERSISTENCE, AND BEGAN WORK ON THE REALCOLLEGE CURRICULUM, ON ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EDUCATORS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY EXISTS AND HOW TO ADDRESS IT.

GREAT LAKES CONSORTIUM - IN AN EFFORT TO PURSUE STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE GREAT LAKES FAST FUND CONSORTIUM, ORGANIZING AND LEADING A GROUP OF FAST FUND LEADERS AT COLLEGES IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION TO DEVELOP AN ADVOCACY AGENDA, CREATE A PAID STUDENT FELLOWSHIP TO TRAIN AND SUPPORT IMPACTED STUDENTS TO SERVE AS LEADERS IN THIS WORK, AND ORGANIZE FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS TO ADVOCATE FOR CAMPUS POLICY AND PRACTICE CHANGES. FACULTY AND STUDENTS ON FIVE CAMPUSES WORKED TOGETHER TO SUPPORT 12 FELLOWS WHO PURSUED CAMPUS INNOVATIONS TO BETTER ADDRESS FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY ON THEIR CAMPUSES.