Michelson 20MM Foundation-funded microgrants awarded to 11 campuses to launch new student parent programming
As part of the California State University (CSU) systemwide Pregnant and Parenting Students Initiative (PPSI), 11 campuses have been awarded $5,500 grants each to launch innovative projects that strengthen belonging, expand access to resources and help student parents persist to graduation.
Funded by the Michelson 20MM Foundation and administered through the CSU Basic Needs Initiative, these one-time PPSI microgrants recognize efforts across the CSU system to address the unique needs of student parents as they navigate higher education while balancing caregiving responsibilities, employment and financial obligations.
The 11 campuses awarded the grants are: Cal State East Bay, Fresno State, Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal State Long Beach, CSUN, Cal State San Bernardino, San Diego State, San José State, Cal Poly San in Luis Obispo, Sonoma State and Stanislaus State.
The microgrants support innovative, campus-designed strategies for student parents. The range of projects that will be implement during the 2026-27 academic year include welcome kits for student parents, family resource fairs and community celebrations, wellness and parent engagement programming, basic needs distributions for student families, family education workshops, student parent storytelling campaigns, expanded resource navigation, recurring parent scholar gatherings, and new family-friendly infrastructure such as campus changing tables.
Together, these efforts advance the commitment across the CSU to:
- Creating more welcoming and family-friendly campus environments.
- Increasing equitable access to basic needs resources and support services.
- Strengthening student parents’ sense of belonging and connection to campus.
- Building sustainable campus and community partnerships.
- Informing future systemwide strategies through assessment, collaboration and shared learning.
“Supporting student parents is an investment with ripple effects,” said Carolyn O’Keefe, CSU’s systemwide director of Student Wellness and Basic Needs. “When pregnant and parenting students have the resources, they need to succeed, they model resilience and pass down the value of higher education to their children. By investing in their success, we are fostering future college-going families and helping to strengthen communities and the state.”
The PPSI, along with these microgrants, represent the CSU’s continued commitment to addressing students’ holistic needs by ensuring pregnant and parenting students have access to the resources, accommodations and campus environments necessary to fully participate in college and achieve their educational goal.
