The BASIC Act directs the federal government to help college students meet essential living expenses like food, housing, childcare, and healthcare. The bill establishes two grant programs: planning grants of up to $75,000 for colleges to research student needs and develop strategies to address them, and implementation grants of up to $1 million over five years for colleges to carry out these strategies through direct assistance or partnerships with community organizations. The legislation also requires federal agencies to share data to identify students eligible for existing assistance programs like food stamps and housing aid, and to notify students about these opportunities when they apply for financial aid. Congress would authorize $1 billion annually from 2025 through 2031 to fund these grants, with at least 25 percent reserved for community colleges and 25 percent for historically Black colleges, tribal colleges, and other minority-serving institutions.
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