suzanna leading workshop in classroom

UC Essential Needs Research and Evaluation

Robust system-wide essential needs research and evaluation is crucial to understanding students’ lived experiences of hardship and resilience, the effects of basic needs challenges on student well-being and success, and the impact of campus basic needs programs. 

At the Center for Economic Justice and Action, we support a wide range of essential needs research and evaluation, with the goal of providing evidence to policymakers, academic communities, and the families of UC students that our interventions are reducing food and housing insecurity, fostering health and well-being, and increasing retention and student success. 

We are also building a strong learning community of essential needs practitioners and researchers. To join our networks, contact ceja@ucsc.edu.


The UC Essential Needs Grant Program funds research related to UC students basic/essential and assessments of UC basic/essential needs programs. Awards for a maximum of $100,000 will be considered, with all research activities completed within 12 months. Our next call is available now, the deadline is May 1, 2025 at 5:00p.m. (PST). The guidelines are available here.

Information sessions a held shortly after releasing each submission call. Everyone is welcome to attend. The next one will be held via zoom on April 10, 2025. Please register for a zoom link.

register to attend the information session.

Congratulations to the CEJA UC Essential Needs Research Grant awardees! Please consider applying and joining this growing list of funded research. View abstracts.

The Center for Economic Justice and Action is compiling a clearinghouse of UC essential needs research. Visit often, as our library grows! If you would like to contribute a publication to this database please email us the title and link to: ceja@ucsc.edu

Last modified: Mar 19, 2025