The American College Health Foundation (ACHF), in partnership with the American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC) and with generous support from a private donor, is pleased to announce the inaugural recipients of grants provided through the Community College Vending Machine Grant Program.
Health and wellness vending machines are an emerging best practice for helping students access essential health products, particularly those that may be difficult to obtain because of cost, transportation, limited clinic hours, or stigma. Community college students often face additional barriers to healthcare, making innovative, low-barrier solutions especially important. Research has shown that wellness vending machines can increase access to over-the-counter medications, sexual and reproductive health products, and other wellness resources while supporting student health and academic success.
Students at Baltimore City Community College celebrate their campus’ new wellness vending machine. Installed in summer 2026, this project was funded by a grant program that inspired the CCVM Grant Program.
Through this initiative, ACHF is supporting 12 organizations, including eight community colleges, one local health department, and three community-based organizations. While many four-year institutions operate campus health centers, community colleges often rely on strong partnerships with local organizations to meet students’ health needs. By supporting both campuses and trusted community partners, the program focuses on what matters most, ensuring community college students have access to health products regardless of who provides them.
Each grant recipient will receive funding and technical assistance to design and implement a wellness vending machine program tailored to local needs. Grantees will engage students throughout the planning process to identify the products they need most, determine the best locations for vending machines, and develop sustainable approaches for pricing, maintenance, and long-term success.
Beyond expanding access to essential health products, the initiative is designed to identify successful, sustainable models that can be replicated by other campuses and their community partners. Throughout the grant period, recipients will share lessons learned, participate in peer learning opportunities, and evaluate their programs, helping to build a growing body of evidence and best practices for improving student access nationwide.
ACHF and ASEC are also pleased to share that a second round of Vending Machine Grants is planned for 2027, creating another opportunity to support innovative approaches to improving access to health and wellness products for college students. Additional information about the next funding opportunity will be available in fall 2026.
Congratulations to the inaugural Community College Vending Machine Grant recipients:
- City College at Montana State University Billings
- Cuesta College
- Kaua’i Community College
- Louisiana Coalition for Reproductive Freedom
- Mohave College
- Pasadena City College
- Period Y’all
- Pottawattamie County Public Health
- Salish Kootenai College
- San Joaquin Delta Community College
- Texas Equal Access
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College
ACHF is proud to support these efforts through its ongoing commitment to advancing student health initiatives and fostering innovation across higher education.
Questions? Contact Robyn Buchsbaum, ACHA’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, at rbuchsbaum@acha.org.
