Our mission
Confidence. Dignity.
A Strong Start.
Campus Ready Foundation supports first-time college students from low-income households with what financial aid doesn't cover: move-in essentials, travel to campus, and early-arrival support. One well-timed grant. A fundamentally different beginning.
The challenge
Financial aid doesn't cover the cost to arrive
Most students don't consider, and financial aid doesn't cover, what it costs to get to campus. The bedding, the towels, the supplies, the flight, the hotel, the first few days of food before the dining hall opens. For a family stretched thin, those are barriers. Some students may arrive with less than what they need for their dorm. And when they have less or are visibly less prepared than their peers, that gap doesn't just show up in their bank account. It shows up in whether they feel like they belong.
of our students qualify for the federal government's highest designation of financial need.
How our grants work
We provide products, services, and guidance. Not cash.
Students complete a choice form and we shop for their products based on their preferences.
A student at home with her kit before moving to UC Berkeley.
Move-in essentials. A kit each student designs.
Bedding, bath, desk supplies, and personal care, chosen by the student from a real catalog. Colors, scents, and sizes are theirs to pick.
Travel to campus
A designated travel card covers expenses door to door, from home to campus. Student and a parent.
Early arrival meals and support
Meals and groceries are covered before dining halls open for the semester. We also provide a gift card for incidentals.
The path
Where donations go
Donors & partners
You make it possible
Gifts and in-kind partnerships fund every grant, from donations to travel and product contributions.
Campus Ready Foundation
We coordinate
We select recipients and deliver the essentials, travel, and early-arrival support, arranged for each student.
Students
They begin
Awards arrive before move-in day so students are prepared and ready to start strong.
The all-in cost per student, based on our 2026 cohort.