Press Release

HEP CAMP Reclaims $52 Million in Funding for Programs Across the Country

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The National HEP CAMP Association is proud to announce the continuation of our programs this academic year!  In August, our Association filed a lawsuit to compel the U.S. Department of Education to release $52 million it was withholding in federal grant funds to our programs.  The Association did not wish to engage in litigation.  However, we felt it was necessary to advocate for the release of Congressionally appropriated funds to support students from agricultural families across the country.  Without the litigation and the release of the $52 million, all HEP CAMP programs were facing an existential threat.  We are pleased to report the following outcomes:    

 

Litigation Outcomes:

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• The U.S. Department of Education released $52 million, the full amount appropriated by Congress for FY2025, to 73 existing HEP CAMP grantees

• Of the 73 programs receiving funding, just over 30 of them received front- loaded funds for FY26-27.  Some also received front-loaded funds for FY27-28.

• Front-loaded funding means that a program received funding for the current budget period and the following budget period, although the program cannot use the front-loaded funds until the following budget period starts.

 

The lawsuit was successful in that HEP CAMP will continue this year with full disbursement of FY2025 funds that will go to 73 federally funded programs.  With the funding restored, programs are hiring staff and inviting students back into their programs.  But the result is bittersweet because not all HEP CAMP programs will remain funded.  The reality is our Association has been reshaped from 116 to 73 programs providing educational services to students.  We are saddened that 43 programs did not receive federal funding, including programs that had applied for new awards (5-year cycle).  As a result, 2,403 fewer students will be served this year.  Our Association applauds those programs for their many years of dedicated service to students, and we hope they can obtain grants in the future and rejoin the National HEP CAMP Association.                        

 

Acknowledgements

 

Our Association wishes to thank Thompson Coburn LLP.  Its team of lawyers did an outstanding job helping us reclaim the full $52 million of appropriated funds to run our programs.  We appreciate that Thompson Coburn was just as passionate and committed to this cause as our Association members.  We are very grateful to the firm for its representation, which allowed us to continue our HEP CAMP mission of serving, educating, and empowering the agricultural and farm working community to access educational opportunities. 

 

We also want to acknowledge the bipartisan support we have received from our congressional delegations across the country.  We look forward to working with our senators and representatives in Congress to ensure that the HEP CAMP programs receive funding in FY 2026 and in the future, and to further ensure that the U.S. Department of Education releases grants by July 1 each year and holds a new competition for HEP CAMP grants in FY 2026 and in future fiscal years. 

 

Thank you to our participating institutions for supporting their HEP and/or CAMP projects during the absence of funding.  Many schools opted into the lawsuit, giving the Association further backing to make a compelling argument for the release of the funds.  We appreciate the patience colleges and universities demonstrated as the legal process played out.  

 

A special shout out to all HEP CAMP staff and supporters, including our amazing student alumni, for standing by the Association during this time.  Your unwavering efforts to message your state senators and representatives, complete the alumni sign-on letter, and send your best to programs in your community means so much to the Association.  We are extremely proud of all HEP and CAMP alumni who have benefited directly from these programs.  Our alumni care deeply to see the programs continue to serve more incoming students who have great need of our services.