Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Grant Program

During the 2025-2026 grant cycle, $90,000 will be distributed to 53 eligible Local Education Providers.

Grants will be awarded for a spending period of October 22, 2025 through June 30, 2026.  Additional grant funding for subsequent years will be contingent upon annual appropriations by the State Legislature, and grantees meeting all grant, fiscal, and reporting requirements. Funded applicants for the 2025-2026 school year are not guaranteed any additional funding beyond the 2025-2026 year at this time. Funds must be expended by June 30, 2026. There will be no carryover of funds.

Per statute, an eligible grant recipient is:

• A local education provider if it has fifty percent or more students enrolled who are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch pursuant to the federal “Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act”, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1751 et seq.;
• The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind
• An approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1)
• A rural school district, a small rural district, a charter school of a rural school district or a small rural district, or an institute charter school located within the geographic boundaries of a rural school district or small rural school district.

Note: Applications will not be accepted from individual non-charter schools and must be authorized and submitted through the LEP. 

Applicants that have previously received funds from the Menstrual Hygiene Accessibility Grant may apply for this current funding opportunity. If funding requests exceed the amount of funds available, new grant program applicants may be prioritized.

See list of eligible applicants and more details in the 25-26 Application.

Per statute, a Local Education Provider that receives a grant under the program shall use the monies to ensure menstrual hygiene products are provided at no expense to students and are accessible to a student regardless of the student’s gender identity.

Funding may only be used to:

• Acquire and distribute menstrual hygiene products (tampons, menstrual pads, and pantiliners) at no expense to students; and/or

• Acquire, install, and maintain dispensing machines or disposal receptacles for menstrual hygiene products.

Note the following:

• In the context of this program, menstrual hygiene products include pantiliners, pads, and tampons. Menstrual cups are not included.

• The installation of dispensing machines and receptacles will be funded at $100 per machine or receptacle installed.

• Product shipping costs must be reasonable and should not exceed 5% of the total award.

• Product storage (e.g., plastic containers or tubs, baskets, cabinets) is not an allowable expense.