Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Grant Program

General Information

The Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Grant Program was created by Colorado Senate Bill 21-255, “Free Menstrual Hygiene Products to Students” that was signed into law on July 6, 2021. The program aims to provide free menstrual hygiene products and product disposal to all students regardless of their gender identity.  Education providers may use program funding to purchase menstrual hygiene products, including sanitary napkins, tampons, and pantiliners, and to purchase and install menstrual hygiene product dispensers, disposal receptacles, and disposal receptacle liners. In the 2021 – 2022 schoolyear, approximately $100,000 in funding was awarded to 39 Colorado districts and schools, and the program is expected to continue each schoolyear.  A new funding announcement will be posted here each fall when the current Request for Applications becomes available.

Program Objectives

• Increase the number of gender-neutral spaces where students can access free menstrual hygiene products
• Increase the number of gender-neutral spaces where students can dispose of menstrual hygiene products
• Reduce the amount of missed class time due to lack of access to menstrual hygiene products
• Improve academic performance through the reduction of missed class time due to lack of access to menstrual hygiene products

Fact Sheet:  Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Grant Program

Eligible Applicants 

Based on the funding statute, eligible applicants for this program are:

• A Local Education Provider (LEP) that has 50% or more students enrolled who are eligible for free or reducedcost lunch. See Appendix A for an eligibility decision tree and Appendix B for a list of eligible LEPs.
• The Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind.
• An approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402(1) C.R.S. An eligible LEP is:
• A School District or Individual non-charter schools may not submit a standalone application apart from the district.
• A Charter School authorized by a School District - must have district approval
• A Charter School authorized by the Charter School Institute (CSI) - must have CSI approval
• A Board of Cooperative Services (BOCES) Note: Applications must be authorized and submitted through the LEP.

A charter school’s authorizer will be the fiscal agent, if funded. Available grant funding will be distributed to eligible Education Providers, based on the amount of funding requested and the number of applications received. In the event that funding requests exceed the amount of funding available, firsttime program participants will be prioritized.

• View previously funded grant recipients here

2022-2023 Program Reports:

• Complete the program survey by September 15, 2023.
• Complete the Annual Financial Report (AFR) Smartsheet form on or before October 1, 2023. The following information may be helpful in completing the AFR form: This is a state grant, 3277 MHPA. 

Jacklyn Thompson, MSW LSW
Health and Wellness
Thompson_J@cde.state.co.us