Members of Congress passed a federal funding package signed by President Joe Biden that will sponsor five different California State University (CSU) campuses, per the new “minibus” package.

The package will be worth $12.2 million, with different amounts being awarded to each of the five campuses.

About $1.9 million will be split between the California Regenerative Aquaculture Hub and Strength United’s Domestic Violence Community Policing and Advocacy Project at California State University, Northridge.

Strength United’s mission is to end abuse, empower families and develop leaders through the different services they offer. Some of the services included are the Family Justice Center, Family Support Services and Domestic Violence Advocacy & Counseling.

Andrew Pacheco, Operations Manager for Strength United, shares that the services are for victims of violent crimes, but there are other services that help with other forms of victimization in the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley that are completely free.

“Without that funding, we just wouldn’t really be able to serve that wide net of folks who are so highly in need of these services in our community,” Pacheco said.

The CSU website’s summary of the CSU system Priorities for 2023-24 shares that the CSU caters to students from different socioeconomic statuses, and is the nation’s largest public four-year university system. 226,000 of the more than 450,000 students attending CSUs rely on financial assistance through Pell Grants, work-study funds and loans.

The CSU Strategic Communications & Public Affairs Department issued a press release with CSU chancellor Mildred García following the passing of the federal funding package.

“We are grateful and deeply appreciative of the trust these members of Congress place in the CSU, as well as their partnership in helping advance our mission of elevating lives through the transformative power of higher education,” García said in the press release.

The CSU Office of Federal Relations, a resource for Washington-based policymakers, educational associations and the California congressional delegation, emphasized that bridging congressional support is their top priority.

The package, which was signed on March 8, will be included in the fiscal year of 2024.