2023 National School Lunch Program Federal Equipment Assistance Grants

In August 2023, the Consolidated Appropriations Act authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund California $3,548,245 million for the EAG. Of the $3.54 million, a portion of the funding will support the CDE costs for the administration and oversight of the grant. Approximately $3.37 million will be awarded to school food authorities (SFAs). Grants must be competitively awarded to eligible SFAs. The USDA establishes the grant criteria. Each SFA may apply for equipment purchases totaling no more than $100,000 per SFA for up to five school sites. A central kitchen is considered one site regardless of the number of sites that benefit from the equipment purchases. These funds allow SFAs to purchase food service equipment to serve healthier meals that meet the meal pattern requirements, replace outdated and worn equipment, help aid in supply chain disruptions and to help support the establishment of a new school kitchen or School Nutrition Program. Schools can use this funding to purchase equipment for a variety of important improvements for the food service such as purchasing tools that support scratch cooking, storing fresh food from local producers, and receiving food deliveries in a more efficient manner. The funding will also help to support SFAs that did not receive infrastructure funds from the 2021 or 2022 Kitchen Infrastructure and Training allocation. Public school districts, county offices of education, directly funded charter schools, private schools, and residential child care institutions that participate in the NSLP can apply for these funds. The Nutrition Services Division (NSD) is required to competitively award the grants. SFAs must be in good standing with their Child Nutrition Programs to receive grant funds. The NSD will award points based on established criteria outlined in guidance provided by USDA to state agencies. This criteria is included in the grant application. This Request for Application will be announced by Listserv.

Eligibility

• Funded by ED
• Programs related to agriculture
• Programs related to infrastructure

Award details

Applications close on November 1, 2023.

Categories

Equipment Purchase · Food Security · Infrastructure