Purpose
The purpose of NSLP Equipment Assistance subgrants is to enable School Food Authorities (SFA) to serve healthier meals, improve food safety, and to help support the maintenance and/or expansion of the School Breakfast Program (SBP). An SFA is eligible to receive a subgrant based on the following criteria:
- The age of the food service equipment or lack of appropriate items.
- Ability of food service equipment to increase the efficiency of SFA procurement, food storage, and distribution/service.
- The availability of existing state and local funding for equipment purchases.
- Strategies for adopting lunchroom changes that provide more convenience and appeal to the student.
- Opportunities to realize meaningful impacts on nutrition and quality of meals, to include the support for implementing updated nutrition requirements for school meals.
In their application, the SFA must justify how the requested equipment, with a value of greater than $1,000, will help them serve healthier meals, support scratch cooking, improve food safety, store fresh food, upgrade equipment, and support the maintenance and/or expansion of the SBP.
Program Office
Office of Health and Nutrition
Eligible Applicants
An SFA may apply for a subgrant on behalf of its schools that
currently participate in the NSLP. To request funding for more than one school, an SFA must submit a separate application for each school.
Total Funding Available
$384,909
Funding Detail
The SCDE anticipates awarding approximately 19 new subgrants. Award amounts will be determined based on the quality of applications received and total funding requested. No subgrant will be awarded for more than $20,000.
Project Term
January 1, 2027, through December 15, 2027
Application Due Date
November 20, 2026
Technical Assistance Session
The Office of Health and Nutrition will offer a technical assistance session via
Adobe Connect on October 21, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. This session is highly recommended for all applicants.
Documents
Request for Proposals (DOCX, 1.60 mb - 10/2/26)
Online Application
Program Office
Office of Health and Nutrition
