Description

The purpose of the FFVP is for elementary schools to provide free fresh fruits and vegetables to students throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way to introduce fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options. The FFVP also encourages schools to develop partnerships at the state and local level to support implementing and operating the program.

The goals of the FFVP are to create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices to

• expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience,
• increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption, and
• make a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health.

The FFVP introduces school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample.

Program Office

Office of Health and Nutrition

Eligible Applicants

Eligible schools, including residential child care centers and private, parochial, and charter schools, must submit an application to the SCDE’s Office of Health and Nutrition based on this guidance and the USDA. Section 19 of the National School Lunch Act requires the following selection criteria for participating schools:

• Only elementary schools may participate. An eligible elementary school (as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) is a nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a public elementary charter school, that provides elementary education, as determined under state law. Section 59-1-150 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina defines an elementary school as “any public school which contains grades no lower than kindergarten and no higher than eighth.”
• Selected schools must also operate the National School Lunch Program.
• Each interested school must submit an application for participation in the FFVP.
• Each selected school must have 50 percent or more of its students eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Schools electing to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) are eligible to participate in the FFVP. Since the 1.6 multiplier is intended to provide an estimate of the total number of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals in eligible schools, the product of the Identified Student Percentage (ISP) multiplied by 1.6 will be used for the purpose of awarding FFVP funds. Schools in districts electing CEP for the entire district or as part of a group of schools electing CEP with a shared ISP will be subject to the individual school CEP percentage when FFVP awards are determined.
• Highest priority must be given to schools with the highest percentages of low-income students.
• The total enrollment of all schools selected must result in a per-student allocation of at least $50 per year.

Total Funding Available

$3,500,000

Funding Detail

The level of funding provided to any selected South Carolina school will be $50 per student. The total amount of funds each school will receive will be based on the October 2020 Eligibility Report—Meal Count Data by Site (SNP Lunch) data in SCAPS.

Project Term

July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022

Application Due Date

May 7, 2021

Technical Assistance Session

The Office of Health and Nutrition provided a pre-award technical assistance session via Adobe Connect on April 15, 2021. Please contact Diane Gillie for the link to the recording.

Contact

Diane Gillie
803-734-8193
dgillie@ed.sc.gov

Documents

FFVP Application Instructions (DOCX, 1.55mb - Revised 4/8/21)
Online Application Submission
Certification Signature Page for electronic signatures (PDF, 162kb - 3/26/21)

Program Web Page

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program