Show me the Money! — A quick guide to funding opportunities available to School Meal Program Operators. *Note: this is not an inclusive list. Stay tuned to our newsletters for up-to-date funding opportunities.
The purpose of this State-funded Targeted grant program is to encourage new and existing Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors to increase participation in the program by serving more children per day, increasing total meals served, extending the length of the SFSP, and/or creating new sites. The creation of new sites will increase program availability to participants not currently receiving program services. This is solely a planning and sustainability grant.
For summer 2025 approximately $535,000 is available for awards ranging between $1,000 to $35,000 per eligible Sponsor. The FY25 SFSP EATS Grant application is open through February 14, 2025 at 5PM. Please review details in the current FY25 SFSP EATS Fund Code 0542 Request for Proposal.
The purpose of this new state funded, competitive grant program pilot is to encourage National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and Child Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) sponsors to build capacity, coordinate and execute local food system education and local procurement in Child Nutrition Programs. MA FRESH CORP will fund new staff salaries, stipends or contractor fees to ensure local food system activities are strategically integrated into the classroom, cafeteria and community to support institutionalized, sustained programs that promote food literacy.
The DESE Office for Food and Nutrition Programs (FNP) is documenting all questions and responses for the MA FRESH CORP application cycle. Questions will be accepted through December 20, 2024 and corresponding responses will be provided on a rolling basis until January 3, 2025. The grant application deadline is January 17, 2025.
Full RFP
A FY25 FC 0723 MA FRESH CORP Planning Template, outlining the questions asked in the GEM$ "Required Grant Questions" section, can be found on the GEM$ Home Page > DESE Resources > Competitive Grants - Planning Templates and Documents. While the FY25 FC 0723 MA FRESH CORP Planning Template may be used as a planning and organizing tool, responses to the questions in the "Required Grant Questions" section of the application must be submitted through GEM$ in order to be reviewed. For additional MA FRESH CORP resources and technical assistance, please visit DESE FNP's contracted partner Massachusetts Farm to School.
The purpose of the competitive School Nutrition Equipment Assistance Grant for Schools is to allow School Food Authorities (SFA) to purchase equipment needed to serve healthier meals that meet the updated meal patterns, with emphasis on serving more fruits and vegetables in school meals, improving food safety, expanding access, and to help support the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program.
Schools currently participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are encouraged to apply for the competitive grant, especially those that have not previously been awarded an equipment grant. Schools with higher free and reduced-price eligible students have only a slight scoring advantage. Districts may apply for kitchen equipment for schools participating in NSLP this year. Qualifying equipment need to have a minimum cost of $1,000, and each school can apply for up to $20,000 in funding. See the RFP for more details on proposal requirements. Questions and Answers
The purpose of this state funded competitive grant program is to encourage National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and Child Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) sponsors to start or expand their capacity to grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals and staff about the local food system. Furthermore, this grant seeks to connect food system education to the local community and to the availability of local foods served in school or early education meal programs. MA FRESH projects provide students with experiential learning opportunities in their school gardens, community and at Massachusetts farms, food businesses, and fisheries.
At this time, the FY25 MA FRESH Application Cycle is closed. FY25 MA FRESH Grantees will be notified in Winter 2025.
In the meantime, check out the up-to-date list of MA FRESH awardees, and descriptions of the work funded through MA FRESH. For additional grant impacts, including the Massachusetts FRESH 2023 Grant Report , as well as farm to school resources and technical assistance, please reach out to DESE FNP's contracted partner Massachusetts Farm to School.
For further information about MA FRESH priorities and eligibility, please review the most recent FY25 Fund Code 0710 Request for Proposals — now closed.
Last Updated: December 27, 2024