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Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2027: Summer Food Service Program: Expansion, Access, Training and Start-Up (SFSP EATS) Grant for New and Existing Sponsors

Fund Code: 0542

Purpose:

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.

Priorities:

Priority will be given to districts and schools in chronically underperforming status. Priorities are to:

  1. increase number of participants by increasing Average Daily Participation (ADP)*:
    1. involve a range of community members (city government, parks and recreation departments, community agencies, school constituents, students, teachers, administrators, food service staff, and families);
    2. plan to expand activities at the food service site;
    3. extend the length of the SFSP for the full summer vacation;
    4. increase the number of days the program is operational; and
    5. add additional meal services;
  2. support new sites that will serve a low-income population not previously served in the SFSP;
  3. support programs that serve the highest number of eligible children;
  4. increase access to healthy meals in rural communities;
  5. implement Farm to Summer initiatives at sites by utilizing fresh local produce and incorporating agricultural activities;
  6. provide nutritious meals to children with increased offerings of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the meal service;
  7. support programs doing scratch-cooking and/or procuring local foods to serve as part of reimbursable meals;
  8. provide food safety training to site supervisors;
  9. support School Food Authorities (SFAs) that offer school breakfast and after school snack programs during the academic year (high priority); and
  10. equip sites with resources, materials and supplies for program sustainability.

*ADP is auto-calculated based on the monthly claim data. It is a monthly average of daily meals served for a specific meal type.

Eligibility:

New and existing Summer Food Service Program sponsors, including School Food Authorities, government and community-based organizations may apply. Applicants proposing sites serving a significant low-income population shall receive priority consideration.

Funding Type:

State Line Item 7053-1925

The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.

Funding:

Approximately $554,090 is available is available for schools and districts in chronically underperforming status. The funds are prioritized for new and existing sponsors with sites located in the vicinity of districts with a minimum of 50% of students who are eligible for free or reduced price meals.

Existing sponsors must request funding using FY26 June, July or August Sponsor claim data for meals served. The maximum funding request is based on the highest total number of first meals served during selected month in summer 2026. New SFSP sponsors must make a reasonable estimate of number of meals to be served monthly.

Previous Summer Total Monthly First Meals Served**:Apply for Up to***:
0–1,000$1,000
1,001–1,500$2,500
1,501–2,500$5,000
2,501–5,000$7,500
5,001–10,000$10,000
10,001–15,000$12,500
15,001–25,000$15,000
25,001–50,000$17,500
50,001–75,000$20,000
75,001–100,000$22,500
100,001–125,000$25,000
125,001–150,000$27,500
150,001–175,000$30,000
175,001–200,000$32,500
201,001–250,000$35,000

**Existing Sponsors: Use month with highest total number of first meals served from the June, July or August FY26 Sponsor Claims tab. Sum total should include all meal services claimed for that month.

***New Sponsors: approximate total number of first meals served during busiest month, including all meal services. Please contact Office for Food & Nutrition Programs (FNP) for assistance.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guideline as listed in the initial RFP document.

Fund Use:

Grant award shall be used for costs associated with the planning of effective programs. Funds shall be used to design and support a project that will extend the program through the entire summer vacation period, expand sustainable participation in the summer feeding program and start up new sites. All goods, services and contractual duties must be delivered by June 30, 2027.

Funds may be used for, but not limited to:

  1. Outreach expenses
    1. hiring an outreach intern
    2. marketing or publicizing availability of SFSP
    3. vendors for SFSP Kick-Off Event
    4. activities to promote participation in SFSP
  2. Food safety training for site supervisors
  3. Purchase of equipment necessary for safe food handling, operational supplies and incentives
  4. Purchase resources to support Farm to Summer
  5. Incentives to increase program participation
  6. Vehicle for meal delivery
  7. Tablets for recordkeeping/meal counts

Funds may not be used for:

  1. Administrator salaries
  2. Instructional/Professional staff salaries
  3. Support staff salaries
  4. Stipends
  5. Fringe benefits
  6. Food to be served as part of a reimbursable meal
  7. Disposable or single-use meal service supplies

Justification of need must be provided for requests of equipment costing over $10,000. This may be subject to approval pending review.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval* – 6/30/2027

*Grant start date cannot be prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP's Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to Grants receiving and approving an application submission. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.

Goods and services must be delivered by June 30, 2027.

Program Unit:

Office for Food and Nutrition Programs

Contact:

Kristen Torres Powers
Sally Teixeira

Phone Number:

(781) 338-6543
(781) 338-6304

Date Due:

Friday, February 12, 2027

Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on Friday February 12, 2027.

*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Responses not submitted on time will not be reviewed. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact persons listed on this funding opportunity.

Additional Information:

Nutrition Programs Website

GEM$ Submission Instructions:

The FY27 0542 Summer Food Service Program: Expansion, Access, Training and Start-Up Grant must be submitted in the GEM$ system. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system replacing the use of EdGrants.

Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)

Grant applications are considered fully submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. In order to be considered for funding, the applicant's LEA Fiscal Representative must submit a grant application by the due date listed in the RFP.

New Organizations: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization established must contact the Office for Food and Nutrition Programs Grant Contacts, Kristen Torres Powers or Sally Teixeira, at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access. Failure to meet this deadline may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.

Please Note: Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off. All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms.

The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.

Last Updated: October 23, 2026

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