The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is inviting applicants for its 2023 School Food Service Assistance Grant.
Donor Name: Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
State: District of Columbia
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/15/2023
Size of the Grant: $15,000
Details:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), authorized grants to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Division of Health and Wellness, for providing equipment assistance to School Food Authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The District of Columbia has been selected to receive funding in the amount of $53,163.
This RFA solicits applications under two program areas:
- NSLP Equipment Assistance and
- Food and Food Service Waste Reduction. Eligible entities may apply for one or both program areas.
In order to make the most effective use of these grant funds, applicants must address at least one of the following focus areas:
- Quality of school food
- Equipment that lends itself to improving the quality of school food service meals that meet the dietary guidelines (e.g., purchasing an equipment alternative to a deep fryer, or steam ovens that improve quality of prepared fresh or fresh-frozen vegetables).
- Food safety
- Equipment that improves the safety of food served in the school meal programs (e.g., cold/hot holding equipment, dish washing equipment, refrigeration, milk coolers, freezers, blast chillers).
- Energy efficiency
- Equipment that improves the overall energy efficiency of the school food service operations (e.g., purchase of an energy-efficient walk-in freezer replacing an outdated, energy-demanding freezer).
- Increased participation
- Equipment that allows sponsors to support expanded participation in a school meal program (e.g., equipment for serving meals in a nontraditional setting or to better utilize cafeteria space).
- Smarter lunchrooms
- Equipment that aides in strategies for adopting smarter lunchrooms (e.g., lunchroom changes that appeal to the student population by highlighting convenience, healthy choices, or supporting menu changes to healthier options).
Funding Information
- Total funding available: $153,163
- Minimum award amount: $1,000
- Maximum award amount: $15,000
Eligibility Criteria
Any District of Columbia public school, non-profit private/non-public school or public charter school campus chartered by the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board that currently participates in the NSLP, may apply. Awards are determined based on the school campus, not the School Food Authority (SFA) as an entirety. SFAs cannot submit applications for school campuses that are not part of their SFA in school year 2022-23.
For more information, visit OSSE.
