This Solicitation opportunity from Department Of Agriculture was posted on April 16, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
USDA-FNS-CN-EAG-FY26
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The Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), under Secretary Brooke Rollins, is offering $20 million in competitive grants to State agencies through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grants. These funds are intended to support local education agencies, school food authorities, and schools in acquiring food service equipment valued over $1,000. The goal is to improve nutrition, food safety, and expand the School Breakfast Program by modernizing school kitchens, particularly in underserved areas. This grant marks a shift from previous non-competitive awards to a competitive Request for Applications (RFA) process, requiring State agencies to submit their criteria for awarding subgrants. State agencies may consider several factors when distributing subgrant funds, such as the need to enhance meal quality and nutrition, the age or condition of current equipment, the efficiency improvements provided by new equipment, availability of other funding sources, and strategies to make cafeteria services more convenient and appealing to students. Eligible recipients must participate in the NSLP. Applications must be submitted by May 28, 2026, with Carla Y Garcia serving as the grant officer contact. This initiative aligns with ongoing federal efforts to promote healthy food choices among schoolchildren nationwide.
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Full Description
Under the leadership of Secretary Brooke Rollins, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to strengthening strategies to encourage healthy choices, healthy outcomes, and healthy families. In support of this principle, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is pleased to announce the availability of $20 million to provide grants on a competitive basis to State agencies for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grants, as authorized under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Public Law 119-4), and the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-37).
The NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant provides funds to NSLP State agencies to administer competitive subgrants to eligible local education agencies (LEAs), school food authorities (SFAs), and schools for the purchase of equipment valued at greater than $1,000. The purpose of the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant is to help ensure that schools have the equipment they need to serve healthier meals, improve food safety, and to support the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of the School Breakfast Program (SBP).
Since 2010, the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grants have been used to modernize school kitchens nationwide, address equipment disparities in underserved areas, and promote strategies that foster healthy choices for students. In previous years, the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grants have been provided on a non-competitive basis through the FNS Regional Offices. This competitive Request for Applications (RFA) is a new process, and State agency applicants should review the RFA thoroughly to ensure full understanding of the updated requirements and procedures.
As part of the application to this grant, State agency applicants must develop and submit the RFA they will use to competitively award the subgrant. State agencies may consider any LEA, SFA, or school participating in NSLP as eligible to receive an NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant award (subgrant).
Selection criteria that State agencies are encouraged to consider when awarding the subgrants may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Opportunities to improve the nutrition and quality of meals, including supporting the implementation of updated nutrition requirements for school meals.
- Age or lack of appropriate food service equipment.
- Ability of food service equipment to increase the efficiency of procurement, food storage, and distribution/service.
- The availability of existing State and local funding for equipment purchases.
- Strategies for adopting cafeteria changes that provide more convenience and appeal to the student.