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. The grants will be effective in supporting SFAs, which have been experiencing supply chain disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency and which have reported challenges in operating school food service.
Schools that did not receive a School Nutrition Equipment Assistance grant in FY15, FY16, FY17, FY18, FY19, FY20, FY21, FY22, FY23 (USDA). A slight preference for schools with a higher percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, though all NSLP participating schools are eligible.
School districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2023-2024 school year and are in good standing with the Child Nutrition Program reporting requirements may apply for individual schools. All School Food Authorities (SFAs) are eligible to apply and receive a grant award. Schools must be in compliance with the current meal pattern regulations.
Federal CFDA 10.579Federal grant funds must adhere to:
USDA awarded the Massachusetts DESE approximately $471,294 in Federal FY 23 funds to support grant awards up to approximately $20,000 per school. The Department will award competitive grants.
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 guidelines that appear in this RFP document.
In general, the funds may be used for purchasing equipment for the implementation of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in (and only in) the specific school requesting the grant. Each unit of equipment purchased with the grant award must have a minimum value greater than $1,000. Examples include equipment for heating, cooking, holding, serving, and refrigeration of foods used in the NSLP. The grant funds can be used for installation and delivery costs of the equipment purchased. Equipment requests may include new equipment, renovation of equipment, or replacement of equipment. If the equipment purchased for the school is ever sold, the proceeds must be returned to the School's Nutrition Program Account. The performance period for the grant award, and that all procurement and expenditures activities must be completed by the project duration end date.
Upon Approval to 6/30/2024
Pending appropriation and the meeting of grant requirements, awarded grantees may be eligible for continuation grant(s) in Fiscal Year 2025
Office for Food and Nutrition Programs
Kerry Callahan
(781) 338-6462
Monday, November 6, 2023*
Proposals must be emailed to Equipment Grants at: NutritionEquipmentGrant@mass.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on the date due.
*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not submitted on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity.
Part I — General — Program Unit Signature Page — (Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants)
Part II — Budget Detail Pages
Part III — Required Program Information
All equipment purchased with these grant funds must be tagged with a label identifying it as being purchased with Federal FY23 USDA School Nutrition Assistance Grant Funds.
Each equipment item requested for this grant must have a value of greater than $1,000. Any item with value between $1,000 and $5,000 should be appropriately budgeted on the supply line item of the budget (line 7). Any item $5,000 or more per item should be budgeted on the equipment line of the budget (line 11).
School Food Authorities (SFA) awardees will adhere to all Federal, State, and Local procurement laws and standards, including, if applicable, as found in 7 CFR Part 210.21 and 2 CFR 200.317 through 2 CFR 200.326
All equipment competitively procured using these grant funds must be necessary, reasonable, and allocable.
Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget, Part III, and Part I in EdGrants. Once selected, recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.
Submit complete proposals via email, including the authorized signatory page with an original signature of the Superintendent/ Executive Director.
Contact:
Kerry Callahan Office for Food and Nutrition Programs NutritionEquipmentGrant@mass.gov
Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget, Part III and Part I in EdGrants. Once selected, recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
For all other FNS nutrition assistance programs, State or local agencies, and their sub recipients, must post the following Nondiscrimination Statement:
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: USDA Discrimination Complaint Form , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Last Updated: October 13, 2023
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
Voice: (781) 338-3000 TTY: (800) 439-2370
Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.