On January 14, 2010, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the availability of $25 million in grants to help school nutrition programs replace outdated equipment with new energy efficient appliances such as refrigerators, ovens and other food service related equipment. This funding is a one-time fiscal year 2010 appropriation. These grants will be awarded to school districts that operate the National School Lunch Program and did not receive equipment grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus bill). Any district may apply, but priority will be given to school districts were 50 percent or more students are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Below are resources and tools designed to help school nutrition professionals utilize this grant program.
Secretary Vilsack Announces $25 Million for New School Food Service Equipment to Help Schools Improve the Quality of Meals - USDA Press Release - January 14, 2010
Policy Memo - FY2010 National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities - January 14, 2010
Equipment Resources
Equipment Solutions: Plug into Profitability SNF Webinar Recording Now Available. Click here for Discussion Forum
Equipment Purchasing and Facility Design for School Nutrition Programs From the National Food Service Management Institute, 2009. This resource will give school nutrition directors a competitive advantage as they approach their equipment purchases and facility design projects as Trusted Advisors.
Large Equipment for School Nutrition Programs Searchable database from SNA's CN Marketplace, organized by category.
USDA Equipment Guide This guide presents a decision making process and critical pathway approach to purchasing conventional food service production equipment, 1999.
Equipment Efficiency for Healthy School Meals Reference list from the National Food Service Management Institute.
General Procurement Information for School Nutrition
Grant Writing tips
General grant writing tips from K12 Grants website
Additional grant writing tips
2009 ARRA Equipment Grant Information
Additional 2009 Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities Questions and Answers April 8, 2009
USDA Food and Nutrition Service Memo SP 23-2009 providing additional information and answers on the school food equipment grants.
Proposed Requirements for Reporting Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) April 3, 2009 Proposed reporting requirements for ARRA school food equipment grants.
2009 Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities Questions and Answers March 20, 2009
The information at this link addresses follow-up questions USDA received from Regional Offices and State agencies regarding allowable usage of the ARRA funds.
Memo from USDA: 2009 Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities March 9, 2009
On March 9, 2009, USDA released new guidance on implementation of the onetime American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) appropriation of $100,000,000 for equipment assistance to school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Funds will be allocated to each state based on states’ total school meals administrative expense allocation for Fiscal Year 2009.