Featured Grant Opportunity: National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant NY

Many of the grant opportunities we feature on the blog have a national or regional presence. This opportunity is specifically for schools located in New York State.

The New York State Education Department is offering New York schools an opportunity for food service equipment through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant for School Food Authorities. The equipment being funded through the grant will allow schools to supplement existing equipment with additional resources to serve healthier meals that meet the updated meal patterns, improve the overall quality of meals, improve efficiency of production and service, and expand participation in the program.

Grant applications are due December 1st, 2014. Awards are a minimum of $2,000 and a maximum of $20,000 per school. Priority will be given to schools with 50 percent or more students eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Each piece  of requested equipment requires its own application.

Often times schools are struggling to replace or enhance their current food service equipment and are prohibited from giving students the healthiest and best possible service. With almost $2,000,000 available in total funding, this is an opportunity that most New York State schools are eligible for and consider.  Please note the following eligibility allowances and restrictions, “All schools under a School Food Authority (SFA) in the NSLP are eligible – public school districts, non-profit nonpublic schools, charter schools and residential child care institutions in the NSLP in New York State except schools that received the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Food Service Equipment Grant in 2009-2010 or the FY 2010 Equipment Assistance Grant in 2010-2011.” To see full information on the program, including the list of ineligible schools and the grant application, visit the NYSED website.