National School Lunch Program Equipment Grant

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant for Federal Fiscal Year 2024 is administered by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) through its Nutrition Program Services team. This competitive funding opportunity is made available to Minnesota School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program. The grant aims to support schools in acquiring new kitchen and cafeteria equipment that will enable the provision of healthier meals, enhance food safety, and help maintain or expand school meal programs, including the School Breakfast Program. A total of $187,869 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been allocated to Minnesota for this purpose. Individual SFAs may request up to $25,000 to procure a single piece of equipment per site, provided the item meets the minimum cost threshold of $1,000. Costs that can be reimbursed under this grant include the equipment itself, accessories, installation, removal of old equipment, and warranties. Capital improvement costs, such as building modifications or infrastructure upgrades, are not allowable. Applicants must follow all applicable procurement regulations and maintain documentation for all steps, including vendor quotes and solicitation communications. To apply, SFAs must submit their applications via the Alchemer platform by October 24, 2025, at 4 p.m. Central Time. Required documents include the signed assurance form, vendor quotes dated on or after September 1, 2025, and documentation of outreach to multiple vendors. The application must also address the applicant’s need for financial assistance, equipment purpose aligned with one of three focus areas (food quality, food safety, or breakfast program expansion), and justification for replacing or acquiring the proposed equipment. The grant period is anticipated to run from September 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. All equipment must be received, installed, and operational by the end of the grant term. Final invoices must be submitted to MDE by October 30, 2026, along with documentation of payment and energy rebate applications, where applicable. Grantees must comply with federal regulations governing procurement, civil rights, and reporting. Evaluation of applications will consider multiple factors, including whether the site has received recent equipment grants, participation in the Community Eligibility Provision, and whether the site lacks the requested equipment or is replacing outdated or non-functional equipment. Narratives will be scored on the demonstrated need and anticipated program improvements. In cases of tied scores, student enrollment may be used as a tiebreaker. For questions, applicants may contact Nicole Barron at nicole.barron@state.mn.us. All inquiries must be submitted by October 8, 2025. Responses will be posted by October 15, 2025, on MDE’s website. Grant award announcements are expected in December 2025, following a multi-phase evaluation and approval process. Grantees must wait for official award notification before incurring reimbursable costs.

Follow procurement rules closely; submit complete quote and vendor documentation; address only one program improvement area in narrative; start submission early to avoid upload cutoff