School Nutrition Training Grants
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
These awards will be made via the Supporting the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs Cooperative Agreement to provide regionally focused training and technical assistance (TA) to school nutrition professionals on procurement, preparation, and crediting of traditional Indigenous foods, including the use of cooperator and FNS-developed resources and tools. The cooperators, with FNS guidance and approval, will also develop culturally relevant nutrition education materials for students to accompany the traditional Indigenous foods that are served, and the cooperators will train school nutrition professionals and other school staff on providing nutrition education to students. School Food Authorities (SFA) to be supported under the cooperative agreement must participate in the NSLP. Funds may be used to provide training, TA, and nutrition education to support the use of traditional Indigenous foods in the NSLP, School Breakfast Program (SBP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and/or Child and Adult Care Food Program At-Risk Afterschool Meals (CACFP At-Risk)
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Tribal Government (other)
- Municipality/Township Government
- School District
- Tribal
- Nonprofit Organization
- Other
Entity must be one of the following entity types:
• 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
• SFA that participates in NSLP
• Tribal government owned entity, arm, or instrumentality
• Native Hawaiian Organization as recognized by the Department of the Interior
• Other non-governmental entity including Tribal Colleges & Universities
• Fiscal sponsor of any of the above eligible organizations
AND
B) The leadership and staff of the entity must be predominantly (more than 50%) members of Federally Recognized Tribes and/or Native Hawaiians. (In the case of a fiscal sponsorship, this provision applies to the fiscally sponsored entity. In the case of partnerships, this provision applies to the Lead Applicant, but the Lead Applicant may have non-qualifying partners).
AND
C) The entity must demonstrate existing relationships, experience and expertise in training, TA, school nutrition, Indigenous foods, and nutrition education.
Beneficiaries
- School District
Grant funds will ultimately benefit school food service program staff, school nutrition personnel, school nutrition professionals, school nutrition employees, school nutrition directors, school nutrition managers/supervisors, front-line staff through a job-skills and workforce development training.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
Competitive grants will be reviewed by a technical review panel comprised of USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) staff which convenes to determine the technical merit of each grant application, provide a numerical score for each application, and make recommendations to selecting officials.
Decision Timeline
- Approval: From 30 to 60 days
- Appeal: From 30 to 60 days
Competitive grants will be reviewed by a technical review panel comprised of USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) staff which convenes to determine the technical merit of each grant application, provide a numerical score for each application, and make recommendations to selecting officials.
Program details & compliance
Description
School Nutrition Training Grants funds will assist allied professional organizations in planning, developing, delivering, and evaluating a workforce development and training initiative to provide skills-based training and technical assistance for school nutrition professionals to strengthen school meals program operators’ competencies, knowledge, and skills within key functional areas related to school nutrition.
Training activities performed under this grant must meet the following objective:
• To plan, develop, deliver, and evaluate job skills-based training and workforce development that is free-of-charge for a broad array of school nutrition professionals to strengthen operator competencies, knowledge, and skills related to any of the key functional areas.
Mission Categories
Primary: Food and Nutrition for Children
Other categories:
Food Security
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
School Nutrition Training Grant for Allied Professional Organizations funds will assist allied professional organizations in planning, developing, promoting, delivering, and evaluating a workforce development and training initiative to provide skills-based training and technical assistance for school nutrition professionals to strengthen school meals program operators’ competencies, knowledge, and skills.
Restrictions
Funds cannot be used for the following:
18
Form RFA 01-23
• Staff wellness activities outside of the scope described in this RFA (e.g., physical activity, meditation, blood pressure monitoring).
• Classes that are designed to provide case management or “life skills” training such as classes on English as a second language, parenting, child development, and crisis management.
• Nutrition education related to dietary needs of individuals, specific disease states, or altered physiological states.
• Weight loss classes specific to individuals, individualized meal plans, or obesity treatment programs.
• Body Mass Index “Report Cards” programs.
• Health screenings.
• Backpack programs.
• Nutrition education for preschoolers.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements