Information Alert: Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Prog.
Nutrition Services Division Information Alert | |
To: School Districts, Charter Schools, and County Offices of Education | Number: NSD-SNP-01-2011 |
Attention: Superintendents, Principals, Business Officials, Child Nutrition Directors | Date: March 2011 |
| Subject: Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Grant Opportunities (July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012) for Elementary Schools | |
| Reference: Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) Grants 2011-12 | |
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Grants
The California Department of Education (CDE), Nutrition Services Division (NSD), announces a grant opportunity for elementary schools to participate in the national Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). This FFVP grant period is July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012. The United States Department of Agriculture administers the FFVP at the federal level, and the NSD administers the FFVP in California.
All eligible agencies (please see “Grant Eligibility” section for more information) interested in receiving a 2011–12 FFVP grant must respond to this request for applications, including both current FFVP grantees (2010–11), and new FFVP applicants.
The purpose of the FFVP is to provide all children in a participating elementary school with a variety of free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks throughout the school day as a supplement to (and not part of) the school breakfast and school lunch programs, and to teach students about good nutrition. The FFVP also encourages schools to partner with other entities in the community to support their FFVP efforts.
Program History
The FFVP began as a pilot project authorized by Congress in 2002. The pilot provided funds to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables in four states. The purpose of the pilot was to determine the best practices for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
The success of the pilot led to the enactment of legislation in 2004 to expand the FFVP and to make it a permanent program under the National School Lunch Act. In May 2008, Congress permanently authorized the FFVP nationwide and provided a significant funding increase each year. California:- Participated in the FFVP for the first time in July 2008 with 24 pilot schools ($250,000)
- Funded 107 schools during the full 2008-2009 school year ($2.5 million)
- Received $5 million in the current school year (2009-10) and expanded the program to 144 schools based on the list of applicants from the 2008-09 application period
- Received $7.6 million in 2010–11 and funded an additional 95 schools, for a total of 239 schools
California’s FFVP funding for the 2011–12 school year is expected to total $12 million. The CDE will provide funding for these grants as long as funds are available, and will award grants on a reimbursement basis. Grant awards will be based on student enrollment and range from $50 to $75 per student per school. As required by federal law, the NSD will rank applicant schools based on the percent of their students eligible for free/reduced-price meals, and will give funding priority to those with the highest percentages.
Grant Eligibility
The following agencies are eligible to apply for a FFVP grant:
- School districts and county offices of education (COE) are eligible to apply on behalf of their school sites (school sites cannot apply on their own behalf).
- Direct funded charter schools are eligible to apply directly.
- Private elementary schools are eligible to apply if they participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) with 50 percent or more of their students eligible for free/reduced-price meals.
- Residential child care institutions may also apply if they operate an elementary school during the day and participate in the NSLP.
Hereinafter, the eligible agencies listed above will be referred to as School Food Authorities (SFA).
To be selected for a FFVP grant, a school must meet the following minimum criteria:
- Be an elementary school
- Operate the NSLP
- Have 50 percent or more of its students eligible for free/reduced-price meals; priority given to schools with the highest percentages
- Agree to make free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks available during the school day as a snack, to all enrolled children
- Widely publicize the availability of fresh fruit and vegetable snacks within the school
- Have documented support of the food service manager, principal, and district superintendent
- Submit a grant application package by the deadline
Grant Application and Deadline
You may download the grant application package and instructions from the CDE Available Funding Web page athttp://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/af/.
The NSD must receive an original and one copy of the grant application package from the SFA postmarked or hand delivered by Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Applications postmarked after this date will not be accepted. The NSD will not process incomplete, illegible, or late applications. The NSD will not accept copies, faxed, or e-mail submission.
NSD Contact Information
If you have questions, please contact David Hazeleaf, Analyst, by phone at 916-323-5757, or Elizabeth Moreno, Nutrition Education Consultant, by phone at 916-324-9749 or by e-mail at FFVP@cde.ca.gov.