National School Lunch Program Formula Grant Summary

The Montana Office of Public Instruction received a $22,998,403 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service under the National School Lunch Program (CFDA 10.555), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This federally assisted meal program provides cash subsidies and USDA Foods to support nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunch service delivery in Montana's public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. The grant enables participating schools to serve reimbursable meals meeting federal nutritional requirements to eligible children while maintaining nonprofit food service operations.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction, serving as the state administering agency, distributed grant funds through 80+ sub-awards to school districts, elementary schools, and educational institutions statewide, including rural districts (Conrad School District 10, Lone Rock School, Ryegate Public School), tribal schools serving Native American populations (Lame Deer Elementary, Northern Cheyenne Tribe), and larger urban districts (Billings Public Schools, Great Falls Public Schools). Sub-grantees utilized the funding to operate school nutrition programs, provide meal services to students, maintain compliance with federal meal pattern standards, and ensure nutrition access for economically disadvantaged children across Montana's K-12 education system.