Formula Grant 265MS326N1099

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) received a Formula Grant award of $28.8 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service to administer the National School Lunch Program (NSLP, CFDA 10.555) for the period beginning October 1, 2025, and ending September 30, 2026. Through this award, MDE provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or no-cost lunches to eligible school children across Mississippi's public and nonprofit private schools. The funding is distributed as cash subsidies and USDA Foods to participating school districts and institutions that meet federal meal pattern requirements and serve meals at free or reduced prices to eligible students.

As the state administrative agency, MDE is responsible for determining school eligibility, establishing written participation agreements with school food authorities and residential child care institutions, and maintaining comprehensive oversight of nonprofit food service operations. MDE sub-awards portions of the federal funds to local school districts, charter schools, and community organizations that directly deliver meal services and ensure compliance with federal nutritional standards. The program operates under a standing federal-state agreement framework, making participation automatic for states without the need for competitive applications, and serves as a critical mechanism for promoting nutritional access to school children while supporting domestic consumption of agricultural commodities.