Federal Grant Award Summary

The Mississippi Department of Education received a $690,901 formula grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP, CFDA 10.558), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. Under this award, the state administers the CACFP to provide federal reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults enrolled in participating child care centers, day care homes, afterschool care programs in low-income areas, and emergency shelters throughout Mississippi.

The grant funding supports both direct meal reimbursements to eligible child care institutions and state-level administrative expenses. The Mississippi Department of Education, as the state administering agency, distributes federal reimbursements to local participating institutions including school districts, Head Start providers, community action agencies, nonprofit child development organizations, and day care providers. The program operates through permanent written agreements between institutions and the state agency, requiring participating organizations to maintain nonprofit food services available to all eligible participants regardless of demographics, maintain comprehensive program records, and comply with established federal audit and operational requirements.