CNP American Samoa Grant Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service awarded $11.68 million to the American Samoa Department of Education under the National School Lunch Program (CFDA 10.555) formula grant, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This award provides cash subsidies and USDA Foods to support the delivery of nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches to school children throughout American Samoa's K-12 educational system. The American Samoa Department of Education, as the designated state education agency, serves as the prime recipient and administers the program in compliance with federal meal pattern requirements and nutritional standards.

The department sub-awards portions of the grant funding to local schools and school food authorities across American Samoa to facilitate direct meal service delivery and program implementation. Participating schools must maintain comprehensive records of their nonprofit food service operations, including financial documentation and meal counting records, which are subject to state agency review. The program ensures nutritional access for eligible children while promoting domestic agricultural commodity consumption and operates under a standing federal-state agreement framework requiring all participating schools to make meals available to children regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.