Using Food and Nutrition Programs to Support Afterschool and Tutoring Activities

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Most opportunities for faith-based and community organizations to partner with FNS are available through its State-administered programs. The Epiphany Episcopal Church participates in the Summer Food Service Program to help serve meals to 150 children in a summer day camp in a low-income area of Chicago. In 2005, the Church received approximately $9,000 in FNS support through the Illinois State Board of Education. For more information on programs and State agencies:

National School Lunch and Breakfast Program (NSLP) Who the Program Helps: Serves low-cost or free meals to low- income school age children. What Can Be Served Programs provide nutritionally balanced breakfasts and/or lunches each school day. How Organizations can Partner Programs operate in public and nonprofit private schools, as well as residential day care institutions.

Special Milk Program Who the Program Helps: Children from families that meet income guidelines for free meals. What Can Be Served: Milk that meets FDA nutrition requirements. How Organizations can Partner: Eligible schools are those that do not participate in other Federal child nutrition meal service programs. However, schools in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs may also participate to provide milk to children in half-day pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs where children do not have access to the school meal programs.

After-School Snack Program Who the Program Helps: Children through age 18 in after-school activities. What Can Be Served Nutritionally balanced snacks. How Organizations can Partner Your school district must run the NSLP and sponsor or operate the after-school program. The after-school program must provide children with regularly scheduled educational or enrichment activities in a supervised environment (e.g., mentoring or tutoring).

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Who the Program Helps: Serves mostly children 12 and under. Serves children up to age 18 in after-school programs. What Can Be Served Children age 12 and younger are eligible to receive up to two meals and one snack per day at a daycare. After-school snacks for children up to age 18. How Organizations Can Partner CACFP provides reimbursement for meals and snacks, like most other FNS programs.

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Who the Program Helps: Children up to age 18 in low income areas. Persons with disabilities over age 18. What Can Be Served Breakfast, Lunch, Supper Snacks (morning, afternoon, evening). Most sites serve one or two types Sites that primarily serve migrant children may be approved to serve up to three meals How Organizations Can Partner Sites (meals) vs. Sponsors (administration)

USDA Guidance for Religious Schools (From the “Equal Treatment” Rule 7CFR Part 16) Religious organizations that receive USDA assistance under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act are allowed to consider religion in admissions practices and impose religious attendance or curricular requirements at their schools. –For example: a required prayer before a meal at a religious school is allowed

USDA Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Phone: (202) Website: FNS Child and Nutrition Programs State Agencies Administering Child and Nutrition Programs:

U.S. Department of Education

The 21 st Century Community Learning Centers Program Supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non- school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. Helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children. For more information, please visit

Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Additional academic instruction designed to increase the academic achievement of students in low-performing schools. Services must be provided outside of the regular school day and may include academic assistance such as tutoring, remediation, and other educational interventions. Each State Education Agency is required to identify organizations that qualify to provide these services and maintain a list that allow parents to have as many choices as possible. Who is Eligible? Children from low-income families who attend Title I schools that are in their second year of school improvement, in corrective action, or in restructuring. For more information, please visit

Afterschool.gov Afterschool.gov is a one-stop website that connects the public, and particularly afterschool providers, to various Federal resources that support children and youth during out-of-school months. These Federal resources from Departments of Education, Justice, Health and Human Services, and others provide information about starting and operating an afterschool program and a searchable database of Federal funding sources. For more information, please visit

Afterschool Alliance Established in 2000 by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, J.C. Penney Company, Inc., the Open Society Institute/The After-School Corporation, the Entertainment Industry Foundation and the Creative Artists Agency Foundation. The Alliance works with a broad range of organizations and supporters, including policymakers and policymaker associations, advocacy groups, afterschool coalitions and providers at every level, business and philanthropic leaders, technical assistance organizations and leaders representing a variety of interests, each with a stake in afterschool. Goals of the Alliance: –To be an effective voice for afterschool in efforts to expand quality afterschool programs. –To serve as an information source on afterschool programs and resources. –To encourage the development of local, state and national afterschool constituencies and systems. –To communicate the impact of afterschool programs on children, families and communities. For more information, please visit

Additional Resources

Directory of Foundation Workforce and Development Grant Opportunities The Directory is a resource for organizations that seek funding opportunities for their workforce development or economic development programs. It provides a detailed list of private and corporate foundations that provide grant opportunities to FBCOs desiring to enhance their workforce development and job-training programs. It also provides an explanation of each grant and contact information to help nonprofits determine grant eligibility.

Breakthrough Performance – Ten Emerging Practices of Leading Intermediaries This guidebook compiles practices of leading intermediary nonprofits that have delivered superlative performance in support of frontline FBCOs. It is designed to be of use to established and new intermediaries, as well as to individuals who guide private and public investment in creative solutions to community needs. In addition to highlighting a range of intermediary models proven to be successful, the guidebook demonstrates the distinctive value that intermediaries provide in addressing complex human needs.

One-Day Art & Science Grant Writing One-day workshops will assist FBCOs in preparing a competitive grant application for Federal funding. Workshop topics include: proposal writing techniques, how to access HUD and other government funds, HUD grants available to nonprofit organizations, and HUD common factors for awards. Workshops are intended for organizations that have their organizational board established, administrative package prepared, service program or development project identified, and feel ready to compete for Federal grant funding.

One-Day Art & Science Grant Writing Workshop Schedule Syracuse, NY – October 28 Las Vegas, NV - November 7 Columbus, OH – November 12 Syracuse, NY – November 18 West Virginia – November 18 Minneapolis, MN – November 19 Baltimore, MD – November 19 Richmond, VA – December 3 Alleghany Co., NY – December 12 Florida Panhandle – December 12 Dates TBA: Evanston, WY Los Angeles, CA Fresno, CA Belmont, NY Niagara Univ., NY