Intersessional Meals Grant Funding Announcement

Background

The Intersessional Meals Grant (IMG) is a one-time, state funded grant administered by the California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division.

This grant provides funds for public school districts, county offices of education and direct funded charter schools to support providing at least one free meal per day to children in low-income areas in which at least fifty percent of children are eligible for Free and Reduced-Price meals during school intersessional periods of less than ten days. This funding is intended for use during the 2026–2027 School Year (SY).

For more information regarding the IMG, please visit the CDE Intersessional Meals Grant web page.

Total Disbursement Amount

Section 181 of Assembly Bill 113: Budget Act of 2026 allocated $15 million to the CDE to administer the IMG for use during the 2026–27 SY.

Funding allocations are based on the number of eligible local educational agencies (LEA) that opted in to the grant and were determined by the CDE after the opt-in period closed on November 09, 2026.

Each LEA determined eligible will receive approximately $40,000 in IMG funds.

The CDE will release one hundred percent of each LEA’s allocated funds in a single payment.

The CDE expects to disburse funds to County Treasurer’s Offices by January 2027.

Grant Planning and Requirements

LEAs may begin planning their implementation of the IMG grant. All meals served through the IMG grant must meet grant requirements. LEAs may be billed for unallowable costs associated with their grant implementation.

• This is a one-time allocation to support serving intersessional meals during school break periods of less than 10 days. This grant is not a per-meal reimbursement program.
  
  
• Any costs that exceed the grant allocation to support intersessional meal services must be paid for using non-cafeteria funds.
  
  
• These grant funds may only support meal services during intersessional periods of less than 10 days and may not be used to supplant the federal Summer Meal Programs.
  
  
• Meal service sites must be located in low-income areas in which at least fifty percent of children are eligible for Free and Reduced-Price meals. For more information, visit the CDE Area Eligibility in the Summer Meal Program web page.
  
  
• At a minimum, meals must meet Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) meal pattern requirements. For more information, visit the CDE SFSP Meal Pattern Guidance and Resources web page.
  
  
• These grant funds must only be used to support the costs of providing compliant meals.
  
  
• Grant funds may not be used for capital expenditures.
  
  
• Grant funds must be maintained separately from any federally funded programs or accounts and must not be commingled with any other federally funded grant or meal program.
  
  
• Grantees must inform their communities of meal service(s) prior to the intersessional meal service being held.
  
  
• Grantees must track and retain documentation supporting meals served throughout the term of this grant including but not limited to:
  
  
  • The number of meals served,
    
    
  • The number of children served,
    
    
  • The number of days of meal service,
    
    
  • Meal service types (breakfast, lunch, or supper) and the method of meal distribution (congregate/non-congregate), and
    
    
  • Meal service location(s).
    
    
• As a condition of accepting these funds, LEAs must submit a report of their grant results to the CDE by June 11, 2027. Failure to report grant results may result in the CDE requesting that the school food authority return the grant funds.

Contact Information

If you have any questions or need assistance regarding the Intersessional Meals Grant, please contact the IMG team by email at IMGrant@cde.ca.gov.