Intersessional Meals Grant
The Intersessional Meals Grant is a one-time, state funded grant that supports local educational agencies (LEA) in providing at least one free meal per day to children in low-income areas during school intersessional periods of less than ten days.Overview
Section 181 of Assembly Bill 113: Budget Act of 2026 allocated $15 million to the California Department of Education (CDE) to establish the Intersessional Meals Grant for use during the 2026–27 School Year (SY). The grant provides noncompetitive funding to public school districts, county offices of education, and directly funded charter schools in low-income areas to offer at least one free meal per day during school intersessional periods of less than ten days during the 2026–27 SY.
Funding allocations are based on the number of eligible LEAs that opted in to the grant and were determined by the CDE after the opt-in period closed on November 09, 2026.
Eligibility
These grant funds are intended for public school districts, directly funded charter schools, and county offices of education in low-income areas to provide meals during school intersessional periods of less than ten days.
To be eligible for funding, meal service sites must be area eligible based on one of the following metrics:
- School data: The site is located within the geographical boundaries of a school attendance area where at least 50 percent of its children are approved for free or reduced-price meals;
or
- Census data: The site is located in a census block group or census tract where 50 percent of more of its children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Application
To be eligible to receive these funds, LEAs must have submitted a completed online Opt-In Grant Form by the deadline.
LEAs that opted-in to this funding opportunity will be informed of their estimated grant award amount and will receive a subsequent grant form to provide the following information (but not limited to) regarding their intersessional meal service operations:
- Site address(es)
- Area eligibility data
- Meal service type(s) (breakfast, lunch, or supper)
- Meal pattern being utilized
- Method and details of meal distribution (congregation, non-congregate, or hybrid service)
- Estimated number of meals to be distributed
- Estimated number of children to be served
- Community outreach method(s)
LEAs should retain the opt-in confirmation and grant award notification email for their records.
Funding
Funding Formula
This is a noncompetitive, voluntary funding opportunity. Funding allocations are based on the number of eligible LEAs 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 Intersessional Meals Grant funds.
Funding Announcement
Funding amounts will be announced via listserv, and links to funding results will be shared once available.
Funding Timeline
Following the timely receipt of all LEAs' Opt-In Grant Form responses, 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.
Guidelines
Terms and Conditions
By opting in to this grant, the LEA agrees to comply with the grant attestation and all applicable terms and conditions. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of this grant may result in the LEA being billed for the full amount allocated for the grant period. Any grant funds that are not expended by the end of the grant period must be returned to the CDE.
Funding Conditions
This is a one-time allocation to support meal service during intersessional school break periods of less than ten days and may not be used to supplant the federal Summer Meal Programs.
LEAs must not commingle grant funds with any other federal funds. Grant funds must be maintained separately from federally funded Child Nutrition Programs and accounts.
Recordkeeping
Grantees must track and retain meal service records throughout the grant period, 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)
- Method(s) and details of meal distribution (congregate, non-congregate, or hybrid)
- Meal pattern being utilized
- Menus and menu production records
- Meal service location(s)
- Outreach efforts (flyers, website postings, social media announcements, etc.)
- Success stories from families and members of the community
Reporting
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. For reporting questions, email IMGrant@cde.ca.gov.
Meal Service Requirements
Meal Pattern Requirements
At a minimum, meals served under this grant must comply with the Summer Food Service Program meal pattern requirements.
Grantees may elect to follow the School Breakfast Program meal pattern requirements for breakfast, or the National School Lunch Program meal pattern requirements for lunch and supper, if preferred.
Open to the Community
To support access to meals during eligible intersessional periods, grantees must operate sites that are open to the community, with meals made available to all children in eligible areas on a first-come, first-served basis.
Grantees must conduct outreach prior to the start of service to inform the community that free meals are available to children during eligible intersessional periods of less than ten days. Outreach efforts may include flyer postings, advertisements, website postings, social media announcements, and public service announcements. Documentation of outreach efforts must be retained for recordkeeping and reporting purposes.
Allowable Expenses
Grant funds must only be used to support the costs of providing compliant meals. Allowable costs include food and labor expenses.
Any allowable costs exceeding the grant allocation must be paid with non-cafeteria funds.
Note: Capital expenditures are not allowable under this grant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Eligibility
Applying
Funding
Allowable Uses of Funds
Service Length & Frequency
Meal Service
Reporting
Eligibility
- Which LEAs are eligible for Intersessional Meals Grant Funds?
Public school districts, county offices of education, and directly funded charter schools may opt in to this grant. To be eligible for funding, meal service sites must establish area eligibility using school or census data demonstrating that at least 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
- Our school serves meals under another LEA. Are we eligible for Intersessional Meals Grant Funds?
LEAs whose sites are sponsored by another LEA are not eligible for this funding.
- My LEA is in the process of becoming a sponsor. Do we qualify for these funds?
Applicants must be approved sponsors at the time the online opt-in registration form is due.
Applying
- How do we opt-in to the funds?
To receive these grant funds, LEAs must have submitted a completed Opt-In Grant Form by 4 p.m. on November 09, 2026.
- What will be asked in the subsequent grant form after we opt in?
After opting in, a subsequent grant form will be sent to the email address provided on the opt-in form. The form will collect details about your intersessional meal service operations. Before completing the form, gather the following information:
- Specific site address(es)
- Area eligibility data
- Meal service type(s) (breakfast, lunch, or supper)
- Method of meal distribution (congregate, non-congregate, or hybrid service)
- Community outreach method(s)
Funding
- How do we know how much funding we will receive?
Funding allocations are based on the number of eligible LEAs 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 Intersessional Meals Grant funds.
The CDE will announce estimated grant funding alllocation amounts by Friday, November 13, 2026. The announcement will aid participating LEAs in planning their intersessional meal distributions.
- To which account should Intersessional Meals Grant funds be deposited?
Intersessional Meals Grant funds must be kept separate from federal school nutrition program funds. As such, the CDE recommends that LEAs deposit these funds into the district's general fund.
- What happens if an LEA does not use its full grant allocation or chooses not to participate after opting in?
LEAs that do not expend their full grant allocation, or that later determine they will not participate in the program, will be required to return unused funds to the CDE.
Allowable Use of Funds
- What costs are allowable under the Intersessional Meals Grant?
Intersessional Meals Grant funds may be used for costs directly related to providing meal service during eligible intersessional periods. Allowable costs may include food, labor, supplies, and other expenses necessary to prepare, package, service, and distribute meals, including contracting or vending meals.
- May we use foods provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Distribution Program (FDP) and USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (DoD Fresh) to support meals served through the Intersessional Meals Grant.
No. LEAs may not use USDA FDP foods or DoD Fresh produce in meals served through the grant, as these foods are supported by federal funds and must not be commingled with intersessional meal grant funds.
- Can Intersessional Meals Grant funds be used for administrative or indirect costs?
No. Grant funds must only be used for costs directly associated with meal service operations. Allowable costs include food and labor necessary to provide meals during eligible intersessional periods at eligible sites.
- Can Intersessional Meals Grant funds be used to support meals that are not claimed for federal reimbursement?
Yes. The Intersessional Meals Grant was established to support meal service during intersessional periods that did not meet the federal requirements to participate in the Summer Meal Programs. LEAs must use grant funds to provide meals during intersessional periods in accordance with grant requirements.
Grant funds are provided as an allocation rather than by reimbursement. Meals supported with Intersessional Meals Grant funds are not eligible for state or federal meal reimbursement.
- Can meals funded through the Intersessional Meals Grant also be claimed for federal reimbursement?
No. Intersessional Meals Grant funds may not be used to supplant federal child nutrition programs, including the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option.
Service Length & Frequency
- What qualifies as an eligible intersessional period under the Intersessional Meals Grant?
An eligible intersessional period is a scheduled school break of less than ten operating days during the regular school year.
- Are weekends and holidays included when determining the length of an intersessional period?
No. Weekends and holidays are not included when determining the length of an intersessional period for this state grant. An intersessional period must be less than ten days in length, excluding weekends and holidays, to be considered an eligible intersessional period.
Example 1 (Eligible): A school district's winter break starts December 21, 2026, and ends January 4, 2027. Although the break spans 15 calendar days, it includes weekends and holidays. When weekends and holidays (Christmas Day and New Year's Day) are excluded, the break consists of nine days, which falls within the intersessional period length requirement.
Example 2 (Not Eligible): A school district's winter break starts December 21, 2026, and ends January 8, 2027. After excluding weekends and holidays (Christmas Day and New Year's Day), the break consists of 13 days, which exceeds the maximum allowable length for an eligible intersessional period. In this example, the LEA may provide meals through the federal Seamless Summer Option.
- Are there any exceptions to the way eligible intersessional periods are determined?
For extended holiday weekends, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln's Birthday, and Presidents' Day, both the holiday and weekend days may be counted when determining the length of an eligible intersessional period. This allows LEAs to provide meals during these extended weekends.
Example: If a school district is closed from Friday, February 12, 2027, through Monday, February 15, 2027, for Presidents' Day weekend, all four days, including the weekend days and holidays, are counted as part of the intersessional period.
- Must participating LEAs provide meals during every eligible intersessional period and throughout each intersessional period?
No. LEAs are not required to provide meals beyond available funding. Meal service should be planned based on available resources and the LEA's capacity to operate the program. Any costs associated with implementing this grant that exceed the LEAs grant allocation must be paid for using district general funds and may not be supported by the cafeteria fund.
Meal Service
- Can LEAs distribute multiple days' worth of meals at one time?
Yes. LEAs may use a multi-day non-congregate meal distribution model to provide multiple days' worth of meals in a single distribution. Meals may be distributed before the start of an intersessional period, allowing children to receive meals in advance. Non-congregate meal service may include methods such as grab-and-go, curbside pickup, drive-through distribution, or parent/guardian pickup without the child present. Families must be informed about the available meal services prior to the start of service.
Meals may distributed as either unitized meals (individually packaged meal units), bulk meals (meal components packaged in larger quantities for portioning at home, with minimal preparation required), or hybrid meals, which combine unitized meals and bulk meal components within the same distribution.
- What are some examples of non-congregate meal distribution models during an intersessional period?
Example 1: Unitized Meals for the Entire Intersessional Period
A nine-day winter intersessional period begins on a Monday. An LEA that provides unitized meals may distribute all nine days' worth of meals on the preceding Friday, allowing children to receive meals for the entire intersessional period before the break begins.
Example 2: Short Intersessional Period for Thanksgiving
A two-day intersessional period begins on Thanksgiving Day and continues through Friday. The LEA may distribute two days' worth of meals on the preceding Wednesday using a unitized, bulk, or hybrid non-congregate meal distribution model.
Example 3: Extended Holiday Weekend Distribution
A school district is closed from Friday through Monday for an extended holiday weekend. To reduce the need for multiple meal services, the LEA may distribute four days' worth of meals on Thursday before the closure begins using a unitized, bulk, or hybrid non-congregate meal distribution model.
- What types of meals may be provided through the Intersessional Meals Grant?
At a minimum, meals must meet the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) meal pattern requirements. LEAs may provide a variety of nutritious meals, including breakfast, lunch, and supper, provided the meals meet the minimum meal pattern requirements and comply with program requirements of being considered a complete meal within the School Nutrition and Summer Meal Programs.
Note: Snacks are not considered complete meals and are not allowable under the Intersessional Meals Grant.
Non-congregate meals must either be ready-to-eat, prepared for reheating with appropriate heating instructions, or require minimal preparation. Foods requiring extensive preparation, such as raw meat or poultry, are not allowable.
- Must meals funded through the Intersessional Meals Grant meet federal meal pattern requirements?
Yes. At a minimum, meals funded through the Intersessional Meals Grant must comply with the SFSP meal pattern requirements, including all required meal components. Meals that do not meet the SFSP meal pattern requirements are not allowable under the grant.
- Must an LEA use the same meal service model throughout the grant period?
No. LEAs may use different meal service models during different intersessional periods and are not required to use the same service model throughout the duration of the grant period.
For example, an LEA may offer congregate meal service during one intersessional period and non-congregate meal service during another, as appropriate.
- Who may receive meals funded through the Intersessional Meals Grant?
Meals funded through the Intersessional Meals Grant must be made available to all children 18 years of age and under in the community. Meal service cannot be limited to enrolled students, participants in a specific program, or students attending school during an intersessional period.
- May meals be served or distributed at locations other than a school site?
Yes. Meals may be served or distributed at locations other than a school site, provided the location is area eligible and accessible to the community.
- Can Intersessional Meals Grant funds be used to provide meals during Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) intersessions?
Yes. Intersessional Meals Grant funds may be used during eligible ELOP intersessions. However, meal service must be open to all children 18 years of age and under in the community and may not be limited to ELOP participants.
Reporting
- What information will we submit to the CDE to report results?
LEAs that receive grant funds will be required to report the results of their grant-funded intersessional meal service operations, including, but not limited to, the number of meals service, meal type(s), outreach strategies, and distribution method(s).
The CDE will provide an online reporting form with additional instructions in Spring 2027.
- Where can I access the final results of the grant?
Final grant results will be posted on this web page following the Fall 2027 reporting deadline.
Contacts
Intersessional Meals Grant Fund Questions
For questions regarding eligibility, funding, reporting requirements, or other matters related to the Intersessional Meals Grant, contact the Intersessional Meals Grant Team by email at IMGrant@cde.ca.gov.