FEEDING MISSOURI’S CHILDREN MEALS AFTER SCHOOL IN 2025 AND 2026
No Kid Hungry Missouri is inviting schools to apply for grants up to $5,000 to increase participation in after-school meal programs for children. As part of the application, applicants will be asked for a list of proposed items to purchase. Note that we may approve all, some, or none of the items requested. Please read the full grant opportunity application to find examples of items granted in the past, as well as a list of items the grant will not fund.
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Eligibility
Qualified applicants must:
- Be a school or nonprofit organization serving children in low-income areas through participation in the CACFP during the 2025-2026 school year;
- Be one of the following:
- An existing CACFP sponsor with good standing in Missouri; or
- An existing CACFP site with good standing in Missouri; or
- A new site or sponsor that is up and running no later than Dec. 1, 2025
- Be in good standing with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) (if you are an existing site or sponsor) or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE);
- Be registered to do business and in good standing with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office (non-profits only – public schools are automatically considered “registered”)
- Serve meals/snacks in Missouri; and
- Complete and submit the application no later than 5 p.m. CST on May 12, 2025.
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Project Priorities
NKH Missouri prioritizes grant applications from low-income areas of the state that are most likely to result in:
- A sustainable increase in meals served to children
- Increased food security for vulnerable communities in Missouri
- New partnerships between child-serving organizations in communities such as schools and non-profit organizations that serve low-income communities
This project also prioritizes applications from organizations that have not been awarded NKH grants in the past. However, past awardees will be considered.
Participation in USDA child-nutrition programs
All organizations that participate in the USDA’s CACFP, which is administered by the DHSS in the state of Missouri as either a sponsor or a site, are eligible for this grant. New applications from organizations not yet participating in the CACFP must be participants before Dec. 1, 2025. Contact DHSS for more information about the At-Risk, Afterschool Program.
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Key Application Dates
- Open Date: April 11, 2025
- Optional webinar for applicants (Q&A): Wednesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. CST (Register here)
- Complete and submit this application no later than 5 p.m. CST on May 12, 2025
Have questions? Please contact Program Manager Jeremy Milarsky at jeremy.milarsky@health.missouri.edu or Program Manager Kimberley Sprenger at kimberley.sprenger@health.missouri.edu