Carolina Hunger Initiative Grant Opportunity

Introduction

Carolina Hunger Initiative has a new grant opportunity for school district nutrition programs in North Carolina. This funding is available to help districts reach more kids with healthy meals or sustain their current program, fill gaps created by the pandemic, and improve the quality of foods being offered.

This funding is provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina through a sponsorship with the Carolina Hunger Initiative and UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

Instructions

This application should take less than an hour to complete. A "save and resume later" option and a progress bar are located at the bottom of each page.

Applicants can move freely between pages. The application will check for unanswered required questions only when you reach the end of the form and select "submit." You might need to move between pages to find unanswered required questions.

Eligibility

This grant opportunity is open to all school districts in North Carolina that serve meals through USDA child nutrition programs.

Applications will be evaluated based on the need in an area and how many students can be connected with healthy food.

Timeline

Applications are due by Friday, November 12, 2021 at 11:59pm.

Applicants will be notified about the decision by Friday, November 19.

Funding contracts will be executed through a partnership with the NC Alliance for Health.

Funds are expected to be dispersed to grant recipients by Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

Funds are expected to be used, and plans implemented, by the end of the 2021-2022 school year (June 30, 2022). A mid-grant report will be due the end of April 2022, and a final grant report will be due the end of July 2022.

Use of Funds

Funds are intended to support school districts in overcoming the challenges of getting meals directly to children during the extreme conditions of pandemic response, and to sustain vital nutrition services during uncertain economic times.

Each applicant's budget should be between the minimum grant amount of $5,000 and the maximum grant amount of $25,000. Last year, the average awarded grant amount was $10,000.

Examples of what funding may be used to purchase include:

  • Supplies and equipment including: grab and go carts, insulated coolers/warmers, packaging equipment and supplies, refrigerators, and retrofitting existing equipment to meet new needs
  • Funding temporary or permanent staff positions 
  • Transportation costs associated with meal delivery, such as refrigerated trucks or fuel
  • Costs associated with COVID-19 preparedness, such as no-touch point of service machines, hand washing stations, PPE equipment, and cleaning supplies
  • Program outreach, enrollment assistance, and marketing costs
  • Additional expenses as needed

We understand that meal service plans might change during the school year. We also understand that school nutrition programs are facing unprecedented challenges in the supply chain and labor areas. Base your application on your current plan for meal service. If you are awarded funds, you will be required to submit a simple mid-grant report update that will give you a chance to inform us of changes as meal service adjusts to this uncertain environment.

Assistance

For any questions about the application or assistance completing the application, don't hesitate to contact CarolinaHungerInitiative@unc.edu.

Get Started

In order to move to the next page, please read the instructions, indicate below that you have read them, and click 'Next'.

I have read and understand the instructions.*

Applicant Details

Point of Contact for this Application

School Nutrition Administrator

Are you the School Nutrition Administrator of your School District?*

Superintendent

Are you the Superintendent of your School District?*

Person Authorized to Sign a Grant Agreement Letter for this Grant:

Current Nutrition Programs

What is your district's school schedule or learning plan? (Select all that apply.)
Which of the following programs are currently offered by your district or do you plan to offer during the current school year? (Select all that apply.)*
Please check the social distancing strategies you are using this school year for school meals programs in your district. (Select all that apply.)*

School Breakfast

When is breakfast offered? (Select all that apply.)*
In which of the following locations is breakfast served or made available? (Select all that apply.)*
In which of the following locations is breakfast eaten by students? (Select all that apply.)*

School Lunch

In which of the following locations is lunch served or made available? (Select all that apply.)*
In which of the following locations is lunch eaten by students? (Select all that apply.)*

Distance Learning

Is there an option for students in your district who are in quarantine, or participating in remote learning, to receive meals?*
Is there an option for students who are in quarantine, or participating in virtual learning, to receive meals?

Plan for Use of Grant Funds

Below are the categories for the forthcoming Meals on the Move NC toolkit of innovative strategies. Which, if any, apply to your project?
Which of the following programs would this grant funding be used to support? (Select all that apply.)*

Budget

Budget Item #1

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Do you want to add another budget item?*

Budget Item #2

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Budget Item #3

$
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Budget Item #4

$
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Budget Item #5

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Budget Item #6

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Budget Item #7

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Budget Item #8

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Budget Item #9

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Budget Item #10

$

This application only has space for up to 10 budget items. If you need to add more than 10 budget items, please let us know at CarolinaHungerInitiative@unc.edu.

Budget Request Total

$

Understanding Grant Requirements

If awarded funding, I understand I will be required to:

  • Expend the grant award for the purpose(s) approved in grant award letter by the deadline stated in the grant letter.
  • Submit a mid-grant report and a final report at the end of the grant cycle; specific reporting requirements will be communicated at the time of grant award notification.
  • Permit a representative from Carolina Hunger Initiative and/or Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to visit my program at a convenient date(s) to see my program in action.
  • Cooperate, if asked, with a representative from Carolina Hunger Initiative and/or Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to publicize the grant award and how it has contributed to the success of my program.

Check below to indicate you understand and agree to the grant requirements.*
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