School Meals
Rooted in Community
Project SCALES supports people working to bring more locally sourced ingredients to school meals. We awarded our first round of grants in May 2024. Applications for the next cohort of grantees will open in fall of 2024.
Fresh, Local, Meaningful
Project SCALES offers funding and support to school food authorities to build resilient local food systems. Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Project SCALES is led by Boise State University, in partnership with LunchAssist. Over the next five years, we will be issuing more than $10 million in funding. We fund projects led by school food authorities that aim to build capacity and increase the resilience of local food systems by partnering with local growers, producers, distributors, and processors, as well as other industry partners.
What Could You Do if We Could Do it Together?
We celebrate your commitment to feeding kids well every day they’re in school. That’s why, with a Project SCALES grant, you’ll get more than funding. You’ll get a team to help you solve problems, offer knowledge, and build relationships that will bring your ideas to life.
Funding
The first round of grantees received up to $150,000 in funding to advance partnerships to bring more locally sourced foods into schools.
Resources
Our school nutrition specialists at LunchAssist provide technical assistance including one-on-one calls, group meetings, skill-building tools, and other professional development activities.
Community
Through the Project SCALES learning community, grantees will strengthen existing partnerships and nurture new ones. Here we’ll share successes and lessons learned both within our network and across the country.
Growing a National Movement
Our first round of Project SCALES grantees are 12 rural districts and charter schools across the U.S., from an island in Southeast Alaska to the Southern Rhode Island shore.