2026 Team Nutrition Training Grants (United States)

The Team Nutrition Training Grant provides funding to State agencies to strengthen training and technical assistance for child nutrition professionals. With an estimated $10 million in total funding, individual grants range from $500,000 to $1,000,000 to improve meal quality, nutrition education, and healthy food environments across major federal child nutrition programs.

Program Overview: Team Nutrition Training Grant

The Team Nutrition Training Grant supports State agencies in delivering high-quality training, mentorship, and technical assistance to child nutrition professionals responsible for planning and serving nutritious meals.

The program aims to improve meal quality, promote healthy eating habits, strengthen nutrition education, and build sustainable infrastructure for federally funded child nutrition programs.

Key Objectives of the Grant

• Enhance training for child nutrition professionals
• Improve meal quality and nutrition standards
• Strengthen wellness policies
• Promote nutrition education focused on whole, minimally processed foods
• Build sustainable infrastructure for federal child nutrition programs
• Improve meal planning and food preparation
• Support healthy school and childcare food environments
• Provide technical assistance and mentorship
• Encourage healthy lifestyles through nutritious food choices

Priority Focus Areas

Child Nutrition Training

• Professional development for nutrition staff
• Technical assistance
• Capacity building
• Workforce development

Meal Quality Improvement

• Healthy menu planning
• Meal preparation
• Compliance with nutrition standards
• Dietary Guidelines implementation

Nutrition Education

• Whole and minimally processed foods
• Healthy eating habits
• Nutrition awareness
• Multi-channel education strategies

Healthy Food Environments

• School wellness initiatives
• Active lifestyles
• Healthy food choices
• Supportive nutrition environments

Federal Child Nutrition Programs

The grant supports training related to:

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Funding Information

Total Available Funding

• Approximately $10,000,000

Individual Award Amount

• Minimum: $500,000
• Maximum: $1,000,000

Grant Objectives

Applicants must choose only one of the following objectives.

Objective 1: School Meals Programs

This objective supports training and technical assistance for professionals working in School Meals Programs.

Applications under this objective must include all three programmes:

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

Objective 2: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

This objective supports CACFP providers through:

• Training
• Mentorship
• Technical assistance
• Improved meal planning
• Nutrition education
• Healthy food environments
• Better meal preparation for children and adults

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

• State governments
• State agencies administering federal child nutrition programs

Eligible jurisdictions include:

• Contiguous United States
• Hawaii
• Alaska
• Puerto Rico
• Guam
• U.S. Virgin Islands

Applicants must administer:

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Ensure your State agency administers the required federal child nutrition programs.

Step 2: Select One Grant Objective

Choose either:

• Objective 1 (School Meals Programs), or
• Objective 2 (CACFP)

Only one objective may be selected.

Step 3: Develop Your Project Proposal

Prepare a proposal describing:

• Training activities
• Technical assistance plans
• Expected outcomes
• Implementation strategy
• Evaluation methods

Step 4: Prepare Budget

Develop a detailed budget within the allowable funding range of $500,000–$1,000,000.

Step 5: Submit the Application

Complete and submit all required application materials according to the grant guidelines.

Step 6: Implement the Project

Successful applicants will deliver approved training, mentorship, and technical assistance while monitoring project outcomes.

Why This Grant Matters

The Team Nutrition Training Grant helps:

• Improve the nutritional quality of school and childcare meals
• Strengthen professional skills among child nutrition staff
• Promote healthier eating habits
• Support implementation of federal nutrition standards
• Improve nutrition education for children and adults
• Create healthier schools and childcare environments
• Strengthen long-term child nutrition systems

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying under more than one grant objective
• Excluding one of the required School Meals Programs under Objective 1
• Submitting an incomplete training plan
• Providing an unrealistic project budget
• Failing to demonstrate measurable outcomes
• Not aligning activities with the Dietary Guidelines
• Omitting technical assistance or evaluation components

Tips for a Strong Application

• Select the objective that best matches your agency’s priorities
• Develop a comprehensive training strategy
• Demonstrate statewide impact
• Include measurable performance indicators
• Explain how meal quality will improve
• Show long-term sustainability
• Clearly describe technical assistance and mentorship activities

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the Team Nutrition Training Grant?

It is a federal grant that funds State agencies to improve training, technical assistance, and nutrition education for child nutrition professionals.

2. How much funding is available?

The programme has an estimated $10 million in total funding, with individual awards ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000.

3. Who can apply?

Eligible applicants are State agencies that administer the NSLP, SBP, SFSP, and CACFP in eligible U.S. states and territories.

4. How many grant objectives can an applicant choose?

Applicants must select only one grant objective.

5. What programs are covered under Objective 1?

Objective 1 must include all three School Meals Programs:

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

6. What does Objective 2 support?

Objective 2 supports Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) providers through training, mentorship, nutrition education, meal planning, and technical assistance.

7. What is the overall goal of the grant?

The grant aims to improve meal quality, strengthen nutrition education, support healthy food environments, and enhance the capacity of child nutrition professionals across federally funded nutrition programs.

Conclusion

The Team Nutrition Training Grant provides significant funding for State agencies to strengthen child nutrition programs through professional training, technical assistance, and nutrition education. By improving meal quality, supporting healthy food environments, and enhancing workforce capacity, the programme contributes to better nutrition and healthier outcomes for children and adults participating in federally funded nutrition programs.