Summer Food Service Program (Special Grant Opportunities for Healthy Congregations Churches)

Summer Food Service Program (Special Grant Opportunities for Healthy Congregations Churches) is sponsored by United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Summer Food Service Program – United Methodist Health Ministry Fund Since 2015, the Health Fund has offered mini-grants of up to $2,000 to Healthy Congregations churches to support Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) start-up or expansion in their communities, in partnership with a USDA/KSDE-approved sponsor , or via approval as a new sponsor . During the school year, most children have access to school meals.

However, summer can be a crucial time where additional support, locations, and volunteerism can make the difference and help ensure children don’t go hungry. Meals must be served on site and sites must be area eligible. Contact Jill Ladd, Kansas Department of Education, with any SFSP eligibility questions: jladd@ksde.

org. For the 2026 SFSP season, the Health Fund again seeks to support Healthy Congregations teams, working in coordination with schools and community agencies, to help ensure children continue to have access to nutritious food this summer.

Summer Food Service Program Details — Up to $2,000 to support SFSP start-up or expansion — New Sponsor (USDA/KSDE) – May 1, 2026 — Health Fund Grant – May 31, 2026 Application details below SFSP questions: Jill Ladd, jladd@ksde. org Mini-grant questions: Katie Schoenhoff, katie@healthfund.

org Mini-grants up to $2,000 can be considered for the following: • Start-up costs for new programs • Program Expansions: expanding sites, the number of meals that are served, or the number of months in which meals are served • One-time resource expenses • Project components that will help strengthen the existing site’s work or increase the numbers served: strengthening partnerships / collaboration, providing programs or activities, alleviating transportation barriers, partnering with Kansas Food Bank to provide “food backpacks” for weekend meals Applying for the Summer Food Program Healthy Congregations grant Eligibility note: this grant *requires* a USDA/KSDE-approved sponsor ( view current list here ) as part of the project.

Churches are encouraged to partner with an existing approved sponsor , or can apply to become an approved sponsor . Note that new sponsor applications are due May 1. Applications for the Health Fund grant are due May 31.

Healthy Congregations churches in Kansas and Nebraska are eligible to apply. Application note: this application form is not tied in with your regular Healthy Congregations website login username and password. To get started, use this link to go to the application form then click the “First Time Here?

” link to set up a login; you can save and return to your application later. To return to your previously started, saved application, use this link. This opportunity is open to current Healthy Congregations teams in good standing, or to churches signing up to participate in Healthy Congregations.

The simple application form includes information on the process and necessary requirements, and asks for: 1) The eligible United Methodist Church serving as grantee and status of formal Church approval for the project and application for the funding; 2) Contact information for the church including project director for grant; 3) Sponsor of food program, if different than applying UMC (see eligibility note, above); 4) Current experience with the summer food program; 5) Situation relevant to funding request (start-up, expansion, one-time need, etc.); 6) Numbers served and numbers planned for service; 7) Other participating organizations, groups and individuals in the project; 8) Budget for relevant funding period; 9) For existing programs, budget information for the project; and 10) Any additional information to provide a clear word picture of the proposed work.

If you have any trouble with the application form, please email Jeff for assistance: jeff@healthfund. org . Submitted forms will be reviewed by staff; project contacts will be notified with a funding decision or if there are questions.

For approved projects, a single report will be required 30 days after project completion. If you have questions about this grant opportunity, please contact Katie Schoenhoff, Director of Programs: katie@healthfund. org Healthy Congregation Member Login This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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