Overview

Vea una descripción general de esta oportunidad de subvención en español aquí.

We’re seeking research project proposals for Understanding the School Food Workforce subgrants. The goals of these subgrants are to (1) increase understanding of the current state of the school food workforce in the United States and/or (2) explore strategies to create a stable and respected workforce that can provide healthy meals to students while supporting resilient local and regional food systems. 

We anticipate awarding 5–7 subgrants with a project maximum of $250,000 (including indirect costs). The maximum grant period of performance is 18 months, beginning June 1, 2025 and ending November 30, 2026.

This subgrant research program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and cooperatively administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Food Insight Group, and Chef Ann Foundation. 

Details

Understanding the School Food Workforce subgrants will fund research projects related to the K-12 school foodservice workforce, including: workforce demographics and composition; school food finances, budget composition; privatization trends; training and skill development; recruitment and retention; job evaluation and market analysis; job satisfaction and career development; and strategies for shifting public perception, empowering workers, and improving both the financial well-being of school food workers and the fiscal solvency of school food programs.

The results of this research may lead not only to improved job quality and higher compensation for school food workers, but also to healthier, fresher, and more sustainably sourced food for K-12 students.

At the end of the cooperative agreement, the Understanding the School Food Workforce project team will develop and release a summary report that synthesizes findings from the subgrantee projects. 

Please review the full Request for Proposals here for all details.

Eligibility

The Understanding the School Food Workforce subgrant opportunity is open to single organizations and collaborative teams. Collaborative teams must identify one lead partner who is responsible for coordinating subgrant activities and complying with reporting requirements.

Eligible project applicant lead partners include:

• public or private academic and research organizations
• nonprofit organizations
• state or local government entities