Applications open — deadline December 1, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Division of Health and Wellness, is offering the FY2027 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant (NSLPE). This is a competitive applicant-facing school equipment subgrant administered by OSSE using federal USDA support, not a government vendor procurement contract.
Individual applicant funding: $1,000 to $10,000 for the total grant period; approximately $69,829 is the entire program pool across an estimated eight to ten awards, not an amount available to each school. OSSE may award less than requested and all awards depend on available funding.
Who may apply: Eligible Washington, DC public schools (DCPS), DC Public Charter School Board chartered school campuses, and qualifying nonprofit private/non-public schools that participate in NSLP during school year 2026–2027 (including Seamless Summer Option participation). Awards are determined per school campus rather than across an entire school food authority. A school food authority may not apply for a campus that is not part of that authority during 2026–2027. Preference is given to eligible schools without an NSLP Equipment Assistance award in the prior three years.
Purpose and allowable purchases: Purchase eligible individual items of nonexpendable food service equipment costing more than $1,000 per unit, improving school meal safety, quality, nutrition, preparation, storage, distribution, and access to school breakfast. Examples include ovens, food service lines, refrigeration, salad bars, breakfast carts and authorized installation. The RFA excludes small-wares such as trays, utensils, pans and multiple subthreshold items aggregated to meet the cost threshold. 100% of the award budget must be spent on approved equipment; recipients must follow applicable federal and District purchasing rules. The RFA does not specify a universal cash match requirement.
Application and prerequisites: Submit through OSSE’s Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS), with FY27 Central Data completed and program assurances accepted. Prepare an active UEI, SAM registration details, three formal vendor quotes for each equipment item, a school year 2026–2027 NSLP participation approval letter, full narrative and budget, and all supporting attachments. EGMS registration/data processing can take up to three days. Email or fax submissions are not accepted; late or incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Pre-application questions are due November 11, 2026, 3:00 p.m. EST.
Award terms: The anticipated award term ends September 30, 2028, with annual continuation requirements and funding conditions. Grant payments are reimbursement-based; recipients pay allowable expenses first and submit supported reimbursement requests in EGMS, with quarterly program and financial reporting obligations. Review all mandatory procurement, record retention and nondiscrimination conditions in the final RFA before applying.
Official controlling documents: OSSE FY2027 NSLPE final RFA (22 pages, issued October 16, 2026); OSSE current grant announcement and deadlines. Official-source verification performed October 29, 2026. Check OSSE for future addenda or posted Q&A before final submission.