Summer Meals Capacity- Building Mini-Grants

Summer Meals Capacity- Building Mini-Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Rochester Area Community Foundation
Amount: Up to US $5,000
Last Updated: March 18, 2026

Summary

The Summer Meals Capacity Building Mini-Grants program aims to enhance the reach of summer meal services for children and youth in Rochester. By funding volunteer coordinators and capital purchases, the initiative seeks to increase participation in the Summer Meals program, ensuring that more youth receive nutritious meals when school is out. The program prioritizes organizations that have not previously received funding, fostering community support and engagement in addressing food insecurity.

Overview

Purpose The Summer Meals Capacity-Building Mini-Grants program seeks to increase the number of children and youth in the City of Rochester receiving summer meals and the number of days meals are served. Background The Summer Meals program is federally funded and designed to provide food to youth when the regular school year is not in session. The program serves youth 18 and under who are in programs that serve, or are located near, a school with at least 50% free and reduced meals eligibility rates. The City of Rochester is designated a high-need area, making all youth in the city eligible for summer meals. The Summer Meals program (officially the Summer Food Service Program) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. What can be funded? Proposals may include requests for one or more of the following: A Summer Meals Volunteer Coordinator or supplemental staff to increase the Summer Meals site’s capacity to serve additional children and/or to extend the number of days of meal service. The maximum allowable amount is $2,500 from this funding source. One-time capital purchases to increase the capacity of the Summer Meals site to serve additional children and/or extend the number of days of meal service. Examples include purchase of tables, chairs, and coolers. Examples can be found here: Refrigeration and dining, Equipment One-time capital purchase of equipment or supplies that will encourage physical activity and fun, thus increasing the capacity of the provider to serve additional summer meals as more youth may be enticed to participate. The maximum allowable amount is $350 from this funding source. Note: The Summer Meals Partnership is interested in hearing from Summer Meals programs whose needs exceed the scope of this funding opportunity. Please email grants@racf.org if you would like to discuss this with a member of the Partnership.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Requests for more than $2,500 will only be considered for proposals that include a plan for a Coordinator or supplemental staff and equipment purchases, as outlined below:A Summer Meals Volunteer Coordinator position/supplemental staff (maximum allowable $2,500) and a capital equipment expenseEligibility CriteriaAny organization, church, or government entity that has previously provided reimbursable Summer Meals through the New York State Department of Education under the Summer Food Service Program in the City of Rochester; and Is either an approved partner of one of the three main Summer Meals sponsors in Rochester (the City of Rochester, Rochester City School District, or Foodlink) for meal delivery, or maintains its own LEA status with NYSED for Summer Meal sponsorship.Previous Summer Meals Mini-Grant recipients are eligible to reapply