2026 Summer Eats Grant Application

2026 Summer Eats Grant Application

Project Bread is pleased to offer a grant opportunity for Massachusetts Summer Food Service Program sponsors to support increased participation and quality of the Summer Eats Program for the 2026 season.
NEW REQUIREMENT:

SIGN UP & LOG IN TO JOTFORM

We've switched to Jotform for our grant applications in an effort to improve user experience!

To apply, you are required to create a Jotform account by clicking "SAVE BEFORE YOU CONTINUE" below, BEFORE continuing to the application. It's easy and free.

This will ensure that you can save your progress and pick up where you left off.

This will also allow us to more easily assign follow-up forms to you.

You will be able to log in to view your in-progress forms, and you will receive automated emails from Jotform that link to your in-progress forms.

SIGN UP or LOG IN BEFORE you start the application

by clicking "SAVE BEFORE YOU CONTINUE" below.

and click the button again at the bottom of each page to ensure you never lose your progress.

2026 Summer Eats Grant Application

Project Bread is pleased to offer a grant opportunity for Massachusetts Summer Food Service Program sponsors to support increased participation and quality of the Summer Eats Program for the 2026 season.
Background
Project Bread is a statewide organization committed to preventing and ending hunger in Massachusetts. For thirty years, Project Bread has worked with Massachusetts communities to increase participation in Summer Eats (the USDA Summer Food Service Program), in partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Team provides technical assistance and innovative solutions to support sponsors that are implementing and expanding Summer Eats programming. For over ten years, Project Bread has offered grants to support summer sites, especially new sites, and strategies to reach more kids and teens. Our goal is to ensure that all children in Massachusetts remain nourished throughout the summer months, when school is not in session.
Eligibility
- In 2026, Project Bread’s Summer Eats Grant Program is open to any new* or existing Summer Food Service Program sponsor operating open sites in Massachusetts. (*If you will apply to become a new sponsor through DESE for summer 2026, you are eligible for this grant.)
- Sponsors must commit to operating one or more open sites to be eligible. Sponsors that operate solely closed sites are not eligible for the grant program.
- While individual sites are not eligible to apply, we strongly encourage sponsors to work with current and potential sites to develop grant proposals that best meet the needs of their communities.
Award Range and Allowable Expenses
- Summer Eats sponsors are eligible for expansion grants of up to $7,500, depending on the number of open sites you will operate, and the proposed scope of work and impact.
  - Sponsors operating 1 open site are eligible for a maximum of $3,000.
  - Sponsors operating 2-3 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $4,000.
  - Sponsors operating 4-7 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $5,000.
  - Sponsors operating 8-10 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $6,000.
  - Sponsors operating more than 10 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $7,500.
  (*In application, sponsor must detail the number of open sites that they operated last year, plans for continuation or closing of any sites, and detail specific plans for any new/additional sites to be operated in 2026 in order to include proposed new sites in total quantity.)
- Grant funds may be used for equipment, transportation, promotion/marketing expenses, and staffing (hourly worker pay or stipends) to support Summer Eats expansion plans.
- Funds may not be used for retroactive expenses incurred prior to receipt of the grant award.
- Funds may not be used for food or non-durable disposable supplies (paper products, packaging, etc.), gift cards, or staff/administrator salaries (hourly pay or staff stipends are allowable).
- Monetary awards are accompanied by comprehensive technical assistance and support.
Funding Priorities

All efforts to expand participation in Summer Eats in Massachusetts will be considered for funding. However, five priority areas for funding have been identified:
- New open site locations that serve a population previously unserved or underserved by Summer Eats – either new sponsors operating new open sites, or existing sponsors taking on new open sites.
- Initiatives focused on bringing meals to neighborhoods to expand access within the community, such as efforts to establish or grow “non-traditional sites”, i.e., mobile sites, sites at housing properties, libraries, farmers’ markets, local non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, etc., and initiatives focused on addressing transportation/accessibility barriers unique to your community.
- Initiatives to significantly expand meal access at existing sites through structural changes that will allow the site to serve more meals, such as expanding site service hours, adding meal types (such as snacks or suppers), adding weekend meals, extending service through the month of August, etc.
- Initiatives specifically designed to advance equity and inclusion in your community, as related to your Summer Eats program. Such as, but not limited to, formation of new community partnerships or hiring multilingual staff to increase engagement with communities not previously accessing the program, expenses related to translation or interpretation to provide access in multiple languages, surveying kids & families to develop and serve culturally relevant menu options, etc.
- Initiatives specifically focused on improving and expanding enrichment programming at open sites, including partnering with local community groups and services to provide/enhance programming.
Examples of use of grant funds within these priority areas:
- Using funds to increase the capacity/people power of your program to enable program growth, such as:
  - Stipend or hourly pay for new staff member(s) (or existing staff member(s) taking on more hours) to cover a new site, expand hours or service times at an existing site, extend site operation through August, etc.
  - Hire a multilingual intern/staff member from the community to promote your new or expanded non-traditional site in the community and recruit participants – canvass neighborhoods, run social media, organize summer events and/or enrichment programming, engage local businesses in giveaways, distribute signage, survey families to gather feedback, etc.
- Costs associated with implementing or expanding mobile programs – such as stipend for driver, cost of gas, Summer Eats branded vehicle wrap or magnets, equipment to keep meals hot/cold during mobile service, etc.
- Equipment to implement new/expanded sites, serve more kids at sites, increase efficiency, or increase meal quality, such as cold storage/transport equipment, hot-holding equipment for hot meals, produce processing/food prep equipment, etc.
- Costs associated with creating vibrant and engaging open sites like costs of partnering with local groups/hiring local individuals to provide enrichment programming, cost of durable games/ equipment to provide programming activities, etc.
Required Summer Eats Outreach Activities
Summer Eats programs at open sites are only successful if the community is aware of the program, feels welcome, and knows when and how they can participate. All 2026 awardees are expected to execute outreach and promotion and work with Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Team to develop a robust plan for promoting Summer Eats within their community. Activities may include, but are not limited to: distributing Summer Eats branded materials, initiating/expanding a Summer Eats social media marketing campaign, partnering with local groups to spread awareness, etc. (Grant funds may be spent on efforts to build awareness of your new or expanded site(s), such as implementing a kickoff event, social media/digital advertising, postcard/flyer mailing to families, radio ads, bus/transit ads, etc.)

For summer 2026, all Massachusetts Summer Eats sites and sponsors will have access to a variety of outreach and promotional resources free-of-charge, provided by Project Bread in partnership with DESE.

The order form for the 2026 Summer Eats materials is available here, and orders are due by March 13th. Materials such as the following are available:
- Large signage (lawn signs, sandwich boards, banners, tablecloths) in multiple languages.
- Engagement/swag materials such as: stickers, punch cards, sunglasses, staff T-shirts, small toys, etc.
- Posters, flyers, and bookmarks (in multiple languages).
*(Many social media and electronic resources (in multiple languages) are also available for sponsors to use – these will be available through Project Bread’s website and not necessary to order through the order form)

The materials above will be provided at no cost. Applicants are encouraged to take advantage of these free materials rather than requesting funds for similar items. Applicants may include in their budget proposals any additional costs associated with proposed outreach (for example, costs of hiring an outreach intern to manage social media or distribute signage, costs of a paid advertising campaign, etc.).

As needed, Project Bread will provide design support for the development of non-standard co-branded materials (such as billboards and vehicle wraps) that incorporate both the Summer Eats branding and the sponsor logo/branding. (Printing costs for non-standard materials should be included in the grant request or covered by the sponsor through other funds.)
Criteria Used for Grant Review

All applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:
- Level of need within the community as described in the application and as demonstrated by community data, including percent of children eligible for free and reduced-price meals (using October 2025 data).
- Inclusion of the funding priorities listed above within the grant proposal.
- Strength of applicant’s proposed plans for increasing participation in their Summer Eats Program.
- Applicant’s demonstrated effort to provide fresh, culturally relevant, healthy food.
- Applicant’s track record of accomplishments and ability to achieve measurable results, including timely completion of past Project Bread grant reports and requirements, if applicable.
- Applicant’s commitment to provide services that support their clients’ dignity and rights.
Application Process and Deadline
- All applications must be submitted by March 20, 2026. Complete and accurate application materials must be received by the deadline to be considered for funding.
- Applicants that have not recently or previously applied to Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Grant Programs are strongly encouraged to apply.
Reporting and Program Requirements
- Completion of final grant report.
- Participation in Summer Eats program visit, if requested, from Project Bread Child Nutrition Team.
- Participation in regular check-in calls/correspondence with the Child Nutrition Team leading up to and throughout the summer.
- Submission of storytelling materials that showcase program impact, such as photographs and personal impact stories.
Contact Information
Please contact Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Team at cnop@projectbread.org or at 617-239-2543 with any questions or if you have difficulty submitting your application.
Review application questions before you get started

You must complete this online form to apply for this grant, but you can review questions and draft responses in advance.
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

Applicant Information
Organization/District Name:*
Please provide the legal name of your organization or district.
Organization/ District Address:*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Number of OPEN sites to be operated in Summer 2026:*
Funding Ranges are as follows:
- Sponsors operating 1 open site are eligible for a maximum of $3,000.
- Sponsors operating 2-3 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $4,000.
- Sponsors operating 4-7 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $5,000.
- Sponsors operating 8-10 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $6,000.
- Sponsors operating more than 10 open sites are eligible for a maximum of $7,500.
Total Grant Amount Requested (Maximum $7,500):*
Contact Information
Primary Contact

Please provide the information of the person who will be responsible for implementing and overseeing Summer Eats programming as it pertains to this grant.
Primary Contact - Full Name: *

First NameLast Name
Primary Contact - Title:*
Primary Contact - Phone: *
Please enter a valid phone number.
Primary Contact - Email*
example@example.com
Alternate Contact
Do you have an alternate contact that we can reach out to if the primary contact is unavailable?*

YesNo
Alternate Contact - Full Name:

First NameLast Name
Alternate Contact - Title:
Alternate Contact - Phone:
Please enter a valid phone number.
Alternate Contact - Email
example@example.com
Financial/ Business Manager Contact

*If your application is approved, the business director or financial manager in your district will need to complete the acceptance agreement. They will need to provide the information for payment of awarded grant funds at that time. Please provide that person's information below.
Financial/ Business Manager Contact - Full Name: *

First NameLast Name
Financial/ Business Manager Contact - Title:*
Financial/ Business Manager Contact - Phone: *
Please enter a valid phone number.
Financial/ Business Manager Contact - Email*
example@example.com
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

Population Served
What neighborhoods/city/town does your organization/district serve?*
Please, to the best of your ability, describe the population that utilizes your summer program. Please include ISP or the percent of students that are eligible for free/reduced (F/R) price school meals, age, race, ethnicity, languages spoken, and other pertinent demographics.*
In 2–3 sentences, please describe how the demographics of the population you serve — including race, socioeconomic status, and other indicators of need — shape your goals and approach to addressing systemic barriers and advancing equity in your work.*
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

Program Description
Briefly describe the Summer Eats Program that you operated in 2025. If you are a new sponsor, describe the program that you plan to launch this year.*
(Must include: # of open/closed sites, site types/locations, dates of program, meal types/times, etc.)
What are your program goals for Summer 2026? Please include at least 3 goals.*
(examples: increase overall participation or within certain communities, addition of activities or engagement of specific populations, increase promotion, new recipes, new sites, etc.)
Please summarize how the requested funds will help your organization achieve your Summer 2026 goals outlined above and allow you to serve more kids and teens this summer.*
(Example: Stipend for social media intern to elevate content creation and reach more families)
What specific methods do you use, or plan to implement this year, to ensure that your program is reaching historically marginalized communities (including, but not limited to, immigrants, non-native English speakers, children of color, children with disabilities) who often experience barriers to accessing resources like transportation access, language barriers, lack of culturally-relevant engagement or meals, and more?*
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

Proposed Use of Funds

This grant opportunity is intended to help Summer Eats sponsors enhance their program(s) to increase participation in Summer Eats over last year’s levels at open sites.
Will the funds be used for specific sites or for the whole program? Please list site(s) if the funds are for specific site(s).*
Grant funds must be spent by August 31, 2026. Please describe a specific timeline for spending the funds and implementing your plans.*
All efforts to expand participation in Summer Eats will be considered for funding. However, preference will be given to applicants who will incorporate one or more of the five funding priorities below.
Please select up to 3 priority area(s) you will include in your program plans and use this funding to implement.*

New Open Sites - add locations that serve a population previously unserved or underserved by Summer Eats – either new sponsors operating new open sites, or existing sponsors taking on new open sites.“Non-traditional” Sites & Transportation Support - Initiatives focused on bringing meals to neighborhoods to expand access within the community, such as efforts to establish or grow “non-traditional sites”, i.e., mobile sites, sites at housing properties, libraries, farmer’s markets, local non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, etc., and initiatives focused on addressing transportation/accessibility barriers unique to your community.Expanded Service - Initiatives to significantly expand meal access at existing sites through structural changes that will allow the site to serve more meals, such as expanding site service hours, adding meal types (such as snacks or suppers), adding weekend meals, extending service through the month of August, etc.Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice (DEIJ) Initiatives -Initiatives specifically designed to advance equity and inclusion in your community, as related to your Summer Eats program. Such as, but not limited to, formation of new community partnerships or hiring multilingual staff to increase engagement with communities not previously accessing the program, expenses related to translation or interpretation to provide access in multiple languages, surveying kids & families to develop and serve culturally relevant menu options, etc.Engagement Programming - Initiatives specifically focused on improving and expanding enrichment programming at open sites, including partnering with local community groups and services to provide/enhance programming.NONE
New Open Sites: Please explain your process and rationale for selecting the new location(s), how the new site(s) will provide access to a previously unserved or underserved population, and how this funding will help you add these locations.
“Non-traditional” Sites & Transportation Support: Please describe how you will bring meals to neighborhoods. how these efforts will expand access to meals within the community, and how this funding will help you do so.
Expanded Service: Please explain the structural/ logistical changes you plan to make to your program, how they will allow you to serve more meals, and how this funding will help you do so.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice (DEIJ) Initiatives: Please describe the initiatives that will advance equity and inclusion in your community, how this will allow you to reach and serve a greater diversity of families in the community, and how this funding will help you do so.
Engagement Programming: Please describe how you will improve or expand enrichment programming at your site(s), how this will increase engagement in, and build trusting bonds with your program within the community, and how this funding will help you do so.
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

Budget

Grant funds may be used for equipment, transportation, promotion /marketing, and/or staffing to support expansion plans (hourly worker pay or stipends, not salaries) and should connect directly to the program goals that you have described in this application. Funds cannot be used for food costs, disposable supplies, gift cards, salaries, or retroactive expenses.
Please detail your plans for spending the funds requested to provide context to your proposed budget below.

(Will this subsidize a major project? Will this grant cover items not covered by other grants? etc.)
What will the Project Bread funds enable that otherwise would not be possible?*
Funding Categories
- Equipment - Examples: Food storage/ transportation equipment, kitchen tools, picnic and folding tables for sites, etc.
- Enrichment Supplies - Examples: Arts and crafts supplies, games, items for giveaways, gym equipment, etc.
- Promotion/ Outreach - Examples: Costs for advertising, materials for canvassing, other promotional materials (Note: we recommend you utilize our free promotional materials before using grant funding to purchase similar items.)
- Transportation Costs - Examples: Gasoline, vehicle improvements, etc.
- Staffing - Examples: Wages for hourly staff, staff stipends, etc. (this includes stipends/ wages for drives, outreach/ social media staff, and activity coordinators)

Please list the items and expense details for the items you plan to purchase with the grant funds in the table below:*

	Expense Item	Funding Category	Description of Use	Amount
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Total Amount Requested
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

Program Promotion and Outreach

Promotion of your Summer Eats program is critical to expanding awareness and participation. A promotion plan and outreach activities are required components of the Summer Eats 2026 grant program.
If you are a returning sponsor, are there any outreach/marketing strategies that have worked well for you in past summers? If so, what are they? Do you plan to continue to use any of these strategies in summer 2026?*
If you are a new sponsor, enter "N/A".
Please explain the Summer Eats promotion and outreach activities that you will undertake in 2026 if you receive funds from Project Bread. As a returning sponsor, how will you expand on previous years’ efforts? Or, as a new sponsor, how will you introduce the Summer Eats program to your community for the first time (digital and/or printed materials, social media, partner cross-promotion etc.)?*
Please describe any events that you plan to hold in 2026.*
What do you struggle most with when it comes to outreach and promotion activities? (e.g. social media, using advertising/media effectively, distributing materials/signage around the community, reaching certain populations, etc.)*
Project Bread, in partnership with DESE, has a variety of free printed promotional materials available for sponsors to order. Are you planning to use the Summer Eats materials provided by Project Bread?*

Yes, I plan to use the Summer Eats materials, and I will order them soon.Yes, I plan to use the Summer Eats materials, and I have ordered them already.No, I am planning to create my own Summer Eats materials.Other
*Note: We encourage grantees to utilize our free materials instead of using grant funds for similar materials.

ORDER MATERIALS HERE BY MARCH 13TH.
If you will not use Project Bread's FREE Summer Eats promotional and engagement materials, are there particular reasons these materials don’t work for your community? Are there other types of materials that would be more helpful in reaching your community?
Note: We encourage grantees to utilize these free materials instead of using grant funds for similar materials.
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

Participation
Is 2026 the first year your program will be a Summer Eats sponsor?*

YesNo
Grant funds are intended to assist sponsors in increasing participation at open sites in their Summer Eats Program.

In the section below, please report on your 2025 participation and enter your goals/expectations for 2026 Summer Eats participation.

(If you did not serve in summer 2025, input “0”.)
On average, how many children per day (Average Daily Participation) did you serve in the month of July 2025?*
On average, how many children per day (Average Daily Participation) do you expect to serve in the month of July 2026? *
Note: While this grant is intended to support an increase in participation, the goal for 2026 should be reasonable given your changes to your program.
How many total meals did you serve to children at OPEN SITES ONLY in the month of July 2025?*
How many total meals do you expect to serve to children at OPEN SITES ONLY in the month of July 2026?*
How many total meals did you serve in summer 2025 (all months), across all open/closed sites?*
How many total meals do you plan to serve in summer 2026 (all months), across all open/closed sites?*
To apply for the 2026 Summer Eats Grant, you MUST complete this online application form.

If you find it helpful, you can review the application questions and draft your responses by downloading the MS Word version of the application questions here.

To review the program details, see our RFP here.

	Location/ Site Name	Open/Closed
New Site Location 1
New Site Location 2
New Site Location 3
New Site Location 4
New Site Location 5
New Site Location 6
New Site Location 7
New Site Location 8
New Site Location 9
New Site Location 10

	Location/ Site Name	Reason for termination	Open/Closed
Terminated Site 1
Terminated Site 2
Terminated Site 3
Terminated Site 4
Terminated Site 5
Terminated Site 6
Terminated Site 7
Terminated Site 8
Terminated Site 9
New Site Location 10

	Location/ Site Name	Open/Closed	2025 Status
Non-congregate Site 1
Non-congregate Site 2
Non-congregate Site 3
Non-congregate Site 4
Non-congregate Site 5
Non-congregate Site 6
Non-congregate Site 7
Non-congregate Site 8
Non-congregate Site 9
Non-congregate Site 10

	Summer 2025
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

	Summer 2026
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

2026 Summer Eats Grant Application

NEW REQUIREMENT:

SIGN UP & LOG IN TO JOTFORM

We've switched to Jotform for our grant applications in an effort to improve user experience!

SIGN UP or LOG IN BEFORE you start the application

2026 Summer Eats Grant Application

Background

Eligibility

Award Range and Allowable Expenses

Funding Priorities

Required Summer Eats Outreach Activities

Criteria Used for Grant Review

Application Process and Deadline

Reporting and Program Requirements

Contact Information

Review application questions before you get started

Applicant Information

Funding Ranges are as follows:

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Alternate Contact

Financial/ Business Manager Contact

Population Served

Program Description

Proposed Use of Funds

All efforts to expand participation in Summer Eats will be considered for funding. However, preference will be given to applicants who will incorporate one or more of the five funding priorities below.

Budget

Please detail your plans for spending the funds requested to provide context to your proposed budget below.

(Will this subsidize a major project? Will this grant cover items not covered by other grants? etc.)

Funding Categories

Program Promotion and Outreach

Participation

Grant funds are intended to assist sponsors in increasing participation at open sites in their Summer Eats Program.

Site Information