School Breakfast Program (10.553)

Program

10.553 School Breakfast Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Agriculture
Office: Food and Nutrition Service

Authorization

Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 1773, 1779, Public Laws 104-193, 100-435, 99-661, 97-35. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5.

Program Number

10.553

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To assist States in providing a nutritious nonprofit breakfast service for school children, through cash grants and food donations.

Types of Assistance

Formula Grants (Apportionments)

Uses and Use Restrictions

Federally appropriated School Breakfast Program funds are available to reimburse participating public and nonprofit private schools, of high school grade and under and residential child care institutions, for breakfasts, meeting the nutritional requirements prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture, served to eligible children. The rates of reimbursement are adjusted on an annual basis to reflect changes in the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers. For the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, the rates of reimbursement are 26.0 cents for paid breakfasts, 116.0 cents for each reduced price breakfast, and 146.0 cents for each free breakfast. The maximum reduced price charged for breakfast is 30 cents. Schools serving 40 percent or more free and reduced price lunches in the second preceding school year get up to 144.0 cents and 174.0 cents for each breakfast served to children qualifying, respectively, for a reduced price and a free breakfast. All participating schools must agree to serve free and reduced price meals to eligible children, and to operate the program on a nonprofit basis for all children regardless of race, sex, color, National origin, age, or disability. School aged children receive one of three benefit levels based on an application used to determine need.

Please refer to Program Regulations (CFR)
Part 210 -- National School Lunch Program
Part 215 -- Special Milk Program
Part 220 -- School Breakfast Program
Part 235 -- State Administrative Expense
Part 245 -- Free and Reduced Price Eligibility.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State and U.S. Territory agencies; (except territories subject to the requirements to the Compact of Free Association) public and nonprofit private schools of high school grade and under; public and nonprofit private residential child care institutions, except Job Corps Centers. Schools desiring to participate must agree to operate a nonprofit breakfast program that is available to all children regardless of race, sex, color, National origin, age, or disability.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All children attending schools where the breakfast program is operating may participate. Breakfast is served free to children who are determined by local educational agencies to have household income levels at or below 130 percent, and at a reduced price to children from households with incomes higher than 130 but at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty line, respectively. Meals served to non-needy children also get cash assistance. Such determinations are made in accordance with income eligibility guidelines prescribed by the Secretary and cross reference household income with household size. The Secretary prescribes these income eligibility guidelines by July 1; the statistical source used in making such revisions is the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines. Children from households certified to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and some children in Head Start Programs are automatically eligible for free meals. Homeless children, children in certain runaway and homeless youth grant programs, and migrant children are automatically eligible for free meals.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicant organizations must furnish evidence of nonprofit status. Costs will be determined in accordance with USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations (7 CFR Part 3015 or 3016 and 3019). OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Public schools in all States make application to the State Educational Agency unless the State applies or is approved for a waiver to designate an alternate agency. Appropriate forms may be obtained from this agency. Nonprofit private schools should also apply to the State Educational Agency in most States. In some States, however, the State Educational Agency is prohibited by statute from disbursing Federal funds to nonprofit private schools. In such instances, the application will be referred to the alternate State agency or the appropriate Food and Nutrition Service regional office.

Award Procedure

When application is approved, schools make agreements with appropriate agency.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Agreements become effective upon approval by the State Agency or FNSRO, where applicable.

Appeals

None. The State Agency or Food and Nutrition Service regional office, where applicable, is responsible for determining a school's eligibility.

Renewals

Permanent, amended as necessary.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory Formula: Federal funds are made available for breakfast assistance in accordance with Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act on a performance basis by: (1) multiplying the number of paid breakfasts served to eligible children during the fiscal year by a National Average Payment (NAP) prescribed by the Secretary; (2) multiplying the number of breakfasts served free to eligible children by a NAP prescribed by the Secretary for free breakfasts; and, (3) multiplying the number of reduced price breakfasts served to eligible children by a NAP prescribed by the Secretary for reduced-priced breakfasts. The amount of Federal funds given the grantee is the sum of the products obtained from these three computations, plus an additional 6 cents for every breakfast served. Schools with a high percentage of needy may receive additional payments. The statistical factors used in this formula are: (1) The NAP's; (2) the number of paid breakfasts served; and (3) the number of breakfasts served free or at reduced price to eligible children. The NAP's are prescribed by the Secretary and adjusted each July 1, in accordance with the Food Away From Home component of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The source of this adjustment factor is the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The source of the numbers of breakfasts served, including the number served free or at reduced price, is the monthly programmatic reports submitted to Food and Nutrition Service. This program has no maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

For the period covered by the agreement on a fiscal-year basis. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

State Agencies, schools and institutions file monthly reports on the number of meals served, by type, to claim for reimbursement. Schools and institutions must submit final meal claims to the State no later than 60 days after claiming month. States must submit final program reports to Food and Nutrition Service no later than 90 days after the claiming month. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. States must submit a final fiscal year grant closeout report to the Food and Nutrition Service no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which they pertain. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Schools must maintain full and accurate records of the breakfast program. Such records shall be retained for a period of 3 years after the end of the fiscal year to which they pertain, except that if audit findings have not been resolved, records shall be retained beyond the 3 year period until audit findings have been resolved.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: The number of schools and children participating in the breakfast program has been increasing. In fiscal year 2008, over 1.81 billion breakfasts were served, 80.4 percent to needy children. School breakfasts must provide, over a school week, 1/4 of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for key nutrients and 1/4 of the calories needed by growing children. They also must conform to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including limitations on calories from fat (no more than 30 percent of total calories) and saturated fat (less than 10 percent of total calories). Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

12-3539-0-1-605.

Obligations

(Formula Grants) FY 08 $2,393,028,000; FY 09 est $2,633,048,000; FY 10 est $2,866,683,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Federal cash assistance for school year 2009 ranged from 26.0 to 279.0 cents per meal depending on income levels of the individual participant and upon the number of free and reduced price meals served by the school. Individual State grants vary according to participation in the program.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Regulations 7 CFR Part 220-School Breakfast Program regulations, 7 CFR Part 245-Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and Free Milk in Schools.

Related Programs

10.555 National School Lunch Program; 10.556 Special Milk Program for Children; 10.557 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; 10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program; 10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children; 84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. See Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office

Cynthia Long 3101 Park Center Drive Room 640, Alexandria, Virginia 22302 Phone: 703-305-2590

Web Site Address

http://www.fns.usda.gov

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.