State Board of Education Partners with DHHS to Transform Rural School Nutrition

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) is accepting applications for a grant opportunity that will provide more than $2.2 million in funding though the Nebraska Rural Health Transformation Program to help rural schools improve the quality of school meals. NDE is partnering with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on the initiative funded by a five-year grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The program aims to improve the health and academic outcomes of students in rural Nebraska through enhanced school nutrition programs.

As part of the program, DHHS will partner with the NDE to lead objectives directly benefiting school food service operations across the state.

"Research consistently shows that nutrition is fundamental to a student's physical and mental well-being," said Commissioner of Education Dr. Brian Maher. "When students have reliable access to nutritious meals, they are better focused, have more energy, and are more likely to attend school regularly. This program is a vital step in reducing chronic absenteeism and accelerating student achievement across our rural communities."

The Nebraska Rural Health Transformation Program will provide direct support to schools participating in the USDA National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs through several key initiatives:
**Infrastructure Grants: Rural schools or districts can apply for grants of up to $100,000 per year to modernize food preparation and storage infrastructure. This funding will help schools transition toward scratch and semi-scratch cooking.
**Local Procurement Support: The NDE will provide technical assistance to help schools navigate the procurement and acquisition of locally produced and grown food items.
**Healthy Kitchen-Ready Products: Grants will be available for food infrastructure equipment designed to develop products that reduce the preparation burden on school kitchen staff.
**Professional Development: The NDE will implement the Nebraska School Nutrition Training Institute, offering school food service staff continuing education and experiential learning focused on scratch-cooking techniques and chronic-disease-prevention menu design.

By removing barriers to healthy meals, the program aligns with the NDE Strategic Plan to improve student achievement and reduce chronic absenteeism by supporting the holistic well-being of Nebraska’s students.

Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2026, unless all available funds are committed prior to that date and can be found online at https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Grant-Opportunities.aspx#docaccess-6f7aa0f812cd8d4652ae95e8291646c0.