Program Data and Finances

The RIDE Eligibility Report provides detailed information about RI schools that participate in the USDA's National School Lunch Program.  This annual report is published in February and based on the most recent October 1st data.  It includes information on each school's:

• Enrollment
• Number and percent of children eligible for free or reduced-priced school meals
• Grade range

Totals by community are provided.  The data is provided for public, charter and private schools as well as participating residential child care institutions.

If you have any questions regarding these reports, please contact: Jessica Patrolia.

The new Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) makes it easier for all children in low-income communities have access to healthy meals at school.  CEP allows schools in high poverty areas to offer nutritious meals through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to all students at no change while eliminating school meal applications. Contact Jennifer Goodwin for additional information on CEP in RI.

Annually, RIDE distributes $621,011 to Sponsors participating in the National School Lunch Program.  As required by USDA, this  distribution is based on the lunches served by each Sponsor in the prior state year.  Below are reports of this distribution.  If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Patrolia. 

The RI School Breakfast Reimbursement Program provides State funding to school districts for participation in the State mandated Federal School Breakfast Program for supervision costs incurred in the individual schools.  These costs are not allowable expenses from the USDA reimbursements earned for breakfasts (paid, free and reduced priced meals) served to students.  Recent reports are below.  If you have any questions please contact Jessica Patrolia. 

USDA Supply Chain Assistance Funding

In school year 2021-2022, many operators of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) have been experiencing unprecedented challenges in purchasing and receiving food through their normal distribution channels. To assist school districts experiencing these supply chain disruptions, FNS has allocated relief funding to State agencies, made available through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and authorized under the CCC Charter Act [15 U.S.C. 714]. These resources will be referred to as Supply Chain Assistance (SCA) funds.

RIDE has received three rounds of Supply Chain Assistance Funding that have been/will be passed through to SFAs. The Round 1 initial distribution was made in April 2022, Round 2 funds were distributed in October 2022, Round 3 funds were distributed in March/April 2023, Round 4 funds were distributed in December 2023. See below for additional program details. 

Supply Chain Assistance Direct Funding Round 1 Payments

Supply Chain Assistance Direct Funding Round 2 Payments

Supply Chain Assistance Direct Funding Round 3 Payments

Supply Chain Assistance Direct Funding Round 4 Payments

Supply Chain Assistance Local Food Hub Option Allocations

FAQ Supply Chain Assistance Direct Funding

FAQ Supply Chain Assistance Local Food Hub Option

In March of 2022, State Agencies were made aware that the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service had established the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS).  With funding made available through USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA is helping states deal with the challenges of supply chain disruptions brought on by the pandemic.  Through the LFS program, USDA will award up to $200 million to states for food assistance purchases of domestic local foods for distribution to schools. This program will strengthen the food system for schools by helping to build a fair, competitive, and resilient local food chain, and expand local and regional markets with an emphasis on purchasing from historically underserved producers and processors. The RI Department of Education (RIDE) was allocated $560,189 in funding under this program, which was applied for and subsequently awarded in September of 2022.

RIDE will use the state’s allocation of LFS funding to support the purchase of unprocessed and minimally processed local foods from historically underserved producers and processors, for use by SFAs in the federally funded child nutrition programs. RIDE will administer this funding via a partnership with Farm Fresh RI - see below for additional program details and funding allocations. 

Local Food for Schools (LFS) FAQ

Local Food for Schools Funding Allocations by LEA