U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service

Summer Food Service Program for Children

Federal program · program number 10.559 (the federal Assistance Listing number)

Open now: None right now
Closed for this year: 1 grant, next round estimated
Type of help: Formula grant (amounts set by a formula)

How this money reaches Tennessee: this is a formula program. The federal government sends it to the state (or to large cities and counties), and a Tennessee agency usually passes it on to local groups as pass-through grants. Ask the state agency that runs it, or your regional development district, when their next local round opens.

Closed for this year

This year's round is over. GrantMe estimated the next round from last year's dates.

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsor reimbursement · Next round: about Jan 30 – May 1, 2027 Estimate, not confirmed by the funder

What it pays for

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) operates SFSP in partnership with State agencies and local organizations to provide free meals to eligible children during the summer months and at other approved times when school is not in session. USDA assists States through grants-in-aid and other means to conduct nonprofit food service programs for children through the SFSP.

Who can apply

The State (includes District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) agency applies for and signs an agreement to receive Federal funds for disbursement. The State agency enters into an agreement with each sponsor that has been approved for participation. The agreement is permanent and may be amended as necessary to ensure compliance with all Federal requirements. Sponsors must agree to operate a nonprofit food service that is available to all eligible children regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, age, or disability.

Match

Match: none required (federal program listing). Statutory Formula: Title 7, Part 5, Subpart a-f,Public Law Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act

Who in Tennessee has won this program

2 awards to Tennessee groups since 2024. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee winners
Past winner	Where	Amount	Fiscal year
State of Tennessee	Nashville	$37.6M spent that year	2025
Tennessee Department of Education	Athens, McMinn County	$5,982 spent that year	2025

Source: Federal Audit Clearinghouse.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization

This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. In Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Human Services and Tennessee Department of Education and Tennessee Department of Agriculture pass it on: watch those agencies for applications, not the federal agency. 51 pass-through grants on file. Largest shown:

Tennessee pass-through grant winners
Past winner	Where	Through	Amount	Fiscal year
YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South	Cordova, Shelby County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$10.8M spent that year	2025
East Tennessee Human Resource Agency	Knoxville, Knox County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$5M spent that year	2025
Shelby County Board of Education	Memphis, Shelby County	State of Tennessee	$2.3M spent that year	2025
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee	Nashville, Davidson County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$2.3M spent that year	2025
Tnkids Nutrition	Springfield, Robertson County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$2M spent that year	2024
Monroe County, Tennessee	Madisonville, Monroe County	East Tennessee Human Service Program for Children	$1.6M spent that year	2025
Claiborne County, Tennessee	Tazewell, Claiborne County	East Tennessee Human Resource Agency	$1.4M spent that year	2025
Shelby County Board of Education	Memphis, Shelby County	U.S. Department of Agriculture	$1.1M spent that year	2023
Monroe County, Tennessee	Madisonville, Monroe County	East Tennessee Human Resource Agency	$883K spent that year	2024
Southwest Human Resource Agency	Henderson, Chester County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$763K spent that year	2024
Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee	Knoxville, Knox County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$744K spent that year	2024
Young Mens Christian Association of Metropolitan Chattanooga	Chattanooga, Hamilton County	Tennessee Department of Human Services	$678K spent that year	2025

Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).