On September 23, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 167 Education Finance: Education Omnibus trailer bill into law. This law appropriated $150 million from the State of California’s General Fund to the California Department of Education (CDE) to fund kitchen infrastructure upgrades and food service staff training. School kitchen upgrades are intended to increase access to, or improve the quality of, fresh and nutritious school meals. Local educational agencies (LEA) should consider using these funds when planning for the implementation of California’s Universal Meals Program. Food service staff training provided through these funds will focus on promoting nutritious foods. Funds must be spent by June 30, 2023. Funding is noncompetitive and eligible entities must register their interest via an online survey.

Funds will be allocated to LEAs, including school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, that sponsor the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP). Funding amounts for each eligible LEA are based on data and formulas explained in AB 167 and include data from all eligible sites within an LEA’s sponsorship.

These funds are only available to LEAs defined in AB 167 as school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools. Only LEAs that are a program sponsor of the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s NSLP or SBP will receive funding. An LEA program sponsor is one with a written agreement with the CDE, Nutrition Services Division and has a valid Child Nutrition Information and Payment System identification number on file on or before the deadline date for submission of this registration form.

Funding is noncompetitive. Program sponsors of the NSLP or the SBP must register their interest in receiving these funds via an online survey by the deadline.

Timeline Registration Form Expenditures Overview: Kitchen Infrastructure Expenditures Overview: Food Service Staff Training Procurement Reporting

Note: The opt-in registration deadline has passed. Late submissions will be accepted, but there is no guarantee of funding.

The KIT Registration Form reserves noncompetitive funding for kitchen infrastructure upgrades and training for food service staff. Funding allotments will be distributed to NSLP and SBP sponsors on behalf of all eligible sites served by the sponsor. LEAs should consider equipment and infrastructure needs for all sites in anticipation for implementing California’s Universal Meals Program.

To receive these funds, eligible LEAs must submit an online opt-in registration form no later than 5 p.m. on January 14, 2022. This opt-in registration form must be submitted by an authorized representative of the agency; this is the individual currently on file in the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System.

Following submission of the opt-in registration form, applicants will receive a confirmation email from the CDE. Maintain this confirmation email for your records.

Kitchen infrastructure and equipment purchased with these funds must be for the use of the LEA’s food service department. Additionally, KIT funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, any federal funds made available through the Child Nutrition Programs.

This funding can be used to purchase, repair, or fund infrastructure improvements, including those needed to implement the Universal Meals Program, at the district, county office of education, or school-site level such as electrical, plumbing, and construction related to the following four categories:

These funds may also be used for any eligible items already purchased, repaired, or installed since the date that this funding was approved, July 9, 2021.

For a more detailed listing of allowable and unallowable kitchen infrastructure expenses, review the Kitchen Infrastructure entries in the Allowable Expenses tab of this web page.

Trainings provided with these funds are for the benefit of food service staff at the district, county office of education, or school-site level. Funds should be used for food service staff that are employees of the LEA. The term “staff” is inclusive of food service managers. If attendance extends beyond food service staff, you may only use these funds to pay the amount proportional to the food service staff in attendance.

Training topics must focus on promoting nutritious foods, which may include:

Training can be achieved through a variety of methods. When selecting training methods, keep in mind that the purpose of these funds is to build skills and develop capacity for food service staff to promote nutritious foods. LEAs should also consider food service training needs for the implementation of the Universal Meals Program.

Examples of training methods may include:

Additionally, these funds may be used to pay for staff travel to an allowable training. Follow your agency’s travel procedures when considering funding staff travel.

The LEA must keep records documenting trainings to include:

These funds must be used on expenditures that are reasonable, necessary, and allocable and must supplement, not supplant, any federal funds made available through the Child Nutrition Programs.

For a more detailed listing of allowable and unallowable training topics, review the Food Service Staff Training subheadings in the Allowable Expenses tab of this web page.

These funds are state General Fund monies. At a minimum, your LEA must follow all applicable procurement processes and guidelines, which may include, but not be limited to:

Keep in mind, these purchases may also fall under emergency procurement protocols.

As a condition of accepting these funds, LEAs must commit to completing a mandatory expenditure report. This report will gather details on how the funds were used to improve the quality of school meals or increase participation. This report will also gather information on the food service staff training topics and number of trainings and attendees. The CDE anticipates that this report will be submitted in the form of an online survey. This survey will be available by May 2023, and will be due by June 30, 2023.

Funding Announcements Funding Mechanism and Timelines Funding Formulas Tracking Funds Expenditure Deadline

Funding amounts for both the kitchen infrastructure and food service staff training awards are located on the CDE Funding Results web page and the Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Funding Results web page. Additional funding information can be found in the listserv titled KIT Funds Available for Eligible Program Operators.

Following the timely receipt of the opt-in registration form, the CDE will release 100 percent of each LEA’s available funds. The CDE expects to disburse funds to the County Treasurer’s Offices by March 2022.

Kitchen Infrastructure and Training (KIT) Funds must be expended by June 30, 2023.

Unused funds must be returned within 30 days of receiving a CDE billing notice.

This is a noncompetitive, voluntary funding opportunity. Eligible LEAs may decline these funds altogether, or may accept less than the total amount designated.

Do not expend any funds until the allocation has been finalized and distributed. However, you are encouraged to begin to develop an internal plan and process to help prepare for these expenditures.

Note: The funding approaches provided in this section are only an estimate and amounts awarded may change based on responses to this survey. Eligible LEAs will be notified of their final funding amounts in early 2022.

This funding must be used to increase pupil access to, or improve the quality of, fresh and nutritious school meals. LEAs should consider infrastructure and equipment needs to implement the Universal Meals Program.

Total Amount of Funds Available to Distribute: $120,000,000

Each eligible LEA may request a noncompetitive, base funding level of up to $25,000 to use for Kitchen Infrastructure upgrades. The remaining funds are allocated to eligible program sponsors with 50 percent or more of their student population eligible for free or reduced-price (F/RP) meals. These funds are distributed proportionately based on the number of eligible pupils. Eligible program sponsors will be notified of their final funding amounts in early 2022. For planning purposes, your LEA may estimate an approximate Kitchen Infrastructure funding level using this approach:

Actual award amounts will be posted on the CDE Funding Results web page.

This funding must be used for food service staff to receive training on promoting nutritious foods, which may include training on food preparation, healthy food marketing, and changing the school lunchroom environment.

Eligible program sponsors may be awarded a base allocation of up to $2,000. Additional funds may be awarded based on the total number of NSLP meals served in October 2020 in proportion to the number of NSLP meals served from all eligible program sponsors.

Expenditure of these funds must be used solely for food service staff to receive training on promoting nutritious foods, which may include training on food preparation, healthy food marketing, and changing the school lunchroom environment. LEAs should also consider food service training needs to implement the Universal Meals Program.

If attendance extends beyond food service staff, you may only use these funds to pay the amount proportional to the food service staff in attendance.

Training award amounts are posted on the CDE Funding Results web page.

Once received, KIT Funds should be deposited into the agency’s general fund account. The KIT Funds should be accounted for, and tracked separately from, the nonprofit school food service account (also known as the cafeteria fund). If you deposit KIT funds into your Fund 13, also called the cafeteria fund, KIT funds will take on the rules governing the cafeteria fund, which will result in greater restriction of use.

Cafeteria funds can be used to supplement equipment purchased with Kitchen Infrastructure Funds, but additional federal requirements must be met, including:

Cafeteria fund expenditures not in compliance with federal regulation may be subject to disallowance.

Though you may only receive one warrant, it is important to note that kitchen infrastructure funds and training funds are awarded separately.

Funds must be used only for the purposes for which they were awarded. You may not use training funds for kitchen infrastructure efforts, or vice versa.

For more information on restrictions and regulations governing the use of cafeteria funds please see the CDE Cafeteria Fund Guidance web page.

To request approval for cafeteria fund expenditures, please contact the Resource Management Unit at SNPCafeFundQuestions@cde.ca.gov.

The CDE has created two new standardized account code structure (SACS) resource codes to help you record KIT Funds. Please ensure the revenue is deposited into the agency’s general fund using the resource codes below:

SACS Resource Code 7028: Kitchen infrastructure and equipment

SACS Resource Code 7029: Food service staff training

Both resource codes are now available in the SACS tables of valid code combinations. If you have questions about the accounting for these funds using the new resource codes, please contact the School Fiscal Services Division at SACSINFO@cde.ca.gov.

Also note that indirect costs are not an allowable expense for either kitchen infrastructure and equipment funds or food service staff training funds.

Funds must be expended by June 30, 2023. Unexpended funds must be returned to the CDE within 30 days of invoicing.

Below is a listing of allowable kitchen infrastructure expenses by the four categories noted in the law. This list is not exhaustive. Kitchen infrastructure and equipment purchased with these funds must be for the use of the LEA’s food service department. Kitchen infrastructure and equipment costs incurred must be reasonable and necessary.

Cooking equipment and supporting infrastructure system needs, includes but not limited to:

Service equipment, includes but not limited to:

Refrigeration and storage, includes but not limited to:

While these funds are flexible, any infrastructure or equipment that does not meet their purpose, which is to “increase pupil access to, or improve the quality of, fresh and nutritious school meals,” or is not deemed reasonable and necessary is not allowable. Some unallowable expenses include:

Trainings provided with these funds are for the benefit of food service staff at the district, county office of education, or school-site level. Funds should be used for food service staff that are employees of the LEA. Training costs incurred must be reasonable and necessary.

The LEA must keep records documenting trainings to include:

Below is a listing of allowable food service staff training topics. This list is not exhaustive.

KIT funds may pay for staff salaries associated with trainings conducted during typical work time as well as trainings conducted outside of normal work hours.

If internal staff are providing the training, KIT funds may be used to fund staff costs to develop and present the training; in this instance, it is important to ensure that only one funding source, federal or state funding, is charged for this time.

As a reminder, LEAs are responsible for the proper tracking and accounting for both federal and state funds associated with staff time and substitutes.

KIT funds may pay for consultants hired to conduct trainings and build staff capacity to promote nutritious foods.

While these funds are flexible, any training that does not meet their purpose, which is “for food service staff to receive training on promoting nutritious foods, which may include training on food preparation, healthy food marketing, and changing the school lunchroom environment,” or deemed unreasonable and unnecessary, is not allowable. Additional food service staff training unallowable expenses include:

For questions about purchases or training topics not listed, email KITfunds@cde.ca.gov. Please include the name or type of infrastructure, equipment, or training in question and include a brief justification for how it meets the objectives of this funding.

Eligibility Applying Funding Procurement Allowable Uses of Funds Reporting

Eligible LEAs include public school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools that are NSLP or SBP sponsors. Applications for sponsorship must be complete at the time the opt-in registration for the KIT funding is due.

Sponsors administering nutrition programs on behalf of other LEAs should include the equipment and training needs of all sites under their administration. LEAs that participate, but are not sponsors, do not submit separate registrations for this funding.

Applicants must be approved sponsors at the time the online opt-in registration form is due. Late applications may be submitted following approval; however, funding is not guaranteed for late applications.

The CDE has developed an online registration form. Sponsors of the NSLP and SBP are required to complete this form by 5 p.m. on January 14, 2022. Late applications will be accepted; however, funding amounts may be impacted, as registration forms completed on time will be prioritized for funding.

To complete the registration form, have the following information available:

All eligible LEAs can request a Kitchen Infrastructure Fund base amount of up to $25,000. Remaining Kitchen Infrastructure Funds will be disbursed proportionately among those LEAs that completed the online opt-in registration form by the deadline and that have an enrollment of 50 percent or more of students eligible for F/RP meals. All eligible LEAs can request a food service training base amount of up to $2,000. Remaining food service training funds will be disbursed proportionately among those LEAs that completed the online opt-in registration form by the deadline and based on the total number of lunches served in October 2020. Once available, funding estimates for Kitchen Infrastructure and food service staff training will be posted in the Funding tab of this web page.

Any rebate, discount, or credit for purchase must be subtracted from the total cost. For example, if a piece of equipment originally costs $6,000 and later the vendor offered a $100 rebate for purchase of the equipment, with a resulting actual cost of $5,900, the school food authority (SFA) may only use $5,900 of the Kitchen Infrastructure Funds for this purchase. SFAs should work with vendors while obtaining the initial quotes to determine whether there are any rebates, discounts, or credits prior to purchasing the equipment.

LEAs must follow all state and local procurement standards.

Visit the Allowable Expenses tab of this web page and reference the list of Kitchen Infrastructure–Allowable Expenses for information on approved equipment purchases. If you have questions regarding a specific purchase and it is not listed in that document, please email KITfunds@cde.ca.gov with the name of the equipment and how it increases pupil access to, or improves the quality of fresh and nutritious school meals. Note that you may also use these funds for any eligible items already purchased, repaired, or installed since the date that this funding was approved, July 9, 2021. Additionally, these funds can be used to repair existing equipment and to fund infrastructure improvements such as plumbing, electrical, and construction related to the four categories of allowable expenses: cooking equipment and supporting infrastructure system needs, service equipment, refrigeration and storage, and transportation of ingredients, meals, and equipment between sites.

Yes. LEAs are strongly encouraged to review their potential needs for kitchen equipment and associated infrastructure, as well as any service, refrigeration, storage, or transportation needs to support meal service initiation or expansion associated with the Universal Meals Program. Additionally, LEAs are also strongly encouraged to review the potential and allowable training topics that will build skills that will both promote nutritious meals and support the implementation of California’s Universal Meals Program.

Training funds can only be used for food service staff to receive training on promoting nutritious foods, which may include training on food preparation, healthy food marketing, and changing the school lunchroom environment. Visit the Allowable Expenses tab of this web page and reference the list of Food Service Staff Training–Allowable Expenses for approved training topics. If you have questions regarding a specific training that is not listed in that document, please email KITfunds@cde.ca.gov and provide the training content and how it relates to promoting nutritious foods.

No. Funds must be used for the purpose for which they were awarded.

These funds are exclusively for food service staff that are employees of the LEA. If other staff, or contracted food service staff, attend trainings, these funds can cover only the prorated cost of the training based on the proportion of LEA food service staff in attendance.

Yes. KIT training funds can be used to pay for staff time associated with trainings conducted both during a typical work day as well as trainings conducted outside of normal work hours.

When KIT-funded trainings are provided during work time, local educational agencies (LEAs) can use the KIT training funds to pay for staff salaries for the time and staff attending the KIT-funded training, or the KIT training funds can be used to pay for substitute staff that assume staff duties while staff are attending the trainings, but KIT training funds cannot be used to pay for both the staff and the substitute hours. As a reminder, LEAs are responsible for the proper tracking and accounting for both federal and state funds associated with staff time and substitutes. KIT funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, any federal funds made available through the Child Nutrition Programs.

Yes. If internal staff are providing the training, KIT training funds may be used to fund staff costs to develop and present the training; in this instance, it is important to ensure that only one funding source, federal or state funding, is charged for this time. As a reminder, LEAs are responsible for the proper tracking and accounting for both federal and state funds associated with staff time and substitutes. KIT funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, any federal funds made available through the Child Nutrition Programs.

Can KIT training funds be used to provide training that include staff of a Food Service Management Company (FSMC)? Yes, the LEA can train their food service staff, as well as FSMC staff if there is no additional or incremental cost to providing the training to FSMC staff. KIT funds should be used to supplement, not supplant, the federal professional standards training requirements. Note that KIT training funds cannot be awarded to an FSMC to provide training.

Yes, KIT training funds can be used to pay consultants to provide training in both group settings and 1:1.  KIT funds cannot be used to pay consultants to do the work in place of food service staff; the consultants should instead provide training and services that build capacity of food service staff to do the job themselves.

We have submitted our online registration and our anticipated expenditures differ from what we reported. Do we need to revise our registration? No. As long as the actual purchases are allowable, you do not need to resubmit your agency’s online registration form. For information about allowable expenditures, review the documents on the Resources tab of this web page. You may also send questions to KITfunds@cde.ca.gov.

Equipment must be purchased within the funding period of July 9, 2021, through June 30, 2023.

Yes. Program sponsors are encouraged to consider the kitchen infrastructure needs of all participating NSLP and SBP sites under their sponsorship while making purchases with these funds. For example, a program sponsor can purchase finishing equipment for reheating cook chill foods, or additional storage such as freezers, at the meal sites under their sponsorship.

Yes. KIT equipment funds can be used to pay for planning activities that support equipment purchases, such as architectural fees, blueprint drafting, preparing architectural scope of work. 

Yes. KIT equipment funds can fund warranties and service agreements for equipment that would otherwise be allowable through this funding source.

If equipment and training needs have changed since you submitted your opt-in survey, and they remain an allowable use of these funds, there is no requirement to contact the CDE or to submit a new survey response.

Participating LEAs will be asked to report to the CDE how they used the funding to improve the quality of school meals or increase participation in subsidized school meal programs. For the Kitchen Infrastructure funding, recipients will be asked to provide narrative responses to these questions as well as basic expenditure reports. Photos are appreciated and optional. For the training funds, recipients will be asked to provide narrative responses to these questions with respect to the training activities, as well as dates, training topics, and number of food service staff trained.

Submit questions regarding this funding to KITfunds@cde.ca.gov.

To request approval for cafeteria fund expenditures, contact the Resource Management Unit at SNPCafeFundQuestions@cde.ca.gov.

For general questions regarding the SNP, contact your SNP Analyst on the CDE SNP Specialist Directory web page.

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