2023 Equipment Assistance Grant Scoring Criteria

Summary of the 100 Point Scoring Criteria

Using the Equipment Assistance Grant (EAG) Application Scoring Worksheet, Nutrition Services Division staff will score applications from school food authorities (SFA) based on the following areas:

(A) Points for description of the site/s need for the equipment grant(up to 30 points):

• Up to 30 points for SFAs that provide a strong justification for needing grant funds at their site/s. A strong justification will have specific data and information that supports the site/s needs. Example of information that can be included could be: equipment has not been replaced in over 15 years; not enough storage space for food service operations and serve health meals, the school is in a low-income or underserved area where F/RP is X percent; the SFA is experiencing supply chain issues or disruptions; equipment is necessary to implement the Universal Meals program.

• Up to 20 points for SFAs that provide an average justification for grant need. An average justification lacks in specifics but is relevant to the application goals. An example would be equipment is old and outdated and food quality can be improved with new equipment; the equipment grant will allow the school to purchase necessary equipment to start serving breakfast to the students or the equipment is needed to serve universal meals. These statements are informative but lack specific details.

• Up to 10 points for SFAs that provide a weak justification for grant need. A weak justification lacks specifics and does not adequately describe the need for a grant. Very little to no detail.

(B) Points for description of equipment (up to 30 points):

Documentation in the form of a narrative of how funding will support specified efforts. SFAs will be awarded the most points for providing a strong justification, which includes documentation that the equipment is essential to achievement and how the SFA will sustain improvement in one or more of the following four focus areas:

1. Improve nutritional quality, serve healthier meals, and meet nutritional standards
   
   
2. Improve food safety and the safely serve meals
   
   
3. Replacing equipment that is outdated or worn
   
   
4. Support the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of the School Breakfast Program.

• Up to 30 points for SFAs that provide a strong justification that the equipment is necessary for achievement in one or more of the four focus areas. A strong justification must define numbers and percentages when identifying need and effect. An example of things to include would be current equipment is X number of years old; equipment will allow for on-site preparation of fresh fruits and vegetables, which will increase consumption by 30 percent and reduce produce costs by 20 percent; equipment will expand refrigeration capacity, which will decrease delivery costs and help add in supply chain delays, and with X savings the SFA can buy more refrigeration for implementation of Universal Meals; equipment will allow the site to serve breakfast and expand breakfast participation by at least 90 percent. A strong justification will also define how the SFA will sustain improvement in the four focus areas in detail if awarded the requested equipment. To receive all 30 points, an SFA must specifically document how the equipment will help improve all four focus areas and include lots of details in their narrative.
  
  
• Up to 20 points for SFAs that provide an average justification for the equipment being necessary for making achievements in one or more of the four focus areas. An average justification will draw a strong correlation between the need and effect of equipment but may fail to identify specific numbers or percentages when identifying need and affect. An example would be equipment will allow staff to store foods needed to implement a breakfast program or equipment will allow the school to expand refrigeration capacity so that it can cut down on delivery costs. An average justification will also make mention of how the SFA plans to sustain improvement in the four focus areas, but provide little detail. These statements are informative but lack specific details.
  
  
• Up to 10 points for SFAs that provide a weak justification for why this equipment is necessary for achieving one or more of the four focus areas. A weak justification will lack specifics and does not describe a need for a grant or how the SFA will sustain improvement in the four focus areas. An example would be equipment will increase food safety but applicant fails to describe how; equipment will expand refrigeration capacity but applicant fails to describe how the increased capacity will have an effect on their food service program.

(C) Points for indicating the four focus areas will be addressed by selecting specific bullet points (up to 40 points):

• 10 points for improving nutritional quality, serving healthier meals, and meeting nutritional standards
  
  
  • Provides more fruits and vegetables at lunch or breakfast
    
    
  • Increases storage space
    
    
  • Enables scratch cooking
    
    
  • Increases ability to prepare foods in a healthy manner such as steaming, baking, or grilling
    
    
• 10 points for improving food safety and the safety of the students
  
  
  • Decreases cross-contamination risks
    
    
  • Improves sanitation
    
    
  • Maintains proper temperature
    
    
  • Replaces outdated or worn equipment
    
    
• 10 points for replacing equipment that is outdated or worn
  
  
  • Increases energy efficiency
    
    
  • Replaces equipment that is over 15 years old

• 10 points for supporting the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of the School Breakfast Program and Universal Meals
  
  
  • Enables preparation and service of additional meals needed to implement Universal Meals
    
    
  • Adds additional serving locations around school as allowable
    
    
  • Expands the breakfast program