Increasing student access to school breakfast supports the positive correlations between adequate child nutrition and a child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development. There is also a correlation between adequate nutrition and a child’s ability to perform well in school. Documented research has proven that school breakfasts improve attendance and increase a child’s readiness to learn.

The Illinois Breakfast After the Bell Grant Program supports implementation of Breakfast After the Bell service models in schools to make school breakfast more accessible to students.

This program is subject to appropriation.

Program Background/History

Funding Source: State
Legislative Reference: 105 ILCS 126/18
CSFA Number: 586-84-3442
CSFA Title: Breakfast After the Bell Grant Program
Appropriations and Grant Awards by Fiscal Year:

FY 2025: $300,000

Program Description

Subject to appropriation, the Illinois State Board of Education shall award grants of up to $7,000 per school site on a competitive basis to eligible schools, school districts, or entities approved by the State Board of Education for nonrecurring expenses incurred in initiating a Breakfast After the Bell Program under Section 16 of the Childhood Hunger Relief Act (105 ILCS 126).

Each school may determine the Breakfast After the Bell service model that best suits its students. Service models include, but are not limited to, breakfast in the classroom, grab-and-go breakfast, and second-chance breakfast.

Grant awards shall be used for nonrecurring costs of initiating a Breakfast After the Bell Program, including, but not limited to:

Acquisition of equipment.
Training of staff in new capacities.
Outreach efforts to publicize new or expanded school breakfast programs.
Minor alterations to accommodate new equipment.
Computer point-of-service systems for food service.
Purchase of vehicles for transporting food to schools.

Eligibility and Priority

This program is open to public schools in Illinois.

Eligible entities are school districts, charter schools, and Regional Offices of Education. In addition, an entity must be eligible and approved to operate the federal School Nutrition Programs.

Preference shall be given to grant applicants that do all of the following:

Submit a plan to start or expand School Breakfast Programs in the school district or educational service region including:

A description of each eligible school's Breakfast After the Bell Program and involvement of stakeholders in developing the program.
A budget that outlines the nonrecurring expenses needed to initiate the program at each school.
A description of any public or private resources that will support the program.

Agree to operate a Breakfast After the Bell Program for at least three school years.
Have higher rates of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

How to Apply

When funds are available, ISBE will post a Notice of Funding Opportunity/Request for Proposals on this page.

In accordance with the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA), eligible entities must meet prequalification requirements to apply for federal or state grant funding. Refer to the Registration Process section on the GATA webpage for more information. Questions about prequalification requirements should be sent to gata@isbe.net.