Uncertainty ahead: K-12 operators and nonprofit partners wade through confusion amid federal funding freezeUncertainty ahead: K-12 operators and nonprofit partners wade through confusion amid federal funding freeze

Editor's note: NBC News is reporting the Trump Administration has issued a memo rescinding the federal freeze for the time being.

On Monday, the White House issued a memo putting an abrupt freeze on federal funding that was set to go into effect at 5 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. While a judge has issued a temporary pause on the freeze, it has left K-12 foodservice operators and other industry leaders rushing to determine the extent of the freeze and how the segment, which relies heavily on federal assistance, could be impacted.  

Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and other federal school nutrition programs could be impacted the most since they rely on federal funding to help keep their nutrition department afloat and help provide meals to low-income students.

School nutrition programs are already operating under tight budgets. According to a recent survey by the School Nutrition Association (SNA), which included responses from 1,390 school meal program directors nationwide, nearly all respondents (96.8%) indicated their programs require increased funding, with 69.5% citing an “extreme need” for more funds.

The SNA shared on its website that it is currently in contact with its partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to figure out the extent of the freeze and how the National School Lunch Program and other school nutrition programs could be affected. 

“The School Nutrition Association shares concerns with its members about any pause in federal funding that could limit children’s access to healthy school meals,” the organization stated. “School nutrition programs depend on monthly federal reimbursements to cover food, labor and supply expenditures associated with preparing school meals that millions of students rely on to fuel their school day.”

Also in flux are various grant programs that support school nutrition, including the USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm To School Grant Program and the various sub-grants under the department’s $100 million Healthy School Meals Initiative. 

One of those sub-grants is the Partnership for Local Agricultural & Nutrition Transformation in Schools (PLANTS) grant which is being administered in partnership with school nutrition nonprofit, The Chef Ann Foundation. 

The program awarded between $500,000 and $600,000 in grant funding to eight separate projects aimed at helping school nutrition professionals and local suppliers transform their local supply chain in order to bring more scratch-made meals using local products to schools. The projects are due to be completed in 2027.

Like the SNA, the Chef Ann Foundation is also working with its industry partners to decipher how the freeze will impact PLANTS and its other programs going forward. 

“We are currently working with our partners to understand what the federal grant funding freeze means for our existing programs,” Chef Ann Foundation CEO Mara Fleishman shared with FoodService Director. “In the meantime, we and our partners remain committed to advancing programs that are focused on improving the health of our kids and strengthening our communities."