What to Expect
Selected sponsors will be part of OSPI's pilot program and will receive one year of unlimited access for all management and food service staff to SproutCNP’s interactive, on-demand, self-paced online training platform. Program directors and managers also receive access to SproutCNP’s Training Tracker, which allows monitoring of staff training completion and tracking of professional standards hours, as well as access to practical technology tools for optimizing operational efficiencies. More than 28 professional standards credit hours are currently available within the platform with more planned during the project period. Training topics include:
- Knife skills
- The Skill of As Purchased (AP) and Edible Portion (EP)
- Culinary Math
- Kitchen Management Operations
- Smart Produce Processing
- Time Standards and Work Schedules
- Measuring Productivity
- Forecasting and Ordering
- Director Bootcamp
- Procurement Masterclass
The pilot also includes four live, virtual OSPI trainings designed to put the skills learned in the on-demand courses into action to support practical incorporation of local foods into school meal programs.
Professional Development
Both live and on-demand trainings count toward United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) annual professional standards requirements. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians who complete the SproutCNP courses can also earn Continuing Professional Education Units through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
How To Apply
Review the Sprouting Success: Operations, Culinary Skills, and Farm-to-School Training Information Sheet and Scoring Matrix on the School Meal Programs training webpage. All SFAs who meet agreement and qualification criteria are invited to apply.
Applications are due October 23.
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This grant opportunity is available to public school districts, tribal compact schools, and charter schools.
How to Apply
Applicants may apply for a single school or multiple schools, including central kitchens. Grant applications are available on the OSPI Child Nutrition Grants webpage and are due Friday, October 30 by 11:59 pm PT.
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Note: Submission instructions are within the application and in the application guide on the Child Nutrition Grants webpage.
Focus Areas
This grant offers funding to start a School Breakfast Program (SBP) or other school meal program, increase participation and/or quality of an existing program, and improve the equipment and facilities used in an existing program.
Application and Grant Funding Resources
Questions? Contact CNSGrants@k12.wa.us.
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The Rooted in Excellence awards recognize excellence within school nutrition programs in Washington state. School Food Authorities (SFAs) that operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or SBP are eligible to apply. SFAs must be in good standing and not identified as high risk to be eligible for the awards. SFAs who are unsure about their organization’s status, can contact their program specialist. |
How to Apply
Applications open October 1 and close February 28, 2027. Visit the Rooted in Excellence Awards page for more information and to apply after applications open October 1.
Questions? Contact cnstraining@k12.wa.us.
2026 Awardee Feature: Vancouver Public Schools OSPI recognized Vancouver Public Schools last year for excellence in scratch cooking. During the 2025–26 school year, the district incorporated student feedback gathered through a middle school advisory group. Students requested more “Taco Tuesdays,” prompting the district to expand scratch‑made menu offerings such as pozole, arroz con pollo, enchilada bake, meatless fiesta bars, and tamale pie. Vancouver Public Schools also increased scratch cooking at breakfast by introducing a rotating menu of whole grain‑rich, scratch‑made muffins and granola, along with weekly “Fuel Up Friday” egg‑based dishes.
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Fight food waste and celebrate National Food Waste Prevention Week September 28–October 3! Engage students, staff, and the community with free online resources to support food waste prevention.
There are over 20 webinars happening during Food Waste Prevention Week, including:
It’s Elementary: Measures to Reduce Food Waste in K-12 Public Schools
Date: September 29
Time: 9–9:50 am PST
From Waste to Wellness: Food Waste Solutions that Empower Students for a Sustainable Future
Date: September 29
Time: 1–2 pm PST
Students and their families can enter the Cooking Challenge! Submit recipes that use up what’s on hand or promote low-waste cooking for a chance to win $100.
Sponsors are invited to apply for the Waste Not Washington School Awards. These awards promote sustainability by rewarding schools that build and expand waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs and lessons. The Waste Not Washington School Awards program has $260,000 for the 2026–27 funding cycle, and each award is up to $10,000. There are new award categories this year:
🗑️ Waste Prevention & Reduction
♻️ Organics Management & Recycling
🔍 Waste Assessment Award
🏆 Continuing Success Award
Applications are open August 1–October 31. Awards can support compliance with Washington’s organics management laws.
To learn more, register for office hours below:
These grants help strengthen child nutrition programs with new mobile equipment and marketing materials to launch mobile service lines, including breakfast in the classroom, breakfast grab-and-go, or smoothie carts.
Applications are due October 2.
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National School Lunch Week (NSLW) is celebrated each year during the second full week of October to recognize the vital role school lunch programs play in supporting student health, well-being, and academic achievement. In 2026, NSLW will be observed October 12–16 with the theme, “Cafeteria Circus: Where Nutrition Takes Center Stage!”, highlighting the creativity, teamwork, and commitment of school nutrition professionals. |
Schools across the country celebrate NSLW by:
- Hosting themed cafeteria events featuring circus-inspired decorations, activities, and student giveaways.
- Teaching students about nutrition and the benefits of making healthy food choices.
- Engaging families and community members to increase awareness of the importance of school meal programs.
- Recognizing the hard work and dedication of cafeteria staff who help ensure students receive nutritious meals each day.
- Utilizing promotional materials, posters, toolkits, and digital resources provided by the School Nutrition Association to support celebrations.
By observing National School Lunch Week, schools promote healthy eating habits, celebrate the professionals who make school meals possible, and highlight the essential role school nutrition programs play in student success and public health.
Send your celebrations to SchoolMeals@k12.wa.us
During school year (SY) 2025–26, sponsors from across the state participated in Power Up Your Program courses to enhance their programs through nutrition education, culturally inclusive meals, local school wellness policies, and marketing and promotion strategies. This year, participants from West Valley School District in Yakima used their course takeaways to create new opportunities to engage students, learn about their mealtime preferences, and increase their representation across the cafeteria environment.
West Valley School District (Yakima)— Amplifying Student Voice and Building Connections
Brandi Romero and Kelly Cadousteau made student representation a priority in their cafeterias during SY 2025–26 by inviting students to help shape nearly every aspect of the mealtime experience. They gathered student feedback to improve menus, showcased student artwork in cafeterias, and partnered with the districts’ AgVentures class to grow lettuce for school salad bars. They also brought students together around wellness by hosting a district-wide wellness challenge.
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Brandi and Kelly joined the Power Up Your Program Marketing and Promotion cohort to highlight the thoughtful planning, people, and partnerships behind every meal. Over the school year, they created monthly child nutrition newsletters to share the exciting activities taking place in their school cafeterias, along with nutrition tips for families, Harvest of the Month features, and student and staff highlights. They also partnered with district communications staff to feature child nutrition in their district-wide newsletter, raising awareness of their program, and the rippling impact of their efforts. |
Interested in Powering Up Your Program?
Four Power Up Your Program course pathways are now available for sponsors to complete independently at their own pace.
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Nutrition Education: explores new ways to inspire learning through mealtime experiences and food education.
Enroll in Power Up Your Program: Nutrition Education
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Marketing and Promotion: new approaches to showcase child nutrition programs and engage school communities.
Enroll in Power Up Your Program: Marketing and Promotion
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Culturally Inclusive Meals: explores ways to foster student belonging and introduce new cultural flavors.
Enroll in Power Up Your Program: Culturally Inclusive Meals
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Local School Wellness Policies: builds understanding of Local School Wellness Policy requirements and find high-quality resources and tools to support wellness committees, policy updates, triennial assessments, and more.
Enroll in Power Up Your Program: Local School Wellness Policies
School Garden Cultivating Local Learners
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Eatonville's Columbia Crest Academy (CCA) is cultivating hands-on learning through its thriving outdoor classroom and school garden program. Students actively plant, care for, harvest, and taste a variety of fruits and vegetables, creating meaningful connections between agriculture, science, nutrition, and environmental stewardship.
The garden currently features raised beds filled with crops such as kale, garlic, green beans, peppers, and raspberries. Students participate in engaging science experiments, including comparing pumpkin growth using different soil amendments such as organic fertilizer and salmon-based nutrients. A student favorite is making "kale tacos" using freshly harvested kale leaves as taco shells and filling them with ingredients grown right in the garden.
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CCA is planning to grow its outdoor classroom with new projects such as mushroom logs, berry plantings, microgreens, and sprouts, while also introducing lessons in sourdough baking and fermentation. These experiences help students build lifelong skills in food production, preparation, and healthy eating.
Seattle Public Schools celebrate the launch of universal free meals for all students.
Breakfast and lunch will be served at no cost to students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Seattle Public Schools has several schools that will offer free breakfast and lunch to all students.
Read the full story on KOMO-TV.
Washington Local Foods Producer Featured in the News: Tortillas Con Madre
Tortillas Con Madre’s nutritious and delicious whole wheat tortillas started as a family recipe and can now be found on school menus across the state. The tortillas are made in Bellingham using high-quality ingredients, including Washington-grown and milled wheat. A recent news article shared the story of how the founder, Lupita Nava, began making tortillas with the goal of bringing more nutritious options to her community while honoring her family’s traditions and roots in Mexico
Read the article: Lynden mom's tortilla recipe went from family dinners to statewide school lunches | Cascadia Daily News
Tortillas Con Madre’s Tortillas Offered through Washington Local Foods
Tortillas from Tortilla Con Madre are one of 15 locally produced food available through Washington Local Foods (WaLF). They are perfectly sized for tacos, enchiladas, or to bake into crispy chips to serve with soups or salad.
Ordering Details: Local Education Agencies (LEAs) specify their WaLF orders for the next school year during the annual pre-order process. LEAs that are interested in adding Tortilla Con Madre’s tortillas to their menus can include them on the school year 2027–28 Pre-Order Survey in February 2027.
Questions? Email farmtocnp@k12.wa.us to learn more about WaLF and available products.
Help Show Washington Local Foods in Action!
LEAs are encouraged to share photos, recipes, or success stories of how they use WaLF products on their menus with OSPI at farmtocnp@k12.wa.us.
Chef Ann Foundation – The LunchBox: Get Schools Cooking 2026
Review the August SSTAR for information. Application close September 30.
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Taste Washington Day
Get ready to crunch! Governor Bob Ferguson has proclaimed October 7, 2026 as Taste Washington Day.
The goal of Taste Washington Day is to help students learn about the farmers who grow their food and gain appreciation for the healthy, tasty items on their school lunch trays. Celebrate Taste Washington Day by serving a locally sourced school breakfast or lunch featuring Washington-grown foods.
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How to Source Local
- Identify what’s in season. Learn about local fruits and herbs (frutas y hierbas) and vegetables (vegetales) available from Washington farms.
- Consider local products available year-round, such as dairy, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, lentils, grains, or honey.
Consider using OSPI’s new Harvest of the Season educational materials to promote local menu items.
Program sponsors are encouraged to share Taste Washington Day plans, get connected to local farms, or request help planning celebrations here: Taste Washington Day 2026.
KidsGardening Regional Groups: Connect, Learn, and Grow Together
Are you involved in school gardens, youth gardening programs, or garden-based education? The new KidsGardening Regional Groups offer an opportunity to connect with others in your area who are passionate about helping children learn and grow through gardening Regional Groups are part of the free Kids Garden Community and are designed to help participants build connections with others who understand the unique climate, growing conditions, opportunities, and challenges of their region. Members can exchange ideas, access support, share resources, and learn from peers who are working to expand youth gardening programs in their communities
Participation is free and open to everyone interested in youth gardening and garden-based education.
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