The Cities Combating Hunger Through After School and Summer Meal Programs (CHAMPS)initiative will work in partnership with local anti-hunger organizations and state municipal leagues in three states – Alabama, California, and Kansas – to ensure low-income youth continue to have access to healthy food when school is out. City agencies in these three target states are eligible to apply for grant funding and technical assistance to enhance their efforts to combat childhood hunger when school is out through USDA summer and after school meal programs.

ILG and the League of California Cities are working with NLC to provide support to cities interested in strengthening efforts to ensure local youth stay healthy, engaged, and on a positive developmental path.

Grants from $5,000 to $40,000 are available for cities that demonstrate a strong commitment to launch or expand local efforts to provide after school and summer meals through USDA nutrition programs. The project grant period will run from June 2016 - December 2017.

With support from the Walmart Foundation, the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) have launched the 2016-2017 CHAMPSinitiative.

Follow this link to sign-up and access the RFP (due July 15th). If you have questions or would like more information, contact Jamie Nash at nash@nlc.org at National League of Cities or Patrice Chamberlain at the Institute for Local Government at pchamberlain@ca-ilg.org.