§ 1262a. Award of grants

(a)(1) The Agency may, from funds appropriated for this subsection to the Agency, award grants to:

(A) supervisory unions for the use of member school boards that establish and operate food programs;

(B) independent school boards that establish and operate food programs; and

(C) approved education programs, as defined in subdivision 11(a)(34) of this title and operating under private nonprofit ownership as defined in the National School Lunch Act, that establish and operate food programs for students engaged in a teen parent education program or students enrolled in a Vermont public school.

(2) The amount of any grant awarded under this subsection shall not be more than the amount necessary, in addition to any reimbursement from federal funds, to pay the actual cost of the meal.

(b) The Agency may, from funds available to the Agency for this subsection, award grants to supervisory unions consisting of one or more school districts that need to initiate or expand food programs in order to meet the requirements of section 1264 of this title and that seek assistance in meeting the cost of initiation or expansion. The amount of the grants shall be limited to 75 percent of the cost deemed necessary by the Secretary to construct, renovate, or acquire additional facilities and equipment to provide lunches to all students, and shall be reduced by the amount of funds available from federal or other sources, including those funds available under section 3448 of this title. The Agency shall direct supervisory unions seeking grants under this section to share facilities and equipment within the supervisory union and with other supervisory unions for the provision of lunches wherever more efficient and effective operation of food programs can be expected to result.

(c) On a quarterly basis, from State funds appropriated to the Agency for this subsection, the Agency shall award to each supervisory union, independent school board, and approved education program as described in subsection (a) of this section a sum equal to the amount that would have been the student share of the cost of all breakfasts and lunches actually provided in the district during the previous quarter to students eligible for a reduced-price breakfast under the federal school breakfast program and students eligible for a reduced-price lunch under the federal school lunch program. (Added 1969, No. 21, § 2; amended 1973, No. 252 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2007, No. 192 (Adj. Sess.), § 6.027; 2011, No. 58, § 22, eff. May 31, 2011; 2013, No. 50, § E.501.1.)