CHICAGO, July 31, 2025 —Facilities that feed pre-school children under the federal Head Start program can now apply for one-time grants from the Trump Administration to upgrade their kitchens and menus.
The agency that administers the Head Start program, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), said the supplemental funds can be used for a “non-exhaustive list” of improvements aimed at bolstering healthier eating.
It cited possibilities ranging from kitchen upgrades that ensure the facilities can prepare and serve fresh foods, to paying for the transportation of fresh, whole ingredients.
There was also mention of nutrition courses for the parents of participating children, as well as the development of educational school gardens for the youngsters.
The funds can also be used for staff training.
Although ACF stressed the breadth of potential uses for the funds, it noted that the improvements eligible for the funds fall into four categories:
- Upgrades of production facilities.
- Procurement of commercial-grade appliances, small wares and food prep tools.
- Nutrition education.
- Non-recurring personnel costs, such as consultants’ fees and the charges for menu consultations with a nutritionist.
The announcement did not specify how much money would be available for the one-time grants. Nor was any deadline set for applications.
The initiative is part of the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, a major focus of the U.S. Health & Human Services Department.
“We are educating families on habits that can break generational cycles of poor health outcomes,” Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development, said in the announcement of the program.
The announcement stressed that the funding is intended to help steer children away from ultra-processed foods, which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has blasted as a major cause of childhood obesity.
More information about the Head Start grants and how to apply can be found here.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.