Supply Chain Assistance for Schools

SCA Funds

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is making funding available for supply chain assistance. This funding is in response to the on-going challenges including higher food cost. These funds assist districts with supply chain disruptions and higher food cost. The Food and Nutrition Service office has received four (4) separate allocations of supply chain funding to provide Missouri districts participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). This funding will enhance efforts to strengthen local food supply chains, and help districts to overcome financial and operational barriers while maintaining children’s access to nutritious meals.

Supply Chain Assistance funds can only be used to support direct purchasing of domestically grown, unprocessed or minimally processed food products for school meals.

For guidance on frequently asked questions concerning the most recent allocation of funds, please review the Updated Supply Chain Assistance (SCA) Frequently Asked Questions document.

If you have questions concerning the amount of SCA funds your district has received for round 1, 2 and 3 allocations, please contact our office.  The amount of round 4 SCA funds are listed in the preliminary list on the Supply Chain Assistance LEA Lookup Tool

Note: Round 4 funds have been processed, however schools that contract with a Food Service Management Company, must complete a Questionnaire concerning receiving round 4 funds and sign an attestation statement to accept and/or deny round 4 funds.

• Let's Talk Tuesday - Supply Chain Assistance webinar
• Let's Talk Tuesday - Supply Chain Assistance slides pdf

Waiver Information

Pursuant to section 2202(a) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act) (P.L. 116-127), and in light of the exceptional circumstances surrounding COVID-19, USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has established the following additional nationwide waivers, available to schools that elect to use them:

School Year 2023-2024

• CEP Mid-Year Election Waiver Approval
• Community Eligibility Provision Mid-Year Election WAiver for SY23-24

School Year 2022-2023

• Complete the Meal Service Waiver Survey for SY 22-23 Flexibilities here to opt in for SY 22-23 waivers.
• Flexibilities for School Meal Program Operations
• MO DESE SY22-23 Waiver Request
• Nationwide Waiver to Allow Fiscal Action Flexibility for Meal Pattern Violations Related to COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions Impacting School Meals in School Year 2022-2023 – EXTENSION
• Supply Chain Challenges and Support for School Year 21-22
• Monitoring and Oversight Plan & Waiver
• Hazelwood School District Waiver Request
• St. Louis City School District Waiver Request

Q&A's and Additional Resources for SY22-23

SDA Donated Foods Program Disaster Resources

• Using USDA Food During a Human Pandemic Outbreak Options for Schools and Communities​
• Requesting replacement of USDA Foods used during closure of COVID-19
• USDA Food Disaster Assistance​
• USDA Foods Program Disaster Manual
• FD-093: Q&A related to disaster policies and procedures​
• Disaster Response USDA Memo
• Disaster Relief/Summer Storage​
• Food and Nutrition Services Disaster Assistance
• FFCRA Opt-In Statewide Waiver for SY2020-2021, NSLP, USDA Foods Entitlement Calculations
• FFCRA Opt-In Statewide Waiver Extension for SY2021-2022, NSLP, USDA Foods Entitlement Calculation