UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM
This USDA grant funds projects in select countries to improve food security, reduce hunger, and boost literacy by providing US agricultural commodities and nutrition programs, especially for school-aged children and girls.
Funder: Foreign Agricultural Service
Due Dates: June 12, 2026 (Questions due) | June 22, 2026 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $10M–$35M per award, 5-year projects; up to $240M total program funding; ~7 awards expected.
Summary: Supports school feeding and nutrition programs to improve food security, literacy, and health in developing countries using U.S. agricultural commodities.
Key Information: Applications must be submitted via FAIS by 5:00 PM EDT on June 22, 2026.
Description
This opportunity from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service funds large, multi-year cooperative agreements to implement the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. The program aims to improve food security, reduce hunger, and enhance literacy and primary education—particularly for girls—by providing school meals and nutrition programs in low-income, food-deficit countries. Projects must use U.S.-sourced agricultural commodities as a core component, and may include limited local/regional procurement, technical assistance, and complementary activities such as maternal and child nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), and literacy interventions. Emphasis is placed on sustainability, capacity building, and transitioning project activities to local ownership after the end of USDA support.
