Get A Salad Bar

Tailored just for you – resources and tools for getting a salad bar grant.

Application Guidelines

Who Can Apply

Any district or independent school participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is eligible to apply. There is just one application form for both multiple salad bar and single salad bar package requests. The food services director for your district is the required contact person for the application. Please see our FAQs if your school does not have a food services director.

Eligibility

Is your district ready to implement salad bars as part of your reimbursable meal program? To qualify for a Salad Bars to Schools grant you must offer the salad bar as part of the reimbursable meal served in your district. The 6-foot, five-well salad bar package is for locations that serve at least 100 reimbursable meals daily.

Award Criteria

Salad bar grants will be awarded based on a formula that takes into account: A) readiness to implement a salad bar lunch program, and B) application date.

Application Steps

  1. Complete the online application, including the verification form signed by the food services director and superintendent.
  2. You will receive a follow up email letting you know whether or not your application has been approved. When your application is approved, you will receive a code for (2) free enrollments for the School Food Institute’s Salad Bars in Schools Course. The online course is self paced and can satisfy USDA training requirements. Applicants are required that at least one person completes the course prior to receiving the awarded salad bar(s). We encourage the individual(s) responsible for implementing the salad bar(s) be the one(s) to take the course as it covers useful information to help make your salad bar(s) a success! *If no one in your district has taken the course when your salad bar is funded we will hold your salad bar(s) until the course is complete. 
  3. Approved school(s) will then be added to our Donate a Salad Bar page. Donations for your district can be submitted online or sent to us directly.
  4. It can take up to 12 months for your salad bar(s) to be fully funded depending on the number of schools waiting in the queue as well as donations made directly to your district. You may accelerate your funding through Supplemental Fundraising.
  5. Once fully funded, your salad bar(s) will be ordered for shipment and delivered to your school(s) within 4-6 weeks.
  6. Visit The Lunch Box—an online resource that provides useful tools for school food change—to learn how to Implement Your Salad Bar. Be sure to take advantage of their marketing and promotional ideas, including the Rainbow Days activity guide.
  7. Complete two SB2S evaluations within two years of receiving your grant.