Who received HMI sub-grants
HMI sub-grants went exclusively to School Food Authorities that meet USDA's definition of small and/or rural. The goal was to move resources to districts whose operating conditions — small staffs, older kitchens, limited procurement reach — make modest grants transformative. For full program context (eligibility, application, review process), see the Grantees overview.
Grantees profiled in Cafeteria Chronicles
The following grantees have in-depth profiles documenting what they did with their funding and what changed on the line:
Concordia Charter School
Mesa, AZ · Walk-in cooler, Chef Ann fellowship, and a school garden with a small flock of hens.
Regional School Unit #89
Stacyville, ME · Staffing, cooler/freezer combo, and a direct partnership with Keep Ridge Farm.
Santa Anna ISD
Santa Anna, TX · Bi-weekly taste tests, new ovens, and a scratch-forward breakfast rebuild.
Thornton Fractional HSD 215
Lansing, IL · Menu software, garden expansion, and a Breakfast Trailblazer Award.
Watertown Public Schools
Watertown, CT · A Nutrition Education Coordinator, salad bars, and an expanded culinary garden.
Garland ISD
Garland, TX · Quarterly Menu Advisory Council and in-house chef-led recipe development.
Maysville School District 7
Maysville, OK · Double oven and dishwasher that halved sodium at lunch by unlocking local beef.
Newman-Crows Landing USD
Newman, CA · Chef Nanci Miramontes trained staff on scratch techniques across a new menu.
Port Townsend SD 50
Port Townsend, WA · Year-round gardener and equipment for school gardens that feed the lunchroom.
North Crawford School District
Soldier Grove, WI · Staff training in scratch cooking that unlocked a set of new menu possibilities.
Palo Alto USD
Palo Alto, CA · Kitchen rebuild tied to a full menu overhaul and Innovation-tier Recognition Award.
Lamoille North MUSD
Hyde Park, VT · Equipment upgrades and scratch program that earned a Preparation Innovation Award.
How to use this directory
This page is organized to help other districts see what's been done and by whom — not to serve as a complete canonical list. For the full set of 264 funded districts, the Grantees overview is the right starting point, and the Cafeteria Chronicles archive covers grantees on a rolling basis.
Program status
The HMI sub-grant program's open application windows are closed. Action for Healthy Kids and USDA have transitioned to documenting outcomes from funded districts. Recognition Awards remain open on a rolling basis and are the primary way for new districts to earn national recognition today.