Who We Are

About SNF

The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) is the charitable arm of the School Nutrition Association, with an independent board of directors made up of school nutrition directors and industry partners.

Board of Directors

Financial Information

Education, Research & Scholarship

Through collaboration with SNA, allied partners and donors, SNF is committed to:

1 | Identifying and supporting school nutrition research, trends and innovations
2 | Sharing best practices with the school nutrition community
3 | Providing scholarships and grant opportunities to SNA members for professional development, continuing education and program development.

Mission, Vision and Focus

> Mission: Advancing school nutrition programs by providing resources to school nutrition professionals.

> Vision: Well-nourished students prepared for success.

> Strategic Focus: Since its inception in 1946, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has met the needs of students' health and well-being by providing nutritionally balanced, low-cost and free lunches every school day. For too many students, school lunch is their only hot meal of the day. Despite extensive efforts to boost the consumption of healthy school meals, lunch participation continues to decline. According to USDA's school lunch participation statistics, as many as 2 million fewer students have chosen lunch each day since 2012. This is a notable and unfortunate loss, resulting in fewer students eating lunch and getting the nutrition they need to support obesity prevention and their physical, intellectual and emotional health.

While breakfast participation continues to increase, recent data reveal a slowing of participation in school breakfast. School meals are a key factor in student attendance and success at school. The Foundation seeks to accomplish the goal through four areas of emphasis:

1 | Supporting School Nutrition Program Sustainability

We want help grow and strengthen school nutrition programs by developing planning tools to help programs expand offering), providing leadership development to help operators develop skills to be leaders among community stakeholders and expanding scholarship programs to allow operators grow their knowledge and career.

2 | Conducting and Disseminating Relevant Research

To increase participation, we need to understand the barriers related to participation. Despite significant efforts among the school nutrition professionals and industry partners to improve school meal quality, negative perceptions remain. We want to understand the concerns of parents and other stakeholders and use this awareness to create solutions.

3 | Inspiring Innovation

School nutrition professionals are employing amazing, innovative tactics that are designed to encourage more students to eat healthy meals, embracing new foods and flavors not just at school but also in their everyday lives. SNF seeks to foster innovation by identifying and sharing these initiatives with the school nutrition community and with the general public.

4 | Improving Nutrition Literacy

Students, parents and consumers are bombarded with information on healthy eating and nutrition. School meal operations and school nutrition professionals have a significant role to play in conveying information about healthful, nutritious meals and general wellness. SNF seeks to create a connection between school, home, and community through innovative programs that introduce school cuisine to new audiences.

Financial Information

SNF is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Funding for our operations comes from donations, grants and sponsorships. Our financial reports are prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), audited annually by an outside/public accounting firm, approved by the Board of Directors and reported publicly as required by strict state and federal regulations.

Financial Statements and Additional Information

The Foundation is committed to donors’ rights and transparency. That’s why we make our financial statements, administrative costs and funding available for your review online.

SNF 2021-22 Financial Statements

Annual Fund and Fundraising Efforts

SNF’s fundraising efforts have been incredibly successful in recent years. Highlights include:

Enthusiastic participation in the SNF Annual Fund. In 2022, generous donors broke the SNF Annual Fund record with a total of more than $77,000.
Special grant projects, such as the Supply Chain Innovation Project and LEAD to Succeed, developed with SNF partners to support school nutrition professionals with the support of over $2.8 million in the past three years.
SNA industry members generously supporting the Foundation with more than $145,000 in donations, scholarships, matching funds and event sponsorships in FY2019-20.
SNA State Associations supporting the Foundation through their State Ambassador Programs by donating almost $7,600.
SNA Patron members supporting the Foundation with a portion of their Patron fee.
Sustainable Donors who contribute on a recurring basis by clicking on “Donate Now.”

Contact the Foundation

To learn more about the School Nutrition Foundation and our efforts to advance school nutrition programs and empower school nutrition professionals, we encourage you to contact our team today.

General Information

2900 S. Quincy Street, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22206

Main Phone: (703) 824-3000
Main Fax: (703) 824-3015

Email: snf@schoolnutrition.org