Good Morning 10 Cents a Meal team, Michigan Networks and Friends,
Yesterday afternoon the full set of "
10 Cents a Meal" Evaluation reports for the 2023-24 program year launched!
The Evaluation Summary,which launched two weeks ago as a preview, shows the ~
$10.2M impact that this program had on the Michigan Economy and the ~600,000 youth that were impacted.
Other reports go into more details about foods purchased and activities that supported the work. I particularly love the report that highlights that opinions of the
Food Service Managers.
As we here in Michigan, and beyond, continue to work towards re-instating this important and premier program, I would also like to share the 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan Kids and Farms
"Advocacy Toolkit" created by our partner at Groundwork, Amanda Brezzell.
If you are interested in joining the 10 Cents a Meal coalition, the next meeting is Wednesday, 3/11 at 11am at this link. There are several asks and actions for you to take part in at this time to support this program, please reach out to Amanda or join the coalition meeting to learn more!
Thanks to all the Michigan partners and stakeholders who continue to support this work AND to our friends from across the Nation who have shared stories of how 10 Cents was vital to getting your state's program running (a report with your words is coming soon!).
A final special SHOUT OUT to Colleen Matts for her incredible support in getting this report across the finish line. To Megan McManus and Eva Nyerges for their support. To Emma Beauchamp and Mel Hill for their incredible comms supports. And most importantly to all the Michigan Farmers, Distributors, Food Hubs, and Food Service staff whose dedication to feeding our kids is unparallel. Your job is hard and often unseen and I personally and inspired everyday by your commitment-- it's the lifeblood of our Michigan work. Thank you!
In solidarity,
May Tsupros (they/them)
Director, Farm to Institution Programs
Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Natural Resources Building, Room 312A
480 Wilson Rd., East Lansing MI
Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. Read here by land acknowledgements are not enough.
From: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems <crfs@anr.msu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 5, 2026 1:07 PM
To: Tsupros, May <tsupros1@msu.edu>
Subject: Full Report | Doubling Investment and Growing Impact: 10 Cents a Meal 2023-2024 Evaluation Results
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| Doubling Investment and Growing Impact:
10 Cents a Meal 2023-2024 Evaluation Results | | Full report now available | | | | |
| After nine consecutive years of evolution and growth, 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids and Farms (10 Cents a Meal) is not funded at the state level for the 2025–2026 program year. Originally launched as a regional pilot in 2016-2017, 10 Cents a Meal was a state-funded local food purchasing incentive grant program that reimbursed 50% of the cost of fresh or minimally processed Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans, used in meals and educational activities for children. The full evaluation report for the 2023-2024 program year from Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS) is now available to understand the breadth of impact across the state for children, food program managers, and Michigan farmers.
During the 2023-2024 program year, 10 Cents a Meal marked record numbers in its program history with 269 grantees in 66 Michigan counties, about 320 participating farmers and food suppliers, and approximately 594,000 children reached. Through a $3 million investment from the state, grantees reported spending nearly $6 million on eligible Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans with this matching grant program. According to the Local Food Impact Calculator, this spending yields over $10.2 million in estimated economic impact for the state.
As indicated by the positive impacts and their growth from previous years, 10 Cents a Meal was successfully working toward the legislated goals of the program: to improve daily nutrition and eating habits for children through school and childcare settings; and invest in Michigan's agriculture and local food business economy.
This complete evaluation package explores the return on investment this program provided, as well as opportunities for program improvement to increase the impact in future years.
Explore and share this resource with your networks! | | | The full report is available as individual sections:
- Overview and Evaluation of 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids and Farms
- Evaluation Summary of the 2023–2024 Year of 10 Cents a Meal
- Children Reached Through 10 Cents a Meal: Geographic Distribution and Demographics
- Food Program Managers Participating in 10 Cents a Meal
- Michigan Farmers and Vendors Participating in the 10 Cents a Meal Supply Chain
- What Foods are Served through 10 Cents a Meal?
- The Big Picture: Outcomes, Impacts, Needs, and Feedback of Participating in 10 Cents a Meal
- Recommendations for Future Years of 10 Cents a Meal
- 2023–2024 10 Cents a Meal Evaluation Appendices
- 2023-2024 10 Cents a Meal Grantees
- 2023-2024 10 Cents a Meal Grantees and their Counties by Prosperity Region
- Acknowledgements and Authors
| | | | | For more information, contact: - May Tsupros, Director of Farm to Institution Programs, Assistant Director for CRFS Programs, tsupros1@msu.edu
- Colleen Matts, Assistant Director for Strategy, CRFS, matts@msu.edu
This evaluation work was conducted with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and 10 Cents administrative funds for organizational partners. | | | Please help us spread the word | | | Forward this message and share on social media. Please tag @MSUCRFS and @TenCentsMichigan on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Social Posts: - Despite record numbers in recent program years, @TenCentsMichigan is not funded at the state level for the 2025–2026 program year. From the recently released evaluation report from the 2023-2024 program year from @MSUCRFS, here are some key findings:
- Through $3 million in state-funded grant reimbursements, nearly $6 million in spending was reported by grantees on eligible Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans. According to the Local Food Impact Calculator, this spending yields over $10.2 million in estimated economic impact for Michigan.
- Food program managers in schools served a greater variety of produce for the fourth year in a row! 70% reported that the students ate more of the vegetables served, an increase of 4% from the previous program year.
- 59% of responding grantees (n=231) agreed that participation in 10 Cents a Meal allowed them to both make new connections with farmers and local food vendors and to improve existing relationships with them.
Dive into the full evaluation report for more details about the 2023-2024 program year: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/10-cents-a-meal-2023-2024-evaluation-results
- "The 10 Cents program has allowed me to meet small business owners that really care about feeding our students. This relationship has been good for their small local businesses as well as our kids." - 10 Cents a Meal Public School Grantee
10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids and Farms benefited Michigan farmers and food suppliers, including those with small- and medium-scale operations, through increased market opportunities. Since the program provided matching reimbursement grant funds, the $3 million state investment generated at least double the spending; grantees reported nearly $6 million in spending on eligible Michigan fruits, vegetables, and dry beans.
To explore the impact of the 2023-2024 10 Cents a Meal program for children, farmers and food businesses, and food program managers, read the recently released evaluation report from @MSUCRFS: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/10-cents-a-meal-2023-2024-evaluation-results | | CALL 517-353-3535 FOLLOW @MSUCRFS | | | | | |
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