6 Reasons to Apply for a High School Coffee Bar Grant

Aug 22, 2017
person pouring a latte

High school students are stopping by coffee shops on their way to and from school, spending their money on caffeine and sugar. Wouldn’t it be great if you could leverage their habits to promote better nutrition and increase revenue for your school?

Through the Dairy Dollars for Schools “Moo-La-tte” program, Dairy MAX offers grants for healthy in-school coffee bars. Yes, your school may be eligible to get funding for coffee bar equipment! Here are the six biggest benefits.

  1. Controlled nutrition – In the school setting, you can control the sugar, calories and portions for each drink through Smart Snacks. Milk is exempt, since it’s already an approved beverage, as long as you use 1% or fat-free. All you’ll really have to look at is the content of the flavored syrups. 
  2. Increased dairy consumption – As kids get older, they tend to stop drinking milk, but these coffee beverages typically include at least 7 ounces each of 1% or fat-free milk, helping bridge that “milk gap” and give these still-growing kids crucial nutrients in a form they love.
  3. Improved cafeteria appeal – The coffee bar has a higher-end bistro feel that’s more attractive to teenagers, plus the potential for a la carte breakfast and lunch items such as smoothies, muffins, oatmeal, salads and paninis.
  4. Extra revenue – Money the students and teachers spend on coffee will funnel back into the school. Some schools that have implemented a coffee bar see as much as $900 per week in profits – that’s more than $30,000 per year.
  5. Hands-on teaching opportunity – Have students in entrepreneurial, business, design and marketing classes run and promote the coffee bar, giving them realistic, hands-on work experience.
  6. Reduced tardiness – Students no longer have to fight traffic to get in and out of an off-campus coffee shop; they’re right there and ready to get to class in time for the bell.

Get started:

Apply for funds by selecting “Moo-La-tte” on this form.