The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission voted to approve a one‑time supplemental funding request of $251,360 for a Head Start Nutrition and Healthy Eating project and to grant two administrative requests: a waiver of the nonfederal match requirement and permission to carry over awarded funds into the following fiscal grant year.

Staff requested the money to strengthen nutrition education, establish vegetable and sensory gardens at early childhood centers and modernize center kitchens so on‑site meals can be prepared. The presenter said the funds will be allocated proportionally across RPC’s four counties — Champaign, Ford, Iroquois and Vermilion — based on funded enrollments.

RPC staff asked for a nonfederal share waiver citing continued reductions in volunteerism and in‑kind donations since the COVID‑19 pandemic. Staff said the Head Start program still faces shortages in community contributions and requested the match waiver under Office of Head Start allowances. The proposal also included permission to carry funds across the program fiscal year boundary because the grant’s performance period (Oct. 1, 2025–Aug. 31, 2026) does not align with the program fiscal year (March 1–Feb. 28).

A motion to approve the supplemental funding, the nonfederal match waiver and the carryover request passed on a voice vote with all commissioners saying “Aye.” The commission did not record a roll‑call tally in the meeting minutes.

Staff said garden planting and on‑site meal preparations will largely occur in 2026 and that the carryover authority is intended to prevent losing unspent funds because of timing differences between grant and program fiscal years.