On June 30, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature finalized the state budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. While the state budget provides funding and support for several food and nutrition programs, it makes cuts to other critical safety net programs. Nourish California is grateful for the investments made to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for CalFresh participants, maintaining a commitment to feeding students during the school year and in the summer break, and uphold support for providing food assistance to Californians ages 55 and older, regardless of immigration status.
However, the final state budget freezes new enrollments in Medi-Cal only for undocumented immigrants and instates a new monthly premium that is cost-prohibitive for low-income immigrant families, including many who are lawfully present. Nourish California strongly believes that all Californians deserve healthy and dignified lives, and this relies on access to food and healthcare.
Shortly after the final state budget was signed, Congress passed a federal reconciliation budget (HR 1) which includes devastating and unprecedented cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other vital safety net programs. Nourish California is deeply concerned about the passage of HR 1 and the harm it will cause to families already struggling to put food on the table. This bill will roll back hard-fought wins, undermine years of advocacy, and will increase food insecurity and hardship across our state.
We urge our state leaders to stay focused on bold, community-driven solutions that ensure an equitable food safety net and reconsider cuts to healthcare for immigrants. We remain committed to working with the Legislature and the Newsom administration to advance policy solutions that help families, older adults, people with disabilities, justice-impacted individuals, immigrants, and all Californians access the food they need to thrive.
Below is an overview of key elements in the 2025–2026 final state budget that impact our community-centered policy priorities.
Food4All/CFAP Expansion
In the May Revision, a “trigger-on” was proposed for the Food4All expansion of the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to Californians ages 55 and older, regardless of immigration status. Under this proposal, planning and implementation preparation would move forward, but the final decision to start the expansion would depend on a funding review by the Department of Finance (DoF) in spring 2027. If the DoF determined there were enough funds for the expansion to begin, then the program would be “triggered on” and continue as planned for implementation in October 2027. This conditional approach raised concerns as it weakened the state’s commitment to ensuring food assistance for older immigrants.
We are pleased to share that the final state budget reflects the power of our coalition’s advocacy: the harmful trigger included in the May Revision was removed, and the state reaffirmed its commitment to expand CFAP to include older adults, regardless of immigration status, starting in October 2027.
As we move forward with our Food4All advocacy, Nourish California, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and the Food4All coalition will continue to urge state leaders to protect this expansion and make additional progress towards our long-term vision of food access for all experiencing need, regardless of age or immigration status.
Every Kid, Every Day
The final state budget maintains key investments in Universal School meals and SUN Bucks. The Governor continues with his commitment to ensuring California children have access to the food they need to grow, learn, and thrive both during the school year and over the summer.
- Universal School Meals: $90.7 million to fully fund free breakfast and lunch for over 5.8 million TK-12 students in California schools; plus $160 million is specifically allocated for the Universal School Meals Support Grant, which will support kitchen infrastructure upgrades and staffing. These investments are crucial to ensure that all children, regardless of their income or immigration status, can access the food they need to thrive.
- SUN Bucks: $43.8 million for implementation and outreach. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are now required to determine children’s eligibility for SUN Bucks if they attend a school participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program. This investment will help deliver food benefits to over 5 million children, a powerful step toward reducing hunger when school is out.
Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program
We are excited to share that the Governor and the Legislature included $36 million in the state budget to bring back the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Program. This program allows families participating in CalFresh (formerly known as food stamps) to earn up to $60 per month in additional food benefits when they purchase fresh fruits and vegetables with their CalFresh EBT benefits card at participating retailers. Because the program was so successful, it ran out of funding—most recently in January 2025.
Nourish California and Fullwell, who co-sponsored the budget request to restart the program, thank Governor Newsom and the Legislature for investing in proven policy solutions that help people get the food they need and want. We look forward to working with community and community partners, coalition members, and the Department of Social Services (CDSS) to relaunch this program as soon as possible.
What Comes Next?
The federal budget reconciliation bill will have both immediate and long-term impacts. The federal government has retreated from its commitment to ensure a well-nourished, healthy America. We will work to demand that our federal leaders reverse these harmful actions and set the nation on a new path toward food justice and health equity.
As the impacts of HR 1 become clearer, the state may revisit its budget decisions to address cuts. Nourish California will continue working alongside communities, partners, the Legislature, and the Governor to ensure that every Californian has access to the food they need.
How Can I Take Action?
The state budget reflects our collective values and priorities. Your advocacy can shape the state budget.
✅ Join our community-centered policy campaigns at: act.nourishca.org
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For more information, contact Betzabel Estudillo at betzabel@nourishca.org
