• Optional FFVP Office Hours: Wednesday, April 1st, 2- 3pm.

• Optional NCRG Office Hours: Wednesday, April 8th, 2-3pm

Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant (NCRG)

All eligible NSLP, CACFP, and SFSP CNP sponsors were automatically opted in to receive a Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant for the 2025-2027 biennium (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2027).

The grant’s start date is retroactive, and claims can be submitted for items purchased back to July 1, 2025.

Optional Monthly Office Hours: The Farm to CNP team is hosting optional virtual monthly office hours on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Drop in on Wednesday April 8th between 2-3pm to ask questions and get answers to all things NCRG! The office hours can be joined on Zoom via this link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618818788

Curious what other schools are purchasing with their funds? Visit the Farm to CNP Reimbursement Grant webpage for grant resources. Visit the Oregon Harvest for Schools Directory for a directory of Oregon producers ready to sell to schools!

Please let the Farm to CNP team know at FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov if you have any questions.

Competitive Reimbursement Grant

The Competitive Reimbursement Grant (CRG) provides eligible grantees with additional funding beyond their Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant awards. To be eligible, applicants must have received a Farm to CNP Noncompetitive Reimbursement Grant award and fully expended those funds.

2025-2027 biennium applications are expected to open in early 2026.

Education Grant

The application period for the 2025–2027 Education Grant RFA is closed. Thank you to all who submitted applications and to the volunteer scorers. Grant award notifications were sent to all grantees on March 4th, 2026. We are excited to announce the 76 grantees of the 25-27 Farm to CNP Education Grant, learn more about the grantees on the Farm to CNP Ed grant webpage.

General Information about this grant program can be found on the Education Grant webpage.

The current grant period is October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. Awardees should submit FFVP claims monthly.

Reminder: Sponsors must download a new FFVP claim form template from the FFVP webpage for each month's FFVP claims. 

Automatic Rollover Eligibility: March was the halfway point of the 2025-2026 FFVP grant period (October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026). This is a great time to review FFVP site budgets to ensure they are on track to meet the automatic rollover eligibility requirement.

To be eligible for automatic rollover to the next FFVP grant period (2026-2027), participating FFVP sites must claim at least 70% of their 2025-2026 FFVP award. FFVP sites that claim less than 70% will be required to reapply to participate in the 2026-2027 FFVP grant period.

Considerations for FFVP:

• There are limited instruction days during the summer months and FFVP may only be served during regular school time.
• The FFVP grant period follows the federal fiscal year from October 1st through September 30th, which overlaps two school years.
  • Example: If a site’s school year starts in August 2026, August and September FFVP programming should be included in that site’s 2025-2026 FFVP budget.

Upcoming office hour: Wednesday, April 1st from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Join by following this link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1612293362 Have a FFVP question or topic you'd like to explore or get help on? Send it to ODE.FFVP@ode.oregon.gov and it may be featured in the Bimonthly FFVP open office hours!

Any questions can be sent to us at ODE.FFVP@ode.oregon.gov.

The Institute of Child Nutrition's Applied Research Division invites you to participate in a brief online survey about the implementation of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) in schools. Your insights will help them better understand how the program is being implemented, as well as the challenges, supports, and successes experienced by school nutrition professionals.

This survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and includes questions about your role, school demographics, and your experiences implementing the FFVP. If needed, you can pause the survey and return to it later on the same computer and network without losing your progress.

Take the survey here.

The survey is open until April 15.

The Oregon Harvest for Schools Award honors Oregon's farm to school community – the growers, educators, food service professionals and advocates who bring innovation and dedication to connecting children with Oregon-grown food. These champions cultivate lasting change by enriching student education and strengthening local food systems. This award celebrates their vision and commitment to ensuring that Oregon's next generation grows up with healthy meals, meaningful food education, and a deeper connection to land and people who feed them.  

Do you know an Oregon farm to school champion whose dedication deserves to be recognized and celebrated? Nominate them for an Oregon Harvest for Schools Award to shine a light on their impact! 

FARM TO SCHOOL PODCAST

Officially at 20,000 downloads! With listeners in 67 countries!

New Episodes: We have new episodes of the Farm to School Podcast! Check out the latest Farm to School Podcast episodes below!

Head to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where an ecological crisis has sparked a creative—and delicious—farm to school innovation. Caroline County Public Schools and their partners at Real Good Fish are tackling the Chesapeake Bay’s invasive blue catfish by literally eating the problem. From kid approved fish cakes to the soon to be iconic “surf dog,” Beth Brewster and Holly Nuss walk us through how they turned a 100 pound predator into a nutritious school meal, a sustainability lesson, and a community movement. Along the way learn how a mobile farmers market bus, summer meal creativity, and a whole lot of local ingenuity are feeding families, supporting watermen, and restoring an ecosystem—one fish cake at a time.

You can listen to the episode here.

In this episode, head to Rochester, New York—aka “the ROC” and home of the legendary “garbage plate” (yes, recipe included in show notes) —to meet community food champion Mike Bulger. Mike takes us inside the city’s vibrant but complex food landscape, where apple orchards surround schools struggling with food access, and where parents, neighbors, and advocates are teaming up to transform wellness policies, school gardens, and local procurement. From play-based learning to sticky note dreams becoming citywide food policy, this conversation explores how Rochester is sowing the seeds for healthier kids, stronger communities, and a future where every school garden thrives. Get ready for heart, humor, and a whole lot of hope—plus a surprising Rochester connection Michelle never saw coming.

You can listen to the episode here.

April 8, 10-11am.

Parents want better school food. Yet, well-intentioned advocacy can go sideways without an understanding of the actual landscape. This session lifts the curtain on school food, showing parents and nutrition leaders how to partner effectively, explore policy opportunities, and build bridges that create real change.

Register here.

When the final bell of the school year rings, the school kitchen doesn't close for summer. Many school districts across Oregon participate in a summer meal program. Summer meal programs operate in high-need areas to ensure that kids have access to nutritious meals and help prevent the “summer slide.”

In urban areas, kids are required to stay on site to have their meal. What a great opportunity to make it a fun experience with activities and events... like garden activities and tastings!

Partnering with summer meal sites can also keep gardens thriving through the summer. The work of garden coordinators is more important than ever, especially with the loss of federal SNAP-ed funding. Whether activities are daily, weekly, or bi-monthly - any amount of programming is generally welcomed. Reach out to your district’s Nutrition Services Department to see how you can get engaged.

If you’re unsure on where to start or want more information on summer meals, please contact to Cathy Brock, Summer Food Service Program Outreach Coordinator, at cathy.brock@ode.oregon.gov.

Lucy De Leon was just named one of the Nexstar’s 2026 Remarkable Woman of the Year! De Leon is the CEO of Salsas Locas and founder of La Patroncita and Madrina Cocina Mexicana. Salsas Locals creates several products specific for the school food market, and their burritos, tamales and enchiladas are served in school cafeterias across the state.

The national award, which launched in 2020, celebrates women who inspire, lead, and pave the way for others to succeed. Each year, from thousands of nominees, one woman is chosen from each of Nexstar’s 125 U.S. markets. 

Lucy is honored to be included in the 2026 cohort of 125 winners, and is especially proud to be the first Latina recipient from Oregon. 

Congratulations, Lucy! Watch her interview with KOIN here: KOIN 6’s Remarkable Woman 2026: Lucy de Leon

Every Kid Healthy™ Week is an annual celebration of school health and wellness achievements. It takes place during the last full week of April – each day shines a spotlight on the actions schools and families are taking to improve the health and wellness of their kids.

Districts that register will also be entered for a chance to win a $1,000 mini-grant. Learn more and register on the Action for Healthy Kids Webpage.

Newman’s Own Foundation, Humanitix, The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory are thrilled to announce the launch of the 2026 Food Justice for Kids Prize with up to $1.4M in grant funding to be shared among 14 innovative organizations across the United States. Food Justice for Kids Prize grant recipients will receive up to $100K each, over two years, and there will be 14 awardees.

Program Focus Areas:
-Indigenous Food Justice: Projects and policy work supporting kids advancing food sovereignty, or engaging with, gathering, growing, and cooking Indigenous foods.
-Nutrition Education & School Food: Projects and policy work supporting kids learning, growing, and cooking healthy and culturally relevant foods; eating nutritious and culturally relevant school meals and integrating local food in schools; or improving access to school meals.

Learn more and apply on the Newmans Own Website.

Applications close April 28, 2026.

Registration is open!

The American Horticultural Society's 2026 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium will take place from July 13-16, 2026 in Pasadena, California. Now in its 34th year, this professional gathering includes interactive workshops, keynote talks, garden visits, and networking opportunities.

Visit their website for further information.