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Volume 11, Issue 1, October 2024
Celebrating Farm to School Month with Data and Funding
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Every year, the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program (Farm to School Program) joins the farm to school community in celebrating National Farm to School Month! The month offers time to reflect on all that schools, childcare providers, agricultural producers, and partners have done to strengthen local and regional food systems and school supply chains. It also offers a time to look ahead to the future. This year, the Farm to School Program is celebrating with two new resources to help farm to school partners take stock of their recent efforts and plan for and fund the road ahead. These include the results of the 2023 Farm to School Census (Census) and Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Farm to School Grant Request for Applications.
USDA Farm to School Census (Census)
In the fall of 2023, USDA asked all School Food Authorities (SFAs) to answer a comprehensive survey about their use of local food in school meals and the use of nutrition and agricultural education, edible school gardens, and other relevant farm to school activities in child nutrition program settings during the 2022-2023 school year. More than 11,800 SFAs administering school lunch programs responded to the Farm to School Census, and the results are in!
The Census shows that farm to school is going strong across the country! Since the 2019 Census, participation in farm to school activities has grown by 14%. Seventy-four percent of all SFAs, the school entities responsible for food service operations, engaged in at least one farm to school activity in School Year (SY) 2022-2023. Farm to school activity participation among SFAs ranged from serving local foods (63 percent), food sourcing and procurement (55 percent), agricultural education and gardens (49 percent), and local food promotion (45 percent).
Like in previous years, the 2023 Census asked questions about SFAs’ use of local foods in school meals and food, nutrition, and agricultural education activities. It also continued to ask questions about factors that affect their farm to school participation, like their physical, financial, and policy environments; staffing; and access to funding; as well as the challenges SFAs face and the support SFAs need to strengthen their activities. This vital information can help farm to school practitioners and partners build and expand their programs at the national, state, and local levels.
To help decision-makers and practitioners mobilize the data to support their work, the Farm to School Team released a series of Census tools. The 2023 Farm to School Census website includes high-level data snapshots of national and state farm to school activities, individual SFA responses, and public-use datasets for further data analysis and exploration. The 2023 Farm to School Census Report also organizes and summarizes data to help give readers a quick overview of the farm to school landscape, the policies and (physical and staffing) infrastructure of farm to school programs, and opportunities for farm to school to grow and evolve.
Do you want to learn more? Please visit the Farm to School Census Partner Resources.
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Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Request for Applications
With all this data highlighting opportunities to strengthen and grow farm to school, you may need resources to move your work forward. In fact, among SFAs not currently participating in farm to school activities but planning to start in the future, 43 reported that more funding would help them start. It is with this in mind that the Farm to School Program is excited to share that the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA) is now open!
In FY 2025, USDA will award up to $12 million in competitive grants to eligible entities through the grant program. Each grant will help eligible entities implement farm to school programming that increases access to local food in eligible schools, connects children with agriculture for better health, and inspires youth to consider careers in agriculture.
The FY 2025 grant opportunity includes three separate RFAs:
Implementation Grants- grant supports comprehensive farm to school programming that includes both local sourcing and agricultural education efforts
- Awards: $50,000-$500,000
- Note, there are specific requirements for funding over $100,000. See the RFA for complete requirements.
Turnkey Grants- simplified grant application for frequently proposed farm to school projects (Note, the Turnkey Grant includes three tracks: Agricultural Education, Edible Gardens, and Action Planning.)
State Agency Grants- grant funds State agencies to support and grow farm to child nutrition program (CNP) efforts in their States
Applicants must decide which one grant track best suits their project. The RFA Grant Track Decision Document is a great resource to help make this decision! It’s available on Grants.gov with each RFA under Related Documents. If multiple packages are submitted through Grants.gov by the same applicant to more than one RFA, all submissions by that applicant will be removed from consideration.
The Grant RFA can be found online here:
Complete applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59pm ET on Friday, January 10, 2025. To complete the application process, applicants must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), register in the System for Award Management, and then register at www.Grants.gov. Applicants are encouraged to begin this process early.
Prospective applicants can check out the USDA Farm to School Program Resources for Grant Applicants webpage and see a list of prior grantees’ project descriptions for proposal inspiration. Webinars will be hosted on November 5 and November 6, and regular office hours will be hosted starting November 19. Descriptions and registration information are below.
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2:00 PM ET, Tuesday, November 5, Introduction to the Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications: This webinar will help potential fiscal year 2025 Farm to School Grant applicants choose the solicitation that is the best fit for them, including by helping attendees understand grant eligibility, funding priorities, and grant objectives. Please register even if you cannot attend; the Farm to School Team will send all registrants a link to watch the recording. Register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_3-JYEJEyTkq4ySEIwb6gTQ#/registration
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2:00 PM ET, Wednesday, Submitting a Complete Grant Package: This webinar will help potential fiscal year 2025 Farm to School Grant applicants understand the components of a complete application and provide technical assistance on how to submit a responsive application that meets all the requirements to be considered for award. Please register even if you cannot attend; the Farm to School Team will send all registrants a link to watch the recording. Register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_KqjKRZ03SMahpFOpZCkPgw#/registration
Office Hours: The Farm to School Team will host bimonthly office hours on the dates below to provide applicants with an opportunity to pose questions they may have about the Farm to School Grant Program. Note that these sessions are not recorded, but you can come and go at any time. You do not need to attend the full hour, and the full time will be dedicated solely to answering applicant questions.
The results of the 2023 Farm to School Census and the FY 2025 Farm to School RFA offer two great reasons to celebrate this month. The Farm to School Program encourages the farm to school community to share these resources widely to celebrate our gains and support grant applications from diverse eligible entities!
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USDA Celebrates National School Lunch Week and Farm to School Month
From apple crunches and local lunches to special themed scratch-cooked meals, school districts across the nation added to the excitement of National Farm to School (F2S) Month by finding creative ways to celebrate National School Lunch Week (NSLW) during the week of October 14-18. Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, NSLW is an annual observance that promotes the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has both in and out of the classroom.
This year, USDA celebrated NSLW with a big focus on local foods in school meals. On October 15, 2024, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized USDA’s ongoing commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide and USDA summarized the Department’s major investments to support these efforts.
Click here to read the full press release, along with the President’s Proclamation on National School Lunch Week
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USDA Invests in Additional Funding for Local Foods for Schools!
On October 1, 2024, USDA announced an investment of $1.7 billion for the purchase of locally and regionally produced foods by schools and child care facilities and domestically produced foods for emergency food providers. The funding will help American producers have access to local and regional markets as well as the financial benefits that come with selling directly to institutions, while ensuring American children and families in need have access to healthy food at schools, child care facilities and emergency food providers.
With funding made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), USDA is providing:
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$500M for the purchase of locally produced foods by school meals programs;
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$200M for the purchase of locally and regionally produced foods by child care facilities;
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$500M for the purchase of locally produced foods by States, territories, and Tribal nations for emergency food providers and underserved communities; and
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$500M for states to purchase domestic commodities from USDA for emergency food providers like food banks and pantries.
This builds on USDA’s popular Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), both of which were created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthened local relationships between producers and their communities, providing new markets for producers and jobs as well as opportunities in local communities.
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School Meal Champions Unite at the Fall 2024 Healthy Meals Summit!
As a part of the Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Initiative, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and Action for Healthy Kids brought together over 700 leaders who are champions for school meals at the Fall 2024 Healthy Meals Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, from October 21-23. This gathering was the largest federally led event to date in support of school meals and followed the Spring 2024 Summit that was hosted in St. Louis, Missouri, April 9-10.
FNS has established the HMI Initiative to improve the nutritional quality of school meals through food systems transformation, school food authority (SFA) recognition and technical assistance, the generation and sharing of innovative ideas and tested practices, and grants. Many Summit attendees represented school districts that have either won an HMI Recognition Award or received an HMI grant to improve meal quality in their small and/or rural school districts or to spark innovation in the K-12 food marketplace.
The HMI grants empower schools, communities, and school food industry partners with the resources to improve school meal service operations and the marketplace. The HMI Recognition Awards spotlight innovative strategies that SFAs participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program have used to improve the nutritional quality of meals. HMI Recognition Award applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through June 30, 2025, and awardees will be invited to attend the final Healthy Meals Summit that will also be hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, in fall 2025.
Visit the Action for Healthy Kids website for more information on the HMI Recognition Awards. SFAs are encouraged to apply!
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Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
Application Deadline: October 31, 2024
OCCSP provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP). Certified operations may receive up to 75 percent of their certification costs paid during the program year, not to exceed $750 per certification scope.
Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Cost share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments, and postage. OCCSP pays a maximum of $750 per certification category for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, and state organic program fees (California only). Visit the Organic Certification Cost Share Program for more information and the application.
Visit the Organic Certification Cost Share Program for more information and the application.
Vital Village Opens Application for the 2025 Community Food Systems Fellowship
Application Deadline: November 8, 2024, 11:59 PM ET
The application for the 2025 Community Food Systems Fellowship, hosted by Vital Village Networks, is now open! If you are a community leader working to advance justice and equitable food systems in partnership with families and residents, Vital Village encourages you to apply. Selected fellows will receive a stipend and can also apply for project innovation grants that can total up to $5,000.
Visit the Vital Village website to learn more about the program, key dates, and how to apply: https://www.vitalvillage.org/projects/community-food-systems-fellowship or check out the Vital Village application portal at: https://connect.vitalvillage.org/community-food-systems-fellowship-welcome. Learn more by attending one of two virtual informational sessions with VVN’s Food System team on October 10 at 1 PM ET or November 5 at 4 PM ET.
10th Annual SeedMoney Challenge
Application Deadline: November 12, 2024
The 10th Annual SeedMoney Challenge is accepting applications for public food garden projects. This 30-day crowdfunding competition allows projects to compete for more than 400 awards ranging from $100 to $1,000. The crowdfunding campaign will run from November 15 to December 15, and grant recipients will keep 100 percent of the individual donations raised for their project.
Don't miss this once-a-year opportunity to help your community grow!
Growing Justice Fund
Application Deadline: November 15, 2024
The Growing Justice Fund supports Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant-led community solutions to strengthening the food supply chain. Planning grants of up to $25,000 and implementation grants, ranging from $50,000 to $250,000, are available to support organizations with the early stages of project planning and leadership and implementing “ready to scale” projects focused on procurement opportunities with community-serving institutions, respectively.
Click here to learn more about this opportunity and to check your eligibility to apply.
The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program (SFE)
Application Period: July 14 through November 15, 2024, 11:59 PM CT
For more than 25 years, the vital Wild Ones SFE donor-funded program has provided grants ranging from $100 to $500 for native plant gardens and landscaping projects throughout the United States. The funds are for acquiring native plants and seeds for outdoor learning areas that engage youth (preschool to high school) directly in planning, planting, and caring for native plant gardens.
Applications for the 2025 planting season must be submitted online during the application period. Awards will be communicated to recipients by February 15, 2025. Apply here for the 2025 planting season.
Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program
Application Deadline: Rolling through November 21, 2024
The Community Change Grants support comprehensive community and place-based approaches to redressing environmental and climate injustices for communities facing legacy pollution, climate change, and persistent disinvestment. These concentrated local investments will fund community-driven, change-making projects that center collaborative efforts for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities.
Learn more about this opportunity here.
Project SCALES, Cohort 2 Request for Application (RFA)
Application Deadline: December 13, 2024
With funding from the USDA FNS, Project SCALES, led by Boise State University’s Center for School and Community Partnerships, will fund innovative and sustainable projects that improve the school food system. Applicants are encouraged to think creatively about transformational partnerships and projects, particularly those that bring new industry partners into the school food supply chain. Projects must be collaboratively administered by at least three partners, including at least one school food authority and food industry partner (e.g., food manufacturers or producers, food processors, food aggregators, and food distributors). The first round of grantees was awarded in the spring of 2024 to bring more locally sourced foods into schools. Project SCALES will award up to $8.5 million in funding for Cohort 2; grants are available from $500,000 to $1 million for projects up to 3 years in duration. This grant is a part of the $100 million Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Initiative to enhance the quality of school meals.
To download the RFA and learn more about this opportunity, visit Apply – SCALES.
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Fruit Trees For Your Community
Application Deadline: Rolling
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) is an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPF programs strategically donate orchards where the harvest will best serve communities for generations, at places such as community gardens, public schools, city/state parks, low-income neighborhoods, Native American reservations, international hunger relief sites, and animal sanctuaries. Apply here.
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Shelburne Farms Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program Informational Webinar
On November 7, the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools is hosting a webinar for States interested in learning more about applying for the 2025-2026 Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program. Based on a professional learning model created by Vermont FEED, the program supports state teams in their efforts to adapt, develop, and launch Farm to School Institute programs in their states. State Farm to School Institute programs help whole-school teams grow sustainable farm to school programs through action planning, coaching, peer networking, and skill building. The Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program launched in 2022 and is provided through a cooperative agreement between Shelburne Farms and USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program.
The application for the 2025–26 Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program will be released in early November. The webinar will address the training model, the evidence behind its design, the key components of farm to school sustainability, and how the institute is being adapted across the country. Selected State teams will receive direct technical assistance, participate in a year-long community of practice, and receive a $7,500 stipend to cover travel and other expenses. The webinar is scheduled for November 7, at 3:00 PM ET.
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Fundamentals of Farm to School and Child and Adult Care Food Programs
The National Farm to School Network (NFSN) in collaboration with USDA FNS created the Fundamentals of Farm to School and Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP) Training and Handbook (Fundamentals). Fundamentals responds to State agencies’ requests for foundational training on farm to school and CACFP for employees engaged in this work, as many come into these roles with no previous experience or training. This program aims to support the onboarding of new employees fulfilling these roles at State agencies or other state-level organizations and provide a refresher for those already doing the work. NFSN is seeking 50 State agency, Federal Government, extension and other institutional applicants. Applications are open until November 22.
Nutrition Education and Local Food Access Dashboard
The USDA FNS has made available an interactive Nutrition Education and Local Food Access Dashboard. The goal of the dashboard is to provide a county-level visualization of FNS nutrition support, specifically nutrition education and local food access, alongside other metrics related to hunger and nutritional health. It includes visualizations of data points like farmers’ markets and intensity of farm to school participation.
The dashboard can be used by Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribal nations, and local partners to assess the concentration of nutrition resources, as well as gaps, for:
- Providing collaborative cross-program nutrition technical assistance,
- Developing nutrition action plans geared to target and optimize resources,
- Identifying potential partners for expanding best practices.
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