USDA Food and Nutrition Service is pleased to announce the release of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications! The grant program builds on USDA’s commitments to connect local farmers and producers to the child nutrition programs and strengthen strategies that encourage healthy choices, healthy outcomes, and healthy families.

Applications will be accepted through December 5, 2025, for up to a total of $18 million in competitive grants. Each grant will support farm to school projects that increase local foods in school meals and connect children with agriculture, helping expand markets for producers and inspire the next generation of farmers. Since the grant program’s inception in 2013, USDA has awarded a total of $100 million to more than 1,200 projects across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

New This Year

For FY 2026, USDA has introduced several improvements to the Farm to School Grant Program, including:

• Removing grant tracks to streamline the administrative process.
• Encouraging applicants to propose larger-scale projects – including pilot programs and models with a proven track record of success – that incorporate more local food into nutrition assistance programs.
• Requiring applicants other than State agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) to apply as a partnership. Partnerships were previously encouraged but not required.
• Raising the minimum request to $100,000 to fully support ambitious projects.
• Providing additional instructions for completing Federal forms, clarifying the process for applicants.

Eligibility

A wide variety of entities are eligible to apply, including:

• Schools and other institutions operating the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and/or Summer Food Service Program
• State agencies
• Local agencies
• Indian tribal organizations (ITOs)
• Small- to medium-sized agricultural producers
• Groups of small- to medium-sized agricultural producers
• Nonprofit organizations

Please see the request for applications (RFA) for detailed eligibility information to ensure you meet the necessary criteria before applying.

Application Information

If you are interested in applying for this grant opportunity, please read the full RFA before deciding to apply. Complete applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on December 5, 2025. To complete the application process, applicants must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), register in the System for Award Management, and register at www.Grants.gov. Applicants are encouraged to begin this process as early as possible, as it can take multiple weeks to complete every step.

Applicant Resources

To support interested applicants, USDA will host a webinar on October 1, 2025, as well as regular office hours starting October 8, 2025. Descriptions and registration information are below and on the Resources for Farm to School Grant Program Applicants. We encourage you to check the webpage frequently, as new resources will be posted throughout the application period.

Webinar: The Introduction to the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program’s FY 2026 Grant Program Request for Applications webinar will help interested applicants understand the RFA, including the grant objective, eligibility criteria, and application requirements. Please ensure that you access the application materials at Grants.gov and read the RFA in advance of the webinar.

Office Hours

The USDA Farm to School Team will host office hours to provide applicants with an opportunity to ask questions about the grant program.

Sessions will be held from 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time on:
· October 8, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· October 21, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· November 5, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· November 18, 2025 (Click Here to Join)
· December 2, 2025 (Click Here to Join)

Note that these sessions will not be recorded, but you can come and go at any time. The full time will be dedicated solely to answering applicant questions, and you do not need to attend for the full hour.

USDA encourages the farm to school community to share these exciting updates to the grant program and associated applicant resources with your networks to bring new energy and vision into the farm to school landscape!