Funding Opportunities: Increasing Access to Local and Healthy Food
Spring is here and so are funding opportunities! Supporting the development of local food systems? Teaching preschoolers about
nutrition? Conducting taste tests of fruits and veggies in schools? Read on to see if the following opportunities meet your program’s needs.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program
AMS has grant funding available to strengthen local and regional food systems through the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion
Program, and is hosting webinars to help potential applicants with the grant process.
AMS is providing over $26 million in competitive grants, divided equally between the
Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and the
Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP). FMPP grants support direct producer-to-consumer marketing projects. LFPP funding supports projects,
including farm to school projects, that develop, improve, and expand local and regional food business supply chain activities, including processing, distribution, aggregation, and storage of locally produced food products.
AMS will host a webinar March 29 (registration
link) at 2:00 PM EDT to explain how to submit grant applications through
www.grants.gov. Additional grant writing workshops will be held through the Agricultural Marketing Service Technical Assistance (AMSTA) Project. Visit
www.amsta.net to see if training is scheduled in your area.
Farm to school example: In 2014 Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation received a LFPP grant to expand a pilot Farm to
Early Care Project in Central Brooklyn by increasing access to farm fresh, healthy food for 1,500 children while generating increased revenue for participating farmers.
Applications are due May 12, 2016.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
More than $62 million in grant funding is available to support specialty crop producers through the
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). SCBGP grants are allocated to U.S. states and territories for projects that help support specialty crop growers,
including locally grown fruits and vegetables, through research and other programs to increase demand.
Those interested in applying should do so directly through their state departments of agriculture. A listing of the SCBGP’s
state contacts, and how to apply with state application due dates, can be found at
www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp.
USDA encourages projects related to the following priority areas: benefitting underserved communities and veterans, improving
producer capacity to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act, developing adaptation and mitigation strategies for farmers in drought-stricken regions of the country, increasing opportunities for new and beginning farmers,
developing strong local and regional food systems, protecting pollinator habitats and improving pollinator health, and supporting the growth of organic specialty crops.
Farm to school example: Using SCBG funds, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture partnered with the Food Trust to increase
purchasing and serving of Pennsylvania specialty crops in Upper Moreland School District (UMSD) by enhancing farm to school purchasing practices for cost-efficiency and menu variety at UMSD.
State departments of agriculture must submit applications by July 6, 2016.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Federal State Marketing Improvement Grants
AMS is making approximately $1 million in grant funding available to support research projects addressing challenges and opportunities
in marketing, transporting, and distributing U.S. agricultural products domestically and internationally. The
Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) provides funds to state departments of agriculture, state colleges and universities, and other appropriate state agencies.
Farm to school example: Using FSMIP funds, the Montana Department of Agriculture supported expanded market opportunities
for Montana farmers by determining the best methods for processing and preparing fruits and vegetables to make them available year-round to supply the state’s K-12 schools.
Applications are due May 12, 2016.
Team Nutrition Grants
USDA's
Team Nutrition provides technical assistance, training, and nutrition education resources for schools and child care providers participating in USDA's child nutrition programs. Grants through this program can support farm to school!
Farm to school example: The Idaho Department of Education used Team Nutrition funds to strengthen farm to school technical
assistance efforts by conducting a farm to school pilot study, creating several farm to school related manuals and hosting a state farm to school conference.
State agencies must submit applications by May 20, 2016.
T&L Foundation for Child Care Information: Mini-Grants
Ready to get a preschool garden growing? Sowing great ideas for teaching youth about where their food comes from? If you are
a licensed family child care provider participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) or a CACFP sponsor and have a small project focused on health and wellness, check out the
T&L Foundation for Child Care Information's mini-grants. Projects must target one or more of the following objectives, so be sure to clearly specify which objectives your project addresses:
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Overall quality of health and wellness in child care settings
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Enhancing nutrition and healthy eating habits in child care settings
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Enhancing physical activity in child care settings
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Engaging parents in education of health and wellness via child care provider relationships
Applications are due April 13, 2016.
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Chef Ann Foundation Project Produce Grant
The Chef
Ann Foundation has $250,000 available to support school lunchroom learning programs. Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools is a grant program designed to help increase kids’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables and create experiential
nutrition education when and where students make their food choices: in the cafeteria. The $2,500 one-year grants support food costs to incorporate school-wide fruit and vegetable tastings into the school's nutrition program.
Grants will be determined on an ongoing basis depending on available funding; there is no application deadline.
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Upcoming Webinars
There's something for everyone in the coming weeks and months. Mark your calendars, and don't miss out on these
great farm to school resources!
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Keeping the Tradition (traditional foods that is!) Alive: Community Food Systems in Native Communities
This spring, USDA’s Office of Community Food Systems will host a four-part webinar series focused on integrating farm to school
strategies in native communities. Each webinar will feature a guest speaker who will share tips, stories and best practices for keeping local food traditions alive in child nutrition programs that serve tribal populations.
What Does Farm to School Look Like in Native American Communities?
April 6, 3:00 PM EDT
The first in a series of four webinars, this webinar will offer an overview of what community food systems may look like in
tribal communities. Farm to school efforts help children make informed food choices and can support local agricultural producers. Mark Sorensen, co-founder of the Star School located in Arizona, will share tips, best practices, and innovative ideas for starting
a farm to school program.
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Incorporating Traditional Foods in Child Nutrition Program Menus:
April 20, 3:00 PM EDT
Where do traditional foods fit?! In this webinar we'll discuss best practices for incorporating traditional foods into child
nutrition programs. Alaska's Department of Natural Resources will share how Alaskan communities are integrating local foods and Jenny Montague, a nutritionist with FNS, will share some real life examples of districts that are substituting local foods into
CNP meals.
Engaging Students:
May 4, 3:00 PM EDT
Incorporating nutrition education related to traditional food items into cultural activities such as ceremonial songs and storytelling
helps students to identify food as part of Native American heritage. This webinar will help you plan for farm to school educational efforts which engage students throughout the year. Gloria Begay, a Navajo Educator, will highlight school garden efforts and
local foods activities in summer meals.
Partnering for Success in Tribal Communities:
May 20, 3:00 PM EDT
Everything is better together, right?! In the final webinar in a series of four, we’ll hear from two practitioners who illustrate
that partnerships make the difference in keeping food traditions alive in child nutrition programs. This webinar will identify strategies to engage local producers and community leaders in your farm to school efforts.
Planning for Farm to School Success
School Gardening:
March 31, 2:00 PM EDT
Hear about the different ways to incorporate school gardens into your farm to school program as well as how schools are successfully
procuring school garden produce for their meal programs.
Curriculum Integration:
April 7, 2:00 PM EDT
Experiential education is an important component of successful farm to school programs. This webinar will help you plan for
your farm to school educational efforts and brainstorm food, agriculture, and nutrition-related educational activities with which you can engage students.
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Recently, the Let’s Move! campaign issued its annual call for kids to enter original recipes into the
Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. One winner from each state will be selected to attend the 2016 Kids “State Dinner” at the White House, where a selection of the winning recipes will be served. This year, the Healthy Lunchtime
Challenge is putting a spotlight on homegrown pride and encouraging entries from across the country that include ingredients grown in your state, territory, or community, celebrating
MyPlate, MyState.
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Is your school district "One in a Melon?"
Now through April 15,
USDA is running a contest for school districts to win a “One in a Melon” award. Parents, teachers, community stakeholders and even students can visit the website and nominate their favorite farm to school program to receive this award. One school district
from each state with the most nominations will win. “One in a Melon” award winners will be announced before school lets out this year.
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