FY 18 Farm to school Grant | USDA FNS F2S 2018

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS F2S 2018

The FY 18 Farm to School Grant opportunity is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), through the Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS). It was created under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to formally establish a USDA Farm to School Program. The central goal is to help eligible schools and their partners improve student access to local foods while supporting the development and expansion of farm to school efforts nationwide. Congress provides about $5 million per year for this program to cover grants, technical assistance, and federal administration.

This funding is meant to move farm to school work forward in practical, school-centered ways. The authorizing law directs USDA to support activities such as training, planning, operational support, purchasing equipment, building school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm to school programs. In other words, projects can range from early-stage planning and community coordination to hands-on work that puts local items on cafeteria menus, improves procurement systems, upgrades handling or kitchen capacity, and connects food service with education through gardens and farm-based learning.

USDA is also required to prioritize fairness and reach across different community types. The program is designed to ensure geographic diversity and equitable treatment for urban, rural, and tribal communities. Within that framework, the highest priority is given to projects that put local food products on school menus, serve a high proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and include experiential nutrition education that actively involves students in farm- and garden-based activities. Strong applications are also expected to show real collaboration between schools and partners such as nonprofits, community-based organizations, and agricultural producer groups; include an adequate and participatory evaluation plan; and demonstrate a credible path to long-term sustainability beyond the grant period.

A key condition of receiving an award is that grantees must provide matching support, which can be cash or in-kind contributions. Recipients must also agree to cooperate with program evaluation efforts conducted using grant funds, reinforcing that USDA expects grantees to measure results and share lessons learned.

For FY 2018, funding is offered through three grant tracks, each aimed at a different stage of readiness. Implementation Grants are for applicants that already have farm to school activities underway and want to scale or deepen existing initiatives. These awards range from $50,000 to $100,000. Planning Grants are for applicants that are new or early in development and need support to organize, design, and structure a farm to school program using known best practices; these awards range from $20,000 to $50,000. Training Grants support trainings and technical assistance that strengthen farm to school supply chains or build capacity in areas like local procurement, food safety, culinary education, and integrating agriculture-based curriculum; these awards also range from $20,000 to $50,000.

Eligible applicants include schools and school districts, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, small- and medium-sized agricultural producers (or groups of such producers), and nonprofit entities working with schools or districts. The opportunity is a discretionary grant under CFDA 10.575, with an anticipated 70 awards and a maximum award ceiling of $100,000. The funding opportunity number is USDA FNS F2S 2018, it was posted October 4, 2017, and the original application deadline was December 8, 2017.

• The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 18 Farm to school Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.575.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 04, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 08, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 70 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA FNS F2S 2018

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