USDA Announces Request for Applications for FY 2014 Farm to School Grants

Program Description
The purpose of the USDA Farm to School Grant Program is to assist eligible entities in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. On an annual basis, USDA awards up to $5 million in competitive grants for training, supporting operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm to school programs.

In this funding round, USDA is soliciting applications for three types of grants:

1. Planning grants are intended for school districts or schools just starting to incorporate farm to school program elements into their operations.
2. Implementation grants are intended for school districts or schools to help scale or further develop existing farm to school initiatives.
3. Support Service grants are intended for state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers, and non-profit entities working with school districts or schools to further develop existing farm to school initiatives and to provide broad reaching support services to farm to school initiatives.

Proposals are due at midnight EST, April 24, 2013. In all cases, a 25% cash or in-kind match of the total project cost is required.

Important Dates and Deadlines

• February 6, 2013: Request for Applications Released
• April 24, 2013: Proposals Due (Midnight EST)
• October 2013: Awards Announced and Funds Available (Pending the Availability of Federal Funds)

Webinars to Learn More
To assist eligible entities in preparing proposals for the fiscal year 2014 Farm to School Grant Program, USDA will host a series of webinars related to the application process. Information on how to access each webinar is below. Each webinar presentation will last approximately one hour, with an extra 30 minutes of question and answer time. Please contact Laura Brown at laura.brown@fns.usda.gov with any questions.

Planning Grants: Tuesday, March 5, 1:00 p.m. EST
Note: Both an Internet connection and telephone line are required in order to see and hear the webinar. Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=ZS99Z2&role=attend
Phone: 888-603-8943
Passcode: 3927574

Implementation Grants: Wednesday, March 6, 1:00 p.m. EST
Note: Both an Internet connection and telephone line are required in order to see and hear the webinar. Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=ZS99Z2&role=attend
Phone: 888-396-9185
Passcode: 3927574

Support Service Grants: Thursday, March 7, 1:00 p.m. EST
Note: Both an Internet connection and telephone line are required in order to see and hear the webinar. Access the webinar here: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=ZS99Z2&role=attend
Phone: 888-396-9185
Passcode: 3927574

Contact Us
For more information and grant applications, visit the USDA Food and Nutrition Services website at http://www.fns.usda.gov and search for “Farm to School Grants 2014”.  For all questions pertaining to the USDA Farm to School Grant Program, please contact the USDA via email at farmtoschool@fns.usda.gov.