Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS F2S 2017
Apply for USDA FNS F2S 2017
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 17 Farm to School Grant Program" 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 Sep 13, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 08, 2016. (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 75 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 17 Farm to School Grant Program is a competitive federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) 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 Farm to School Program. The core purpose is to help eligible schools and partner organizations build or strengthen farm to school efforts that increase students access to local foods while also supporting related education and community connections. Congress provides USDA about $5 million each year for this overall program, which covers grants, technical assistance, and administrative costs, and this RFA explains the grants portion for FY 2017.
The program is designed to fund practical, school-connected work that brings locally produced foods into school meals and related activities. The authorizing law directs USDA to fund projects that can include training, operational support, planning, equipment purchases, school garden development, partnership development, and broader implementation of farm to school programs. In other words, the grants are not limited to buying local food; they can also pay for the planning, capacity-building, and infrastructure needed to make local procurement and farm and garden learning workable over time. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients typically have ongoing involvement and coordination with the federal agency compared with a standard grant.
USDA is also required to manage the program in a way that reflects geographic diversity and treats urban, rural, and tribal communities equitably. In addition, the law lays out priority factors that USDA should weigh heavily in selecting projects. High-priority proposals are those that put local food products on school menus, serve a high proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, and include hands-on (experiential) nutrition education tied to farm and garden activities. Strong applications are also expected to show real collaboration among schools, community-based and nonprofit partners, agricultural producer groups, and other local stakeholders, rather than having schools work in isolation. Beyond that, USDA emphasizes projects with clear, participatory evaluation plans (so results can be measured and improved) and projects that have a credible path to long-term sustainability after the grant ends.
A key condition of receiving a Farm to School grant is that recipients must provide matching support, either as cash or as in-kind contributions, and they must agree to cooperate with evaluation efforts that are supported by grant funds. This match requirement is meant to ensure local investment and commitment, and the evaluation requirement reflects the program focus on documenting outcomes, learning what works, and sharing effective approaches across communities.
For FY 2017, USDA offered four separate grant tracks, each aimed at a different stage or role in farm to school work. Support Service grants are for eligible entities that work with schools or districts to develop and deliver broader support services that help farm to school initiatives expand and succeed; these awards range from $65,000 to $100,000. Implementation grants, also $65,000 to $100,000, are aimed at schools or school districts that already have farm to school activities underway and want to scale them up or deepen them. Planning grants are smaller awards ($20,000 to $45,000) intended for schools or districts that are just getting started and need time and structure to design a strong program using established best practices. Training grants are designed for eligible entities to run trainings that strengthen farm to school supply chains or provide technical assistance on local procurement, food safety, culinary education, and integrating agriculture-based curriculum; training awards are $15,000 to $25,000 for state-level efforts and $25,000 to $50,000 for regional or national efforts.
Administratively, this opportunity was posted as a discretionary funding opportunity under USDA FNS (CFDA 10.575), with an overall award ceiling of $100,000 per award and an anticipated total of about 75 awards. The funding opportunity number is USDA FNS F2S 2017. It was created on September 13, 2016, and the original application deadline was December 8, 2016. Eligibility is described broadly in the notice as "others," with additional clarification expected in the RFA text, but the structure of the tracks makes clear that some awards are aimed directly at schools/school districts (planning and implementation), while others are aimed at partner organizations that support schools through services or training.
FY 17 USDA Farm to School Grant Program (USDA FNS F2S 2017) - FAQs
What is the FY 17 Farm to School Grant Program?
The FY 17 Farm to School Grant Program is a competitive federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS). It supports projects that help schools and partners build or strengthen farm to school efforts.
Which USDA office administers this opportunity?
This opportunity is administered by USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS).
What law established the Farm to School Program?
The program 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 Farm to School Program.
What is the overall purpose of these grants?
The core purpose is to help eligible schools and partner organizations increase students' access to local foods while supporting related education and community connections through school-connected, practical farm to school work.
Is the funding only for purchasing local food?
No. The authorizing law allows funding for a wide range of activities beyond buying local food, including planning, training, operational support, equipment purchases, school garden development, partnership development, and broader farm to school implementation.
What types of activities can a project include?
Projects may include training, operational support, planning, equipment purchases, school garden development, partnership development, and implementation activities that bring locally produced foods into school meals and related education/community activities.
What is the funding instrument for these awards?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally involves ongoing involvement and coordination with the federal agency compared with a standard grant.
How much funding does Congress provide for the overall Farm to School Program?
Congress provides USDA about $5 million each year for the overall program, which covers grants, technical assistance, and administrative costs. The referenced RFA covers the grants portion for FY 2017.
How does USDA address geographic diversity and equity in this program?
USDA is required to manage the program to reflect geographic diversity and to treat urban, rural, and tribal communities equitably.
What proposal characteristics are treated as high priority?
High-priority proposals are those that: (1) put local food products on school menus, (2) serve a high proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, and (3) include hands-on (experiential) nutrition education tied to farm and garden activities.
What kinds of partnerships or collaboration are expected?
Strong applications are expected to show real collaboration among schools, community-based and nonprofit partners, agricultural producer groups, and other local stakeholders, rather than having schools work in isolation.
Are evaluation plans required?
USDA emphasizes projects with clear, participatory evaluation plans so results can be measured, improved, and shared.
Do recipients have to participate in evaluation activities supported by the grant?
Yes. Recipients must agree to cooperate with evaluation efforts that are supported by grant funds.
Is a match required to receive a Farm to School grant?
Yes. A key condition is that recipients must provide matching support, either as cash or as in-kind contributions.
Why does the program require a match?
The match requirement is intended to ensure local investment and commitment to the project.
What does USDA look for regarding long-term sustainability?
USDA emphasizes projects that have a credible path to long-term sustainability after the grant ends.
How many grant tracks were offered for FY 2017?
USDA offered four grant tracks for FY 2017: Support Service grants, Implementation grants, Planning grants, and Training grants.
What are Support Service grants and how much can they fund?
Support Service grants are for eligible entities that work with schools or districts to develop and deliver broader support services that help farm to school initiatives expand and succeed. Awards range from $65,000 to $100,000.
What are Implementation grants and how much can they fund?
Implementation grants are aimed at schools or school districts that already have farm to school activities underway and want to scale them up or deepen them. Awards range from $65,000 to $100,000.
What are Planning grants and how much can they fund?
Planning grants are intended for schools or districts that are just getting started and need time and structure to design a strong program using established best practices. Awards range from $20,000 to $45,000.
What are Training grants and how much can they fund?
Training grants are designed for eligible entities to run trainings that strengthen farm to school supply chains or provide technical assistance on local procurement, food safety, culinary education, and integrating agriculture-based curriculum. Funding levels are $15,000 to $25,000 for state-level efforts and $25,000 to $50,000 for regional or national efforts.
What is the maximum award amount mentioned for this opportunity?
The notice lists an overall award ceiling of $100,000 per award.
How many awards were anticipated for FY 2017?
The opportunity anticipated a total of about 75 awards.
What is the CFDA number associated with this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is posted under CFDA 10.575.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA FNS F2S 2017.
When was this opportunity created and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was created on September 13, 2016, and the original application deadline was December 8, 2016.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly in the notice as "others," with additional clarification expected in the RFA text. The structure of the tracks indicates that some awards are aimed directly at schools and school districts (Planning and Implementation), while others are aimed at partner organizations that support schools through services or training (Support Service and Training).
What is the difference between grants aimed at schools versus partner organizations?
Planning and Implementation grants are aimed at schools or school districts. Support Service and Training grants are aimed at eligible entities that support schools by providing services, training, or technical assistance to help farm to school efforts expand and succeed.
What outcomes is this program trying to achieve?
Based on the program description, the intended outcomes include increased student access to local foods, incorporation of local food into school menus, strengthened farm to school capacity and infrastructure, and expanded hands-on nutrition education connected to farm and garden activities.
What kinds of training topics are specifically mentioned for Training grants?
The opportunity specifically mentions trainings and technical assistance related to strengthening farm to school supply chains, local procurement, food safety, culinary education, and integrating agriculture-based curriculum.
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