FY 2013 Farm to School Grant

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) amended Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) to establish a Farm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools.

To fulfill the farm to school mandate in the HHFKA, effective Oct. 1, 2012, $5 million will be provided to the USDA on an annual basis to support grants, technical assistance, and the Federal administrative costs related to USDA’s farm to school program.

This Request for Applications (RFA) provides additional details regarding the grants aspect of the farm to school program. The Food & Nutrition Service (FNS) is charged with implementing the farm to school program. In this first funding cycle, FNS anticipates awarding up to $3.5 million in grant funding to support efforts that improve access to local foods in eligible schools.

It is anticipated that the remaining $1.5 million will support a combination of training and technical assistance, administrative costs, and/or additional farm to school grants. Grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis, subject to availability of Federal funds.

Applicants are encouraged to first submit a Letter of Intent and then apply for either a Planning Grant or an Implementation Grant. Planning grants are expected to range from $20,000-$45,000 and represent approximately 25 percent of the total awards. Implementation grants are expected to range from $65,000 - $100,000 and represent approximately 75 percent of the total awards.

For both types of grants, the applicant must provide at least 25 percent of the costs of the grant project as the Federal share of costs for this grant cannot exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the project, as required by the HHFKA. Applicants must choose between submitting a Planning grant or an Implementation grant. Only one application per eligible entity is permitted. Please complete and submit the additional Free and Reduced Price Meal Participation Form located on the F2S website for your grant project.