Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS F2S 2024
The FY2024 Farm to School Grants opportunity (USDA FNS F2S 2024) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, under CFDA 10.575. Known as the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, it is built to help schools and youth-serving institutions increase access to locally produced foods while also helping students understand where food comes from. The program supports hands-on, practical activities that make local food a normal part of school life, such as nutrition and agriculture education, student taste tests, school gardens, farm or producer visits and field trips, and building or strengthening procurement relationships so local foods show up in school meals.
Funding is intended to either start new farm to school efforts or expand and improve existing programs. Awards support projects that run for 24 months, with a maximum federal award amount (ceiling) of up to $500,000 per project. A key requirement is cost sharing: applicants must provide match equal to at least 25 percent of the total project budget, and that match can be met through cash contributions or allowable in-kind support. The solicitation anticipates about 100 awards, indicating a substantial nationwide investment but also a competitive application environment.
The Request for Applications offers three distinct tracks, which are meant to fit different stages and structures of farm to school work: an Implementation track for entities ready to carry out or scale direct farm to school activities; a State Agency track for state-level leadership and coordination that can support broader systems-building across multiple districts or regions; and a Turnkey track designed for applicants who want a more structured, ready-to-deploy approach to launching core farm to school components. While the details of each track are set in the RFA itself, the overall idea is to give applicants multiple entry points depending on their capacity, readiness, and the role they play in the child nutrition and local food system.
Eligibility is broad and covers many of the organizations that typically sit at the intersection of school meals, agriculture, and community health. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, independent school districts, and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education under that nonprofit category). The program also allows certain for-profit organizations, including small businesses and other for-profit entities (other than small businesses), reflecting the reality that producers, aggregators, and food-system partners may be structured as businesses. The description also highlights specific examples of eligible groups such as schools and other institutions operating Child Nutrition Programs, Indian Tribal Organizations, agricultural producers or groups of producers, nonprofit entities, and state and local agencies.
From a timing standpoint, the opportunity was created on October 11, 2023, and the original application deadline was January 12, 2024. In practical terms, that means FY2024 funding is tied to that application window, and interested organizations should look for the current year cycle if applying now, while still using this FY2024 notice as a guide to the program structure, typical award size, match expectations, and the kinds of activities USDA wants to fund.Apply for USDA FNS F2S 2024
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2024 Farm to School Grants" 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 11, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 12, 2024. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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FY2024 Farm to School Grants (USDA FNS F2S 2024) - FAQs
What is the FY2024 Farm to School Grants opportunity (USDA FNS F2S 2024)?
The FY2024 Farm to School Grants opportunity is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), under CFDA 10.575. It is known as the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program and is designed to help schools and youth-serving institutions increase access to locally produced foods while helping students learn where food comes from.
What is the goal of the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program?
The program aims to make local food a normal part of school life by supporting practical, hands-on activities that connect students to local food and agriculture and help institutions incorporate locally produced foods into meals and programming.
What types of activities can this grant support?
The opportunity description highlights activities such as nutrition and agriculture education, student taste tests, school gardens, farm or producer visits and field trips, and building or strengthening procurement relationships so local foods show up in school meals.
Is the funding intended for new programs or existing programs?
Funding is intended to either start new farm to school efforts or expand and improve existing programs.
How long can an awarded project run?
Awards support projects that run for 24 months.
What is the maximum federal award amount?
The maximum federal award amount (ceiling) is up to $500,000 per project.
Is there a cost-sharing or match requirement?
Yes. Applicants must provide match equal to at least 25 percent of the total project budget.
What kinds of contributions can count toward the required match?
The match can be met through cash contributions or allowable in-kind support.
How competitive is this opportunity?
The solicitation anticipates about 100 awards nationwide, which suggests substantial investment but also a competitive application environment.
What grant tracks are available under this Request for Applications (RFA)?
The RFA offers three tracks: Implementation, State Agency, and Turnkey. These tracks are intended to fit different stages and structures of farm to school work.
What is the Implementation track intended for?
The Implementation track is for entities ready to carry out or scale direct farm to school activities.
What is the State Agency track intended for?
The State Agency track focuses on state-level leadership and coordination that can support broader systems-building across multiple districts or regions.
What is the Turnkey track intended for?
The Turnkey track is designed for applicants that want a more structured, ready-to-deploy approach to launching core farm to school components.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of organizations, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, independent school districts, and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education under that nonprofit category). Certain for-profit organizations are also eligible, including small businesses and other for-profit entities (other than small businesses).
Are schools and Child Nutrition Program operators eligible?
Yes. The description highlights schools and other institutions operating Child Nutrition Programs as examples of eligible groups.
Are Indian Tribal Organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and the description also highlights Indian Tribal Organizations as examples of eligible groups.
Are agricultural producers or groups of producers eligible applicants?
Yes. The description highlights agricultural producers or groups of producers as examples of eligible groups, and it also notes that certain for-profit organizations can be eligible, reflecting the role businesses may play in food-system partnerships.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible, with the stated exception of institutions of higher education under that nonprofit category.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes, public or state-controlled institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants. The description also notes an exclusion related to institutions of higher education under the nonprofit 501(c)(3) category.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The program allows certain for-profit organizations, including small businesses and other for-profit entities (other than small businesses).
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on October 11, 2023.
What was the application deadline for the FY2024 cycle?
The original application deadline was January 12, 2024.
If the FY2024 deadline has passed, is this notice still useful?
Yes. The description notes that organizations interested in applying now should look for the current year cycle, while using the FY2024 notice as a guide to the program structure, typical award size, match expectations, and the kinds of activities USDA wants to fund.
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