The Department of Agriculture (Department) announces the program requirements and application period for grants under the Farm-to-School Program (Program).
Donor Name: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/19/2023
Size of the Grant: $15,000
Details:
The Program is a grant program authorized under the Farm-to-School Act (act). The Department intends to make up to $500,000 available for grants under the Program. Funding is contingent upon 2023-2024 budget appropriations. These Program guidelines have been developed in consultation with the Commission for Agricultural Excellence and the Department of Health.
The purpose of the Program is to educate prekindergartners through eighth graders and their families about the importance of choosing healthy, locally produced foods and increase awareness of agriculture in this Commonwealth. This initiative will also aid farmers in this Commonwealth in gaining access to new markets within this Commonwealth.
Funding Information
Grant amounts shall not exceed $15,000 annually, per school.
Eligible Projects
Grants will be awarded to develop the Program in this Commonwealth. Eligible projects are those that do all of the following:
- Educate prekindergartners through eighth graders and their families about the importance of choosing healthy, locally produced foods and increase awareness of agriculture in this Commonwealth.
- Achieve one or more of the following objectives of the Program:
- Nutrition education involving student participation which is integrated into regular subjects in the curriculum of primary and secondary education institutions.
- Focusing on locally grown foods provided from farms in this Commonwealth.
- Equipping teachers and other educators to incorporate nutrition and agriculture education into their instruction.
- Providing for new direct marketing opportunities for farmers in this Commonwealth.
- Providing for family and community involvement, including parent, caregiver and community group participation in education activities.
- Visits to nearby farms for school children so they may understand and learn more about the sources of their food.
- Contain one or more of the following elements
- The procurement of food and food products, or food-producing plants, from a farm in this Commonwealth.
- Nutrition and agriculture education, including integration into regular classroom subjects.
- Training of teachers, cafeteria staff and other educational staff on nutrition and agriculture education.
- The inclusion of parents, caregivers and community groups in educational activities.
- Field trips to farms in this Commonwealth or other direct agricultural educational experiences which teach children about sources of food and agriculture in this Commonwealth.
- Provision for reimbursement of up to 75% of the costs for purchasing locally grown foods provided from farms in this Commonwealth and foods purchased directly from farmers in this Commonwealth to meet the objectives set forth in paragraph (2)(ii) and (iv).
- An eligible applicant may use a grant to establish a school garden or pollinator habitat.
Eligible Applicants
A school district, school, charter school, private school or center with prekindergarten classes, kindergarten classes, elementary classes or middle school classes through the eighth grade that participates in a Federal child nutrition program may submit an application to the Department for funding a program.
For more information, visit Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
