The New York State Farm-to-School Competitive Grants program aims to increase school’s purchase of local specialty crops by building relationships between schools and New York farm product suppliers.
Donor Name: Department of Agriculture & Markets
State: New York
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/24/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
Farm-to-School is the promotion and use of foods produced by New York State farmers in meals served in cafeterias of K-12 schools. Associations between farms and schools through the cafeteria and classroom can enhance the quality of food served. With over 700 school districts in New York State, there is the opportunity to foster relationships among New York State farmers, food hubs, producers, processors, and distributors to benefit school-age children.
While serving New York State produced food in school cafeterias may seem simple, developing Farm-to-School connections highlights several challenges, particularly the lack of an established infrastructure or network of stakeholders that includes all the necessary parties: farmers, food service directors, food service contract management companies, food distributors, processors, agricultural organizations, and commodity organizations. Other challenges include:
- Seasonality: Farmers plan their crops in January, long before schools make purchasing decisions and place bids for products in the summer. In addition, the summer growing season is when schools are not in session.
- Inconsistent quality, quantity, and sizing: schools require produce to be served in standard units and meet specifications.
- Processing and packaging: schools require vegetables and fruits to be processed and packaged in standard units.
- Bidding: sending and reviewing bids from individual farmers can be time- consuming and complex for school procurement and fiscal staff.
- Delivery/pick up: distribution can be complicated when purchasing from multiple growers.
- Lack of equipment and skills to store, prepare and serve fresh produce procured for school meals programs.
- Connecting diverse populations with their culturally appropriate foods.
Funding Information
- Anticipated Initial Contract Length: 24 Months
- Total Funding Available: $850,000.00
- Anticipated Amount of Award(s): $25,000 – $100,000
Eligibility Criteria
Not-For-Profit, Governmental Entity, Tribal Organization.
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