The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Turnkey Grant Program supports Action Planning, Agricultural Education, and Edible Gardens programs in the U.S.
The USDA Food & Nutrition Service expects to award 60 grants of $5,000 – $50,000 each for 24 months. There is a 25% matching requirement and applicants must commit to operating one or more federal Child Nutrition Programs. Applications are due by January 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET.
Eligibility
This grant is open to:
- K-12 schools, including nonprofit private and charter schools, that operate the National School Lunch Program and/or the School Breakfast Program
- Non-school based child care centers that have an agreement with the State agency to operate the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- Non-school based summer sponsors that have an agreement with the State agency to operate the Summer Food Service Program
- Local agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Native American Tribal Organizations and Alaska Native Corporations
- Agricultural producers
Grant Tracks
The Farm to School Turnkey program has three tracks:
- Action Planning for developing a roadmap for launching or enhancing farm to school activities
- Agricultural Education for incorporating agricultural education into curricula
- Edible Gardens for implementing a food production operation
Required Activities
All grantees, regardless of track, are required to:
- Attend at least one national or regional-level networking and training event
Action Planning
Grantees in the Action Planning Track are required to:
- Form and regularly convene a diverse farm to school planning team that represents the community served
- Conduct an inclusive and comprehensive action planning process
- Draft a plan that identifies at least one community need that the project will address and gather input/feedback from the community
- Compile and share a final action plan
- Submit a Farm to School Action Plan by the end of the 24 month grant period
Agricultural Education
Grantees in the Agricultural Education Track are required to:
- Establish a vision, goals, and objectives for the curriculum, including if and how local foods will be incorporated
- Establish the desired outcomes and competencies to be achieved
- Identify connected State Standards
- Identify the student population who will participate
- Develop or procure the curriculum and gather input/feedback from relevant stakeholders
- Determine how the curriculum will be integrated into participating CNP sites and then carry out that plan
- Develop strategies for maintaining the curriculum in the school/site beyond the grant period
- Perform an evaluation of the project
Edible Gardens
Grantees in the Edible Gardens Track are required to:
- Form a diverse edible garden team that represents the community served, including school/site food service professionals
- Establish a vision, goals, and objectives for the edible garden project, including how you will comply with any applicable Federal, State, and/or local regulations
- Create a garden food safety plan
- Determine the processing, storage, and ultimate use of school garden foods
- Procure supplies, install, and execute the edible garden project
- Perform an evaluation of the project
Allowable Expenses
Grant funds may be used for:
- Equipment and supplies
- Greenhouses
- Food – up to 10% of federal share and only for educational purposes
- Partnerships – subgrantees, contractors, and others providing a service to the project
- Evaluation
- Promotional items – individuals items up to $5 each; no advertising or public relations
- Staff development and/or Substitute pay
- Stipends
- Travel
