Courtesy of NAA:
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced partnering with the Urban School Food Alliance to provide trainings and tools to school districts that will help them purchase high quality foods, while keeping costs low. This initiative will support schools with school meals procurement, including the development of tools and training.
There are two new grant opportunities opening to support school meals:
- USDA is accepting applications, through Jan. 12, 2024, for the next round of USDA Farm to School Grants – which support local child nutrition programs in serving more fresh and local foods.
- Applications will open soon for the School Food Systems Transformation Challenge Sub-Grants.
As the second phase of USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, these sub-grants will fund projects promoting innovation in the school meals marketplace through collaboration between schools food producers and suppliers, including local producers and small and disadvantaged businesses.
Partnership with Urban School Food Alliance
The Urban School Food Alliance currently consists of 18 large school districts that share best practices about purchasing school foods, based on their experiences and procurement data they have gathered and analyzed beginning in school year 2017-2018.
Through its new partnership agreement with USDA, the Urban School Food Alliance will:
- Develop new tools to educate school districts on best practices for purchasing school foods.
- Organize an advisory group of school nutrition stakeholders to create an action plan that will address challenges with school food procurement through the development of targeted trainings and resources.
- Develop an interactive bid template that will help standardize procurement processes in school nutrition.
Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative – School Food Systems Transformation Challenge Sub-Grants
Two of the four organizations leading the School Food Systems Transformation Challenge Sub-Grants will open applications in November 2023:
- Supporting Community Agriculture and Local Education Systems (SCALES), led by Boise State University, will encourage innovative partnerships between schools and producers, growers, and processors to nourish students through transformation of the school food system.
- Partnerships for Local Agriculture & Nutrition Transformation in Schools (PLANTS), led by the Chef Ann Foundation, will support regional efforts to nourish students, increase equity, foster a resilient supply chain, and create scalable and sustainable change for school districts across the country.
Applications for sub-grants managed by two other organizations – Full Plates Full Potential and Illinois Public Health Institute – will open in early 2024.
Collectively, the four organizations were awarded $50 million to administer these sub-grants. The grants will support collaboration between school districts, food producers, suppliers, distributors, and/or community partners to stimulate a resilient, equitable, and nutritious school food system.
Eligible organizations are encouraged to check the USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives website for updates and sign up for bi-monthly newsletter at the bottom right of the USDA Team Nutrition website.
Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program
The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program, also known as the Farm to School Program, helps child nutrition programs incorporate local foods into school breakfast and lunch; summer meals; and meals served at child care centers. The program offers a variety of resources, from research, technical assistance, and grants to help build and grow farm to school programs.
Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program are now open through January 12, 2024. To receive updates about the grants application and other farm to school news, subscribe to The Dirt, program’s monthly e-newsletter.
Related Resources:
Child Nutrition Success Stories
To learn more about the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), visit www.fns.usda.gov.