State Agency: Farm to School Program Training and Curricula
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
The Farm to School Cooperative Agreement solicitation is open to organizations with experience providing technical assistance support and services that further expand farm to school initiatives. These Cooperative agreements allow more involvement and collaboration by FNS in the project compared to grants and provide fewer directions of project activities than a contract. FNS will coordinate with the cooperative agreement partners and stakeholders.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Nonprofit Organization
The FY24 Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement is open to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations and Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) meeting the criteria listed in the RFA. Please see RFA for details.
Beneficiaries
- Tribal
- Local
- State
- Young Child (4–9)
- Pre-Teen (10–12)
- Teen (13–19)
- School District
There are three funding tracks available, corresponding with each USDA priority. Applicants to the Supporting Community Engagement track (aligned with USDA’s priority of Improving Child Health through Nutritious School Meals) will propose projects that expand farm to school institutes. The Supporting Producer Engagement track aligns with USDA’s Food Systems Transformation priority and will fund projects that strengthen producer engagement with the Child Nutrition Programs market. Finally, the Supporting Tribal Engagement track will fund an entity to conduct Tribal dialogues with the purpose of supporting FNS’s farm to school grantmaking and technical assistance for Tribal entities, in alignment with USDA’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty priority.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
The selecting official makes the final decision regarding which applicant shall be awarded. The selecting official reserves the right to determine whether or not to accept the panel’s recommendation .
FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in
the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.
Decision Timeline
- Approval: From 90 to 120 days
75 Calendar days
Program details & compliance
Description
The overall goal of this project is for the selected applicant to help producers overcome the challenges of selling their goods (meat, fish, grain, produce) to school food authorities operating the Child Nutrition Programs (National School Breakfast, National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program). This opportunity seeks identify an organization to develop a train-the-trainer curriculum that will be developed (in partnership with State Agency input) and disseminated by the awarded applicant. The applicant will identify common challenges for producers seeking to sell to school food authorities and create curriculum and associated training materials that address these challenges. The target audience of the train-the-trainer curriculum will be state agencies that administer the Child Nutrition Programs and those that work closely with farmers (e.g. Departments of Education, Agriculture, Health). The awarded applicant will also assist in promoting the training (that will be executed by trained state agencies) among farmers. Finally, the awarded applicant will evaluate the success of the trainings conducted by state agencies. Please see the RFP for more information.
The purpose of the FY 24 Farm to School Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement is to support nonprofit entities and Indian Tribal Organizations to implement national- and/or regional-level farm to school activities. Awardees under this cooperative agreement will undertake projects supporting USDA’s priorities of Food System Transformation, Improving Child Health through Nutritious School Meals, and Indigenous Food Sovereignty.
Please see the RFP for more information.
Mission Categories
Primary: Food and Nutrition for Children
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Assistance may be used to develop a training targeted to providing state agencies with the tools necessary to support agricultural producers in selling local goods (meat, fish, grain, dairy, produce) to school food authorities.
FY24 Cooperative Agreement - Assistance may be used to provide awardees with the tools necessary (including purchasing supplies and equipment) to expand farm to school institutes, strengthen producer engagement with the Child Nutrition Programs market, and conduct Tribal dialogues.
Restrictions
Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any associated costs are unallowable (such as mascot costumes, promotional items, etc.) unless there is a programmatic purpose and prior approval is granted by FNS.
All costs proposed in the budget and detailed in the budget narrative must be allowable, reasonable, necessary, and allocable.
Required Documentation
Beyond documents required in 2 CFR 200, applicants should be prepared to provide references from past relevant projects that demonstrate expertise, an organizational chart and resumes of position descriptions for vacant positions and key personnel. Please see the RFP/RFA for a full list of required documentation.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements