FY_19_Farm to School_Grant_

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) established a Farm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, (schools, school districts, agricultural producers, Indian tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and local agencies), through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. Additional funding for the Farm to School Grant Program was made available through the FY 18 Omnibus bill, and as a result, approximately $7.5 million will be released under this solicitation in FY 2019. In the FY 2018 application cycle, FNS received 290 eligible applications and was able to fund 73 (25%) of the applications. To be competitive, applications must be complete and of high quality. Planning and training grant awards range from $20,000 to $50,000, and implementation grant awards range from $50,000 to $100,000. Organizations that have received implementation, support service, or training grants through the Farm to School Grant Program in the last two funding cycles (FY 2017 or FY 2018) are ineligible to apply for FY 2019 funding. A 25 percent cash or in-kind funding match is required.