USDA FNS Farm to School Grant for Local Food Access

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) establishes a Farm 

to School Program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in 

implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in USDA Food and Nutrition 

(FNS) Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School  

Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program 

(SFSP).

Each year $5 million is provided to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support grants, 

technical assistance, and other activities related to USDA’s Farm to School Program. Additional 

funding for the Farm to School Program was made available from the FY 2018 through FY 2021 

agriculture appropriations acts and, as a result, USDA expects to award approximately $12 million 

under this solicitation. The USDA Farm to School Grant Program is administered by the Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS).

Authorizing language in Section 18(g) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C 1769(g)) directs the Secretary of 

Agriculture to award competitive grants, designed to improve access to local foods in eligible 

schools, for activities such as:

•  Training;

•  Supporting operations;

•  Planning;

•  Purchasing equipment;

•  Developing school gardens;

•  Developing partnerships; and,

•  Implementing farm to school programs.

The NSLA also directs the Secretary to ensure geographical diversity and equitable treatment of 

urban, rural, and tribal communities in the distribution of grant awards, as well as give the 

highest priority to funding projects that, as determined by the Secretary:

•  Make local food products available on the menu of the eligible school;

•  Serve a high proportion of children who are eligible for free or reduced price 

lunches;

•  Incorporate experiential nutrition education activities in curriculum planning that 

encourage the participation of school children in farm and garden-based agricultural education 

activities;

•  Demonstrate collaboration between eligible schools, nongovernmental and community- 

based organizations, agricultural producer groups, and other community partners;

•  Include adequate and participatory evaluation plans;

•  Demonstrate the potential for long-term program sustainability; and,

•  Meet any other criteria that the Secretary determines appropriate.