USDA-FNS-FY2021-F2S-REGINST: Farm to School Institute Grant
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Food and Nutrition Service notices from 2021.
Food and Nutrition Service offered grants of up to $500,000 (at least $200,000) to nonprofits. It expected to make one award worth $500,000 in total. Applications closed on July 28, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed May 26, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$500,000
- Award floor$200,000
- Total funding$500,000
- Expected awards1
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | May 26, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 28, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 27, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits.
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
The cooperative agreement is only open to non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Special consideration will be given to applicants with established relationships and experience with farm to school stakeholders and farm to school activities. The selected applicant will also have experience in operating a farm to school institute, including the creation and dissemination of information on farm to school program development, providing practitioner education, training, and ongoing coaching, and technical assistance. This cooperative agreement will be made on a competitive basis. An award may be made to more than one entity. The applicants may sub award, by contract or sub-grant, tasks to other organizations to complete or provide aspects of training and technical assistance. Applicants must provide a 501(c)(3) Determination Letter to indicate nonprofit status, as well as a current copy of the organization’s bylaws that details, at a minimum, the organization’s official name, mission, and purpose. Applicants must clearly describe how their organization(s) satisfies the criteria for an “eligible entity” as stated above.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Farm to School Grant Program awards averaged $91,096; this notice allows up to $500,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (66% over five years) went to nonprofits.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The FY 2021 Agriculture Appropriations Senate Report (S.R. 115-259) directs the Secretary of Agriculture to use $500,000 to form at least one cooperative agreement with an established entity, such as a regional Farm to School institute, for the creation and dissemination of information on farm to school program development and to provide practitioner education, training, ongoing school year coaching, and technical assistance.” This cooperative agreement announces the availability of funds to establish a new three-year cooperative agreement focused on training state or regional level teams, or other teams serving specific populations that may not be bound by geography (such as tribal nations, refugee communities, etc.) to create farm to school institutes for the communities they serve. FNS awarded two Regional Farm to School Institute Grants in FY 2020. The grantees currently provide and conduct regular, ongoing trainings and technical assistance to schools, school districts, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers, and/or non-profit organizations. This is done with the intent to support and enhance eligible CNP (NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP and FFVP) operators in developing robust, sustainable, and integrated Farm to School programs. The intent of this cooperative agreement is to replicate the success of the farm to institute model more widely across the county and provide ongoing technical assistance to new institutes as they are created and implemented.
Who has won Farm to School Grant Program grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Farm to School Grant Program (10.575) awarded $49.9 million across 548 grant awards, an average of $91,096 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelburne Farms | Vermont | 3 | $6.0 million |
| The National Center for Appropriate Technology Inc | Montana | 2 | $1.1 million |
| The Tides Center | California | 3 | $954,793 |
| North Dakota Department of Agriculture | North Dakota | 3 | $563,912 |
| First Nations Development Institute | Colorado | 1 | $500,000 |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is USDA-FNS-FY2021-F2S-REGINST still open?
No. It closed on July 28, 2021.
Who can apply for Farm to School Institute Grant?
Food and Nutrition Service accepted applications from nonprofits. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Farm to School Institute Grant?
Closed July 28, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $500,000 each. About $500,000 in total for one award.
Who has won Farm to School Grant Program grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Shelburne Farms, The National Center for Appropriate Technology Inc, The Tides Center. The program made 548 awards worth $49.9 million in that time.
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