By Gina Clithero, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
October is National Farm to School Month! It is a time to celebrate the importance of agricultural education, community connections, and institutional markets for local food. Did you know that over 100 Vermont farms sell to a Vermont schools or early childhood programs? As a result, over 80 percent of schools and more than half of all early childhood programs regularly serve some local food in their child nutrition programs.
Since 2007, the Agency has stewarded grant funds to help schools and early childhood programs build farm to school connections. The Agency’s Farm to School and Early Childhood (FTSEC) Grants help Vermont schools and early childhood programs develop farm-to-school programs that sustain relationships with local farmers and producers, enrich the educational experience of students, improve the health of Vermont children, and enhance Vermont’s agricultural economy.
Each October, grant applications open for the first FTSEC grant of the fiscal year. Please spread the word about these FY25 FTSEC grant opportunities to schools and early childhood programs in your community.
FTSEC Capacity Building Grant
Application Window - October 3 – November 14, 2024
Award Size - $5,000-$20,000
Purpose
Grants to provide a combination of financial support and technical assistance to help schools and early care providers develop robust farm to school programs. The technical assistance component of this grant is designed to build strong and lasting farm to school and early childhood programs.
Eligible Applicants
- Vermont licensed early childhood centers
- Consortiums of at least three registered home-based early care providers
- Independent schools participating in any federal child nutrition programs
- Individual public schools
- Supervisory unions or educational districts on behalf of a public school or consortium of schools
FTSEC Community Supported Agriculture Grant
Application Window - February 7 – March 7, 2025
Award Size - Up to $1,500
Purpose
Grants to help early childhood education providers and after school programs access more Vermont grown and produced food. Successful applicants will receive a reimbursement grant to subsidize the cost of a community supported agriculture (CSA) share(s).
Eligible Applicants
- Vermont registered or licensed early childcare providers
- Vermont licensed after school programs
- 21st Century Child Learning Center Programs
Farm to School and Early Childhood Vision Grant
Application Window - February 27 – April 10, 2025
Award Size - $10,000 - $50,000
Purpose
Grants to support innovative and impactful initiatives that engage Vermont youth in addressing and learning about issues related to food, agriculture or related fields. Strong proposals will be scalable and/or replicable and will prioritize youth leadership.
Eligible Applicants
- Vermont licensed early childhood centers
- Vermont registered home-based early care providers
- Independent schools participating in any federal child nutrition programs
- Individual public schools
- Supervisory unions or educational districts on behalf of a public school or consortium of schools
- Licensed afterschool programs
- Non-profits or community organizations that conduct programming in Vermont are also eligible, but must demonstrate partnership in their application with a school, childcare provider, afterschool program, or another organization in the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Network.
Farm to Institution
The Agency also manages a Farm to Institution Market Development Grant, to which farms can apply for funding for infrastructure, marketing, or other activities to increase local food sales to schools, early childhood centers, and other institutions like hospitals, colleges, prisons, etc.
Farm to Institution Market Development Grant
Application Window - September 11 – October 23, 2024
Award Size - $10,000 - $30,000
Eligible Projects/Expenses
Grants to improve Vermont food producers’ access to institutional markets and to increase the quantity of local food available in Vermont institutions.
Eligible Applicants
- Vermont farm or food businesses
- Vermont producer groups or associations
- Supply chain facilitators (non-profits, economic development authorities, food hubs, etc.)
FY24 FTSEC Grant Program Summary
In FY24, the Agency awarded 69 Farm to School, Early Childhood, and Institution grants across the four programs listed above: 13 FTSEC Capacity Building Grants, 49 FTSEC Community Supported Agriculture Grants, 6 FTSEC Vision Grants, and 1 Farm to Institution Market Development Grant. To learn more about these projects, visit agriculture.vermont.gov/farmtoschool and navigate to “Grant History” from the side menu.
Please direct any questions about Farm to School grants or the Farm to Institution Market Development Grant to Farm to Institution Program Manager, Gina Clithero, at gina.clithero@vermont.gov or 802-585-6225.