Farm to School First Bite Mini Grant

Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)

Predicted deadline: Nov 2, 2024 2:00pm PDT

Grant amount: US $2,500 - US $10,000

Funding uses: Project / Program

Location of project: Minnesota

Location of residency: Minnesota

Overview:

NOTE: In addition to applying for the Farm to School First Bite Mini Grant, you may also apply for the AGRI Equipment Grant.

About

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has served our state for more than 125 years. The work we do touches every Minnesota citizen every day.

Our mission is to enhance all Minnesotans’ quality of life by equitably ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment, and the strength and resilience of our agricultural economy.

Our three general areas of responsibility include:

• Protecting our food supply;
• Protecting our natural resources; and,
• Cultivating our agricultural economy.

Farm to School First Bite Mini Grant

The Farm to School First Bite Mini Grant is intended to be an intentional learning process for school districts that have little to no experience with local procurement as part of a Farm to School program.

School districts that have prior Farm to School experience, or that have previously received a Farm to School First Bite Mini Grant should apply for the Farm to School Full Tray Grant.

Through our Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and with the support of the Cargill Foundation, we anticipate awarding nearly $3.5 million to reimburse school districts for purchasing Minnesota grown and raised foods used in school meal programs.

Project

Projects must focus on intentional, high-impact Farm to School efforts that highlight Minnesota grown and raised foods. These may include but are not limited to:

• Trialing new Minnesota grown products on the menu or through taste tests
• Participating in the Great Lakes Apple Crunch
• Hosting a Breakfast or Lunch with a Farmer meal
• Increasing the number of times a Minnesota item or meal repeats on the menu
• Expanding the number of featured items or meals during Farm to School Month
• Adding Minnesota Thursdays as a monthly feature to the menu
• Introducing local sourcing into the School Breakfast Program

Funding

The amount a school district may apply for is a minimum of $2,500 to a maximum of $10,000 and there is no match required.

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.