This Week in Farm to School 

Farm to school connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities.

NFSN Racial Equity Learning Lab Webinar

July 10, 2024 // 2 pm ET

The National Farm to School Network launched the Racial Equity Learning Lab (‘Lab’) in the summer of 2022 and is a Cooperative Agreement in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Community Food System. This 2nd public webinar will feature Denee Bex with Tumbleweed Nutrition as the keynote speaker and showcase the rippling impact of the Lab experience by sharing a few stories from the 2023 cohort members. The webinar will also provide recruitment details about how to join the next cohort and share about the future of the Racial Equity Learning Lab.

Learn more and register.

CEFS Small Farm Unit Field Day

July 11 - 12, 2024 // 1 pm ET // Goldsboro, NC

Join the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) for a Field Day at the Small Farm Unit to learn about their work with specialty vegetables, cover crops and soil-building practices, biodegradable mulch, beekeeping, and more.

Learn more register.

2024 Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit

July 15-23, 2024 // University of Arkansas 

Apply by April 1st, 2024 to participate in the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative's (IFAI) Youth Leadership Summit! Held annually since 2014, the Youth Summit brings participants from across Indian Country to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to spend a week creating lifelong memories and fostering professional and academic skills development. All travel and lodging expenses are covered for accepted applicants. 

Learn more and apply.

Bilingual Family Engagement

July 31, 2024 // 2 pm ET

Having a strong family support base is key to the longevity of a garden program. Join the School Garden Support Organization Network in learning how Wasatch Community Gardens in Utah involves their language-rich community!

Learn more and register.

Farm to School Leadership Academy

The Farm to School Leadership Academy brings together leaders and aspiring leaders who are dedicated to food systems education and committed to healing these systems in schools and early childhood settings. Participants will explore principles of transformational leadership, systems change, and community support to enhance and strengthen their ongoing farm to school efforts. The program is best suited for educators, coordinators, and leaders working in farm to school and food education in pre-K-12 settings. Priority will be given to those working in public school systems. This program is offered in partnership with the National Farm to School Network, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, and North Carolina State University. It is funded at least in part with Federal funds from the US Department of Agriculture.

Learn more.

Transforming School Food Politics Around the World

This resource was released today by MIT Press, written by editors Jennifer Gaddis, an NFSN Advisory Board Member, and Sarah A. Robert. This collection of essays offers a free exploration of strategies to reform public school food programs worldwide, focusing on care, justice, and sustainability. It features insights from eight countries, including a chapter by the Center for Ecoliteracy detailing their successful advocacy efforts in California to ensure free, freshly prepared meals for all students. Dive into the lessons and strategies shaping the future of school food systems globally.

Learn more.

National Farmers Market Week Toolkit

National Farmers Market Week is August 4-10! Begin planning your celebration today with the National Farmers Market Week Toolkit! It has everything you need to get started, including social media graphics, sample posts, templates, planning guides and more!

Learn more.

Fall 2024 Racial Equity Learning Lab Member Interest 

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Nutrition Service, the National Farm to School Network (NFSN) is implementing the Racial Equity Learning Lab (the “Lab”) to advance racial equity within the farm to school movement. The Lab is a collaborative and virtual space designed for small groups to foster an intensive dialogue and co-creation experience focused on equity in farm to school. The Lab cohort will consist of 13 participants from across farm to school sectors as well as varied geographic locations and impacted communities who are committed to advancing equity in the farm to school movement. The interest form closes on July 15, 2024. 

Learn more and apply.

Book Highlight: Zora’s Garden

This heartfelt adventure honors the real Zora Neale Hurston with the perfect mix of fact and fiction crafted by Zora Scholar, Rae Chesny. With the loving wisdom of her mother, Lucy, Zora learns the perfect recipe for creating stories and growing gardens. Join in the fun as Zora learns about the power of storytelling and the delight of gardening. 

Learn more.

Lots of Compassion Grant

Deadline: June 30, 2024

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and KidsGardening share a belief that the garden has the power to do more than grow flowers and herbs. It can grow people, communities, and even kindness, too. Together, they designed the Lots of Compassion Grant program to support local leaders looking to transform vacant lots into gardens to help grow compassion in their community. Through the Lots of Compassion initiative, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day is pledging to provide up to $1 million from Compassion Flower product sales to support community garden transformations over the next five years. Now in its second year, ten grantees will receive $20,000 each to transform a vacant lot into a garden. A total of $200,000 will be awarded in 2024.

Learn more and apply.

Morgan Stanley Children’s Mental Health Innovation Awards

Deadline: July 8, 2024

Morgan Stanley’s program aims to seed fund transformative mental health care solutions for children across the U.S. It helps address the lack of investment in youth mental health, connect innovative ideas with capital, and build capacity for nonprofits. This annual initiative invites 11 of 21 U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities to submit innovative ideas for advancing children’s mental health. Five winners are selected, and a broader group of applicants are invited to join a Leadership Learning Series. Each winner receives $100,000 in seed funding.

Learn more and apply.

Behind the Tray- Food Science for School Meals

Deadline: July 12, 2024 

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is committed to providing safe school meals and supporting those who prepare and serve them every day. FNS seeks to award a 2-year $600,000 cooperative agreement to develop, implement, and evaluate a new week-long in-person science-based food safety education training program for School Nutrition professionals. Behind the Tray will enhance the food science and food processing literacy of School Nutrition professionals with special emphasis on food safety and food microbiology. Public, state, and private universities and colleges are eligible to apply.

Learn more and apply.

Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation Announces Grant Opportunities Supporting Nutrition Education and Healthy Lifestyles in Schools and the Community

Deadline: July 15, 2024

The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation has announced three grants that support nutrition education in schools. 

• Sprouting School Gardens Grant - The Sprouting School Gardens Grant is designed to help schools create or expand their garden programs on school campuses with an emphasis on nutrition education. Grants range in size from $5,000 to $10,000 and may be used to support program operations, program supplies, learning tools, and educator stipends.
• Growing Healthy Kids Grant – Help kids grow healthy with programs at home or in the community that support nutrition, health, and wellness. Nonprofits in the communities that Sprouts serves are eligible to apply for this grant. Grants range in size from $5,000 to $10,000.
• Wellness Across the Lifespan Grant – Wellness Across the Lifespan Grants support programs that help young adults and vulnerable populations achieve and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors and nutritious eating. Nonprofits in the communities that Sprouts serves are eligible to apply. Grants range in size from $5,000 to $10,000.

Learn more and apply.

Enhancing African Women Farmers’ Capacity to Participate in School Meals Value Chains

Deadline: August 9, 2024 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS), Global Programs, and Agricultural Economic Development announces this competitive notice of funding opportunity to support the Technical Agricultural Assistance Program by issuing a new award(s). This opportunity is available to State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States. It is intended to enhance African women farmers’ capacity to participate in school meals value chains, through agricultural education following a Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) program approach. The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support technical assistance to enhance the capacity of women farmers to participate in school meals value chains in one or two of the following three African countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Learn more.

The National Farm to School Network’s (NFSN) State Policy Tracker Map

NFSN’s Policy Team tracks bills related to their work that advance their shared values. To explore their interactive map for the current legislative session and see what’s happening in your state or territory, click here. If you are working on or aware of a state bill regarding farm to school activities, local procurement or producer support, universal meals, or school wellness policies and would like for it to be included on this map, please fill out this Google form.