Farm to School Grant Program | USDA FNS 2026 F2S

FY 2026 USDA Farm to School Grant Program (CFDA 10.575) - FAQs

1) What is the FY 2026 Farm to School Grant Program?

The FY 2026 Farm to School Grant Program (USDA Food and Nutrition Service 2026 F2S, CFDA 10.575) is a discretionary USDA grant opportunity designed to help communities strengthen connections between local agriculture and Child Nutrition Program (CNP) sites.

2) What is the main objective of this grant?

The central objective is to improve access to local foods in eligible Child Nutrition Program (CNP) settings by supporting comprehensive "farm to CNP" efforts that combine local or regional food sourcing with agricultural education.

3) What does "farm to CNP" mean in this opportunity?

Based on the opportunity description, "farm to CNP" refers to coordinated efforts that link local or regional food sourcing with agricultural education in eligible CNP sites, with activities and indicators tied back to improving access to local foods.

4) What kinds of projects is the program intended to fund?

The program is intended to fund practical, on-the-ground projects that make it easier for schools and other eligible CNP sites to purchase, prepare, and serve locally or regionally produced foods, while also building student and community engagement through agriculture and nutrition education.

5) What are examples of activities the announcement highlights?

Examples include starting or piloting new farm to CNP initiatives; increasing the use of unprocessed foods and minimally processed or value-added local items in meals; and preparing farmers and other producers to successfully sell into CNP markets through training on procurement rules, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and other food safety topics.

6) Does the grant support efforts to increase the use of unprocessed or minimally processed local foods?

Yes. The opportunity highlights increasing the use of unprocessed foods and minimally processed or value-added local items in meals as an example activity.

7) Can funds be used to help farmers or producers sell to Child Nutrition Programs?

Yes. The opportunity includes preparing farmers and other producers to sell into CNP markets, including training on procurement rules, GAP, and other food safety topics.

8) Are procurement rules and food safety training (like GAP) relevant to proposed projects?

Yes. The opportunity specifically mentions training on procurement rules, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and other food safety topics as supported activities.

9) Does the program support addressing operational barriers like kitchen or storage limitations?

Yes. The announcement notes that projects may address operational barriers, including upgrading or adapting kitchen or storage infrastructure to handle new ingredients.

10) Can projects focus on distribution challenges?

Yes. The opportunity notes solving distribution challenges as a supported focus area, including working with intermediaries such as distributors and food hubs when direct sourcing is not feasible.

11) Is agricultural education required or encouraged?

A major emphasis is placed on agricultural education and hands-on learning. The program is designed around combining local/regional sourcing with agricultural education, so proposed activities are expected to clearly tie back to that central objective.

12) What are examples of agricultural education and hands-on learning activities that may be supported?

Examples include integrating agriculture into career and technical education to encourage future producers; expanding experiential learning through school gardens, school-based farmers markets, agriculture or food clubs, and farm visits; and running promotional efforts like taste tests and events featuring local foods to encourage students to eat more fruits and vegetables.

13) Can projects include culturally grounded agricultural education?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly notes that agricultural education can include culturally grounded approaches, such as adopting curricula that support sharing Indigenous traditional knowledge across generations (for example, native plant varieties and planting practices).

14) Can projects develop curriculum that connects food and nutrition learning across the school environment?

Yes. The opportunity indicates projects can develop integrated curriculum that reinforces food and nutrition learning across the broader school environment, or through learning activities hosted on local farms.

15) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to specific entity types. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, independent school districts, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) status.

16) What documentation is required for nonprofit applicants?

Nonprofit organizations must include their IRS determination letter in the application to document their IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) status.

17) What happens if an applicant selects an eligibility category but does not actually meet the definition in the RFA?

The announcement stresses that applicants must meet the formal definitions in the Request for Applications (RFA). Organizations that apply under an eligibility category but do not actually qualify will be ruled ineligible and removed from consideration.

18) Are any applicants required to apply as part of a Partnership?

Yes. The narrative indicates that certain entity types identified with an asterisk in the RFA must apply as part of a Partnership to be eligible.

19) Who are the typical stakeholders in these Partnerships?

The opportunity lists key stakeholder groups typically involved in partnerships, including state agencies, Indian Tribal organizations, Child Nutrition Program operators, local agencies, agricultural producers (including groups of producers), and nonprofit organizations.

20) Where can applicants find the detailed eligibility rules and category definitions?

Applicants are directed to consult pages 11-13 of the Request for Applications (RFA) for detailed eligibility rules and category definitions.

21) How much funding is available per award?

Awards can be up to $500,000 each.

22) How many awards are expected to be made?

The opportunity estimates approximately 50 awards.

23) What is the application deadline?

The original application closing date is December 5, 2025.

24) When was this grant opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on September 10, 2025.

25) What should applicants keep in mind about measurement and reporting?

Applicants are expected to propose activities that clearly tie back to the central objective and to select related indicators. Those choices will directly shape what grantees must track and report on during the project.

26) Is the program more focused on one-time local purchasing or on building systems?

The program is structured to help applicants move beyond one-off local purchasing and toward coordinated farm-to-institution systems that address sourcing, logistics, training, infrastructure, and education together, while ensuring projects are measurable through clear activities and indicators aligned to the program objective.

27) Can projects work with intermediaries instead of purchasing directly from farms?

Yes. The opportunity mentions working with intermediaries such as distributors and food hubs when direct sourcing is not feasible.

28) What types of CNP sites does the grant aim to support?

The opportunity is designed to improve access to local foods in eligible Child Nutrition Program (CNP) settings by strengthening connections between local agriculture and CNP sites. (The detailed definitions of eligible sites are referenced as being in the RFA.)