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Minnesota schools, early childhood education (ECE) centers and family child care providers looking to serve more locally sourced meals and snacks can apply for funding now available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Farm to School and Early Care grant and cost-share programs.

The First Bite Farm to School and Early Care Grant is intended for Minnesota K-12 school districts and ECE centers that have little to no experience with local food procurement and is intended to be an intentional learning process for the applicant. Applicants may request a minimum of $2,500 and a maximum of $5,000 in funding, with no match requirement.

The Full Tray Farm to School and Early Care Grant is intended for school districts and ECE centers that have some Farm to School and Early Care procurement experience and want to expand their local food offerings. Applicants may request up to $35,000 based on the number of meals served as a part of federal meal programs, with a 1:1 match requirement.

Applicants for both the First Bite and Full Tray grants may also apply for an Equipment Grant, which provides up to $25,000 for kitchen equipment purchases to support Farm to School and Early Care programs, with a 1:1 match requirement. Schools and ECE centers may not apply only for equipment grants.

New for this round of funding is the Local Tots Cost-Share, which expands the MDA’s Farm to School and Early Care offerings to Minnesota family child care providers that want to purchase and serve Minnesota-grown or -raised foods as a part of their meals and snacks. This cost-share will reimburse providers for their purchases of eligible food products, and no match is required. This program is only available to providers who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

“Farm to School and Early Care programs connect students with fresh, exciting menu items while supporting our farmers and local food systems,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “I’m excited that MDA grant funding is now accessible for family child care providers, helping ensure that more of Minnesota’s kids get to build connections to nutritious, local foods from a young age.”

The MDA will award a total of approximately $1,051,875 across all Farm to School and Early Care programs for fiscal year 2025. Approximately $100,000 of this amount is expected to be awarded to the Local Tots Cost-Share program, with the remaining funds going towards First Bite and Full Tray grants.

Grant applications and cost-share letters of intent must be submitted by 4 p.m. Oct. 24. Visit the Farm to School and Early Care Programs webpage for full eligibility and application details for each funding opportunity.

Funding for the Farm to School and Early Care programs is made available through the MDA’s Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools and more throughout Minnesota to advance the state’s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.