Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) will release the 2019 Vermont Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications on Tuesday, October 2, 2018. This new round of grants will bring more than $250,000 in financial and support services investments to Vermont schools and early care providers. Eligible applicants include Vermont schools, supervisory unions, school districts, and early care providers.
Championed in 2006, by the late Vermont Representative Rozo McLaughlin, the grant program aims to promote healthy eating, increase local food usage, work with partners to connect farm to school with educational goals, support the overall farm to institution supply chain, increase student participation in child nutrition programs, and enhance food programs in schools and early care providers. With the support of many partners in the Vermont Farm to School Network, the program has invested more than $1 million in nearly 200 schools and early care providers.
Child Nutrition Professional, Nina Hanson, sharing fresh, local taste tests to a student at Winooski Elementary School - a 2007 FTS grantee. VAAFM photos
Secretary of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, Anson Tebbetts, recommends communities consider applying. “Farm to School delivers. Schools and childcare centers should explore this program that helps Vermont farmers feed our children, families and communities.” Tebbetts said.
Last year was the first grant round including early care providers, granting 21 awards throughout Vermont. The program’s early care component was designed in partnership with Agency of Education Child Nutrition Programs, Department for Children and Families Child Development Division, and Shelburne Farms, helping make farm to early care programs accessible to our youngest Vermonters. This program has the potential to support new institutional markets for food producers, while providing children with fresh, nutritious local foods.
The VAAFM Farm to School team is seeking applications from eligible Vermont-based schools and early care providers to expand and improve food programs and/or to create or expand farm to school programs by integrating the classroom, cafeteria, and community (the 3 C’s of farm to school). Up to seven applications will be awarded at $15,000 each, to be spent during a 2-year grant period, with additional comprehensive technical assistance, professional development and coaching- offered at no charge to grantees. Additionally, up to $32,000 will be available in $1,000 infrastructure grants to help schools and early care providers improve local food use.
All schools and early care providers come to the Vermont Farm to School Program with a different level of experience and familiarity with farm to school. The goal of this grant opportunity is to meet schools and early care providers where they are and provide individualized coaching, technical assistance, professional development, and financial assistance to help them move forward in the development of their own, unique farm to school program. In many cases, schools or early care providers jumpstart their farm to school program by first expanding and improving their food programs.
Students in the school garden at Flood Brook in Londonderry VT- a 2016 and 2017 FTS grantee.
Source: September 20, 2018 / Montpelier, VT - The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets agriculture.vermont.gov/vermont_farm_to_school_program