This funding record is inactive. Please see the program website or contact the program sponsor to determine if this program is currently accepting applications or will open again in the future.
Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)
Link
https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/food-agriculture-service-learning-program
Additional Links
Notice of Funding Opportunity (Grants.gov)
Deadline
Application Deadline: Dec 7, 2023
Sponsor
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Purpose
Awards grants to enhance or expand existing farm to school initiatives and other experiential learning initiatives related to food and agriculture, especially in underserved and rural areas. Promotes engagement between parts of the food system, farms, and elementary and secondary schools in order to increase understanding of agriculture and improve children's nutritional health. Aims to increase access to school meals for underserved and rural children, while improving the quality of food served in schools and reducing food loss and waste.
Learning activities may include:
- Expanding farm to school programs beyond lunch to bring local or regional products into school breakfast programs
- Operating service projects that support farm to school initiatives
- Readying producers to participate in the school food market by providing training on good agricultural practices (GAP) and other food-safety topics
- Providing technical support through face-to-face and/or virtual trainings, consultations, and webinars
- Developing promotional campaigns in support of farm to school initiatives
- Expanding strategic planning efforts across multiple school districts
- Conducting farm to school evaluations
- Establishing new community partnerships or strengthening existing partnerships
- Encouraging children to eat more fruits and vegetables through promotional activities, such as taste tests
- Expanding experiential or agriculture-based learning opportunities, such as creating school gardens, supporting agriculture/food clubs, or exposing students to on-farm activities
- Developing and evaluating integrated curriculum to reinforce food and nutrition-based learning throughout the school environment
In this cycle, eligible organizations may apply for a FASLP Technical Assistance grant which will fund a single technical assistance provider to support grantees in implementing FASLP projects, facilitate relationships and information sharing, collect and report program data, and conduct program evaluations.
Amount of Funding
FASLP Grants
- Project period: Up to 2 years
- Estimated number of awards: 7
FASLP-TA Grant
- Project period: Up to 3 years
- Estimated number of awards: 1
Award ceiling: $240,000 per year
Award floor: $112,500 per year
Estimated total program funding:
$1,920,000
Who Can Apply
Applications may be submitted by:
- State agricultural experiment stations
- Colleges and universities
- University research foundations
- Other research institutions and organizations
- Federal agencies
- National laboratories
- Private organizations, foundations, or corporations
- Individuals
- Any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities listed above
Priority will be given to applicants that:
- Have a proven track record carrying out activities related to this grant
- Work in underserved rural and urban communities
- Engage children in experiential learning about agriculture, gardening, nutrition, cooking, and where food comes from, and how to reduce food loss and waste
- Facilitate a connection between elementary and secondary schools with agricultural producers in the local and regional area
Applicants are encouraged to partner with public or private nonprofit or for-profit organizations, including academic institutions, community-based organizations, school districts, local and state government agencies, or other appropriate professionals.
Additional requirements for FASLP-TA applicants can be found in the program guidance.
Geographic Coverage
Nationwide
What This Program Funds
Capacity Building • New Program • Operating Costs and Staffing
Application Process
Application instructions, requirements, and other information can be found in the funding announcement.
Contact
For programmatic or technical
questions:
Dr. Carinthia Cherry
helen.chipman@usda.gov
Ryan Kornegay
ryan.kornegay@usda.gov
Topics This Program Addresses
Community Planning and Coalition Building • Health and Wellness • Health Education for Community and Patients • Pre-K to 12 Schools