Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program

Background
The Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP) aims to increase knowledge of agricultural science and improve the nutritional health of children. The program’s goal is to increase the capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations or entities, such as school cafeterias and classrooms, while fostering higher levels of community engagement between farms and school systems. The initiative is part of a broader effort to not only increase access to school meals for low-income children but also to dramatically improve their quality.

Grant Details
The FASLP projects are intended for eligible applicants to expand existing farm-to-school initiatives and other food and agriculture experiential learning initiatives. The program supports projects that bring together stakeholders from distinct parts of the food system to increase the capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations or entities, such as school cafeterias and classrooms.
The program also focuses on developing leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities necessary to prepare students for food and agricultural careers in the private sector, government, and academia. The grant duration is up to 2 years (24 months) with an anticipated number of awards being 9 for FY 2023. The maximum award amount is $225,000.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must have experience in community food work, job training and business development activities, curriculum development for food-related school activities in low-income communities, or efforts to reduce food insecurity in the community. They must demonstrate competency in implementing a project, conducting evaluations, providing fiscal accountability, collecting data, preparing reports and other necessary documentation. Additionally, they should demonstrate willingness to share information with researchers, evaluators, practitioners, and other interested parties.

Period of Performance
The grant duration is up to 2 years (24 months).

Grant Value
The anticipated amount available for the Food and Agriculture Service-Learning Program (FASLP) in fiscal year 2023 is approximately $1,920,000.

Place of Performance
Projects must involve underserved rural and urban communities and facilitate a connection between elementary schools and secondary schools with agricultural producers in the local and regional area.