Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program

The Food and Agriculture Service-Learning Program is designed to increase the knowledge of agricultural science and improve the nutritional health of children. Grant proposals are accepted to increase the capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education with K-12 schools; and build community engagement between farms and school systems.

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, the following examples:
• Expand experiential or agriculture-based learning opportunities, such as the creation of school gardens, support to agriculture or food clubs, or increased exposure to on-farm activities.
• Develop and evaluate integrated curriculum to reinforce food and nutrition-based learning throughout the school environment.
• Conduct strategic planning to expand or coordinate programs across multiple school districts.
• Expand existing farm-to-school initiatives.
• Provide professional development, training and technical support, curriculum development, and evaluation activities.

Competitive funding preference is provided to proposals incorporating the following components:
• Engage children in experiential learning about agriculture, cooking, gardening, nutrition, and where food comes from.
• Facilitate a connection between elementary and secondary schools and local and regional agricultural producers.
• Target underserved rural or urban communities.