Farm to School Resources

Resources

• Oregon Department of Agriculture: Farm to School Program
  
• Oregon Farm to School & School Garden Network (OFSSGN) actively supports farm to school initiatives and policy action and includes state agencies, food service directors, farmers, teachers, parents, school gardeners and community-based organizations. 
  
• Oregon State University Extension Service Farm to School
  
• Measuring our Impact study outcomes: A project led by ECOTRUST to measure the farm to school impact in Oregon.
• One of the most frequently asked questions we get are "how did Oregon Create two Agency positions for farm to school?" And, "how did Oregon get such a big grant started?" this History of Oregon Farm to School document has been written and re-edited over the years detailing our journey (Updated 3-20-18).
• National Farm to School Network
  
• National Farm to School Census results
  
• USDA Farm to School: Also known as Community Food Systems.
• FoodCorps Oregon
  
• BOOK LIST: 400 titles! Children's books dealing with fruits, vegetables & gardening!
• School Garden Project of Lane County
• Growing Gardens: Portland, Oregon - Garden-based education and School Garden Coordinator training
• Growing School Gardens: TERRIFIC resource for school gardens. See archived webinars such as "school gardens vs. summer vacation" and "winter planning for the spring school garden"
• Oregon State University Extension Master Gardeners: A list of Extension offices for each County in Oregon. A great place to start to get technical questions about gardening answered in your area
• Denver has a unique Youth Farmer's Market program at their schools where students learn how to grow, harvest, and sell their produce to the public. Check out their Youth Farm Stands Toolkit
• Oregon School Wellness page

FUNDING

In no particular order. Not all grants are currently open, tour the links below to learn more.

• Oregon Farm to School & School Garden : Funding Opportunities List
  
• Life Lab's list of School Garden Grants
  
• Youth Garden Grant

  Any nonprofit organization, public or private school, or youth program in the United States or US Territories planning a new garden program or expanding an established one that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 3 and 18 is eligible to apply. The selection of winners is based on demonstrated program impact and sustainability. The top 5 programs will be awarded grant packages worth $2,100. Grant packages worth $500 will be awarded to 20 additional programs. Learn more and apply here.

• GreenWorks! Grants

  Project Learning Tree offers GreenWorks! grants of up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world. Students implement an action project they help design to green their school or to improve an aspect of their neighborhood’s environment. The funds can be used by students to implement recycling programs at their school, conserve water and energy, establish school gardens and outdoor classrooms, improve a forest, restore a natural habitat, and more. Learn more at this link for the grant.

• Samull Classroom Herb Garden Grant

  The Herb Society of America will select ten (10) schools/classrooms serving grades 3 through 6 to receive $200 "Seed Money" to establish an indoor or outdoor herb garden. The funds may be used for supplies such as soil, plant trays, containers, child or youth sized tools, etc. Learn more and apply here at this link.

• KidsGardening's Carton 2 Garden Contest

  Open to public and private schools in the USA, contest winners will be selected based on their implementation of an innovative garden creation featuring creative and sustainable uses for repurposed milk and juice cartons. Fourteen schools will be awarded prize packages, including a grand prize worth $5,000! Closes April 16, 2018.

• Get Out and Grow School Garden Grant & Sweepstakes

  The Get Out and Grow School Garden Sweepstakes is open to School Administrators and Foodservice Directors of K-12 schools. Schools can win up to $15,000 cash towards a school garden and a visit from a Team USA Athlete. Who Should Apply: State accredited K-12 school located in the 50 United States and D.C. Learn more and apply here. 

• USDA Grants and Loans Chart.

• A handy chart that shows all the USDA Grants available to which groups.

• Lowe’s Small Toolbox for Education grant .
• The Home Depot | The Home Depot Foundation - Grants
  
• Safer® Brand School Garden Grant: Safer® Brand is starting an annual school garden grant to help kids build healthy habits through gardening. The $500 grant will be awarded to a school in the United States to start a school garden. Applications period is from September 1 - December 1.
• Fiskars' Project Orange Thumb Grant

  Check out their website for the next opportunity. They fund about 30 programs each year

• Scott’s Miracle-Grow Grassroots Grants

  Awarded each year.
  

• Annie’s natural foods garden grant

  Opens in October every year. Buena Vista Elementary in Eugene was a recipient this year!

• USDA Community Food Systems Farm to School Grant Program.
• Gardeningknowhow.com Grant

  A school and community garden sponsorship program that Gardening Know How is administering. They accept applications until the end of September. This year they will be awarding 10 sponsorships to 10 selected gardens. Each sponsorship will be for $1000.

• Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grants

  Honey Bee Grant, School Garden Grant & more.

• Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools.

  The Chef Ann Foundation presents Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools. This grant is designed to help increase kids’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables and create experiential nutrition education when and where students make their food choices: in the cafeteria. The $2,500 one-year grants support food costs to incorporate school-wide fruit and vegetable tastings into the school's nutrition program. Grants will be determined on an ongoing basis depending on available funding.