available November 2022 and must be spent by April 2023.
- Winners will be announced around November 22nd, 2022.
PURPOSE: OSU Extension Farm to School has secured $40,000 to pilot awarding small amounts to catalyze farm to school activities across OSU Extension program areas in every county.
ELIGIBILITY: Anyone in any OSU Extension program who needs support for their Farm to School activities -- what you're doing now or what you'd like to start doing.
What counts as Farm to School? Farm to School includes a wide range of activities related to (1) local food production and purchasing, (2) school gardens, and (3) food and agriculture education in the cafeteria, classroom and/or community. Often teachers, Extension and community members are already engaged in farm to school activities even if they do not identify as having a “farm to school program.”
Have something new you have been wanting to try? Have program activities you want to expand or maintain? Let's hear your ideas! If you have more than one request for up to $2,000 go ahead and submit this form again.
Where did this funding come from? The Oregon Department of Education Farm to Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) has provided a grant to OSU Extension to support statewide training, technical assistance, and capacity building around Farm to School and School Gardens. ODE's objectives for this grant program are to: 1) support the purchasing of Oregon grown and processed food for CNP Sponsors that might otherwise be cost prohibitive, and thus support local economy; and 2) support efforts to teach Oregon students about locally grown and processed food. We plan to seek additional funds in future to keep growing OSU Extension Farm to School.
What can you spend this money on? Food, supplies, and other items directly related to farm to school activities. Requests can be as simple as purchasing $2,000 worth of produce from a local grower for tasting tables, printing additional copies of existing educational materials, or honoraria for farmers as guest speakers. These funds are meant to support your existing activities or help you start something new.
Money cannot be spent on OSU staff time, contractors or permanent equipment or infrastructure.
POST AWARD and REPORTING:
1. If awarded, we will have an agreement about your activities and budget.
2. Upon award you will receive an index and activity code.
3. Please plan to participate in OSU Farm to School Team meetings, on the second Tuesday of every month 9-10am on TEAMS. We are better together!
4. Your final report, with a brief description of what you did with the award and any suggestions you have for future projects, is due by May 15th, 2023.
REVIEW PROCESS & CRITERIA: Our goal for this funding is to make at least one award to up to 20 counties across Extension programs. We will review all applications and award as many as possible.
QUESTIONS or COMMENTS? Contact Michelle Markesteyn, OSU Farm to School Coordinator michelle.markesteyn@oregonstate.edu
