Written by Anna Tvedt, former SDSU Extension Nutrition Field Specialist.
Starting or expanding a farm to school or early care program can come with expenses. However, there are options to help make local procurement, garden, and education projects more possible and affordable.
The following lists (with links) provide examples of options that your program can look into for funding farm to school or early care and education projects. These lists are not all-encompassing, but they are a good starting place, with resources likely to be available on a recurring basis.
The embedded video in this article is a recording of the November 6, 2023 webinar, “Funding Your Farm to School Program” and includes special guests from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, SDSU Extension, and IronFox Farm to provide first-person information and experience to grant programs. In the video, the grants on this page are discussed in greater detail and information to consider when applying for grants is also provided.
State Funding
Healthy SD funding Opportunities
Offered by the South Dakota Department of Health.
- Description: Various opportunities to promote and encourage physical activity, healthy eating, and overall health and wellness.
- Eligibility: Communities, schools, organizations, and businesses.
- Amount: Varies
Specialty Crop Block Grant
Offered by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
- Description: Enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops produced in South Dakota.
- Eligibility: State, local, or tribal governmental entities; nonprofit organizations; research institutions and institutions of higher education; for-profit businesses; and individual producers.
- Amount: Varies
Federal Funding
Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant
Offered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
- Description: To support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs.
- Eligibility: Schools; local, state, or tribal governments; nonprofits; agricultural producers or groups of producers.
- Amount: Up to ~$100,000
Programs in the local Foods Supply Chain
Offered by the USDA.
- Description: This resource lists forty programs offered by USDA related to regional foods and links to more information about each program.
Value-Added Producer Grants
Offered by USDA Rural Development.
- Description: Help agricultural producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income.
- Eligibility: Independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer-or-rancher cooperatives.
- Amount: Up to $75,000
SARE: Youth Educator Grant
Offered by the USDA North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program.
- Description: Support projects encouraging youth to try sustainable practices and explore sustainable agriculture as a viable career option.
- Eligibility: Youth educator
- Amount: Up to $6,000
Private and Nonprofit Funding
Access to Healthy Foods Match Grant
Offered by Wellmark, Incorporated.
- Description: Good nutrition is a cornerstone to optimal health and well-being. Funding is available for sustainable projects that make it easy to eat healthy.
- Eligibility: 501(c)(3) working in IA or SD.
- Amount: Up to $50,000
KIDS GARDENING GRANTS
Offered by KidsGardening.org, Incorporated.
- Description: Various opportunities for starting and growing youth gardens and for garden-based education.
- Eligibility: New or existing youth garden programs.
- Amount: Up to ~$1,000
SOUTH DAKOTA HEALTHY HOMETOWN
Offered by Wellmark, Incorporated.
- Description: Communities can follow three paths to make improvements: eat well, move more, feel better.
- Eligibility: Schools, community organizations, and more.
- Amount: Varies
SUPPORTING FARM TO SCHOOL WITH NON-PROFIT HOSPITAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT DOLLARS
Offered by the National Farm to School Network.
- Description: This resource explains an opportunity to partner with local hospitals.
The South Dakota Fund
Offered by South Dakota Community Foundation.
- Description: Grants in support of culture, economic development, education, financial literacy, health and human services.
- Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations or a sponsor.
- Amount: Unrestricted
WALMART LOCAL COMMUNITY GRANTS
Offered by Walmart, Incorporated.
- Description: Areas of funding include education, environmental sustainability, health and human services, hunger relief and healthy eating, and more.
- Eligibility: Nonprofit organization benefiting the service area of the Walmart facility.
- Amount: $250 - $5,000
WHOLE KIDS FOUNDATION GRANTS
Offered by Whole Foods Market.
- Description: Focused on improving kids' eating habits and health through school meals, grant programs include gardens, salad bars, and school cooking.
- Eligibility: Schools and non-profit youth organizations.
- Amount: Varies
WORKING HERE FUND GRANTS
Offered by Farm Credit Services of America.
- Description: Focus areas include ag education, rural disaster relief/essential services, and hunger and nutrition.
- Eligibility: Must benefit South Dakota or other Farm Credit Service states.
- Amount: Up to $25,000
