Farm to School and Early Childhood Capacity Building Grant

The Farm to School and Early Childhood Capacity Building Grant, administered by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM), is designed to help early childhood education providers and schools across Vermont enhance and develop comprehensive farm to school and farm to early childhood programs. Established under the Rozo McLaughlin Farm to School Act of 2006, this grant program is funded through legislative appropriations from the State of Vermont. The initiative follows a “3-C” model that promotes integration across the classroom, cafeteria, and community, with the overarching goal of fostering nutrition education, improving child health outcomes, supporting Vermont’s agricultural economy, and increasing access to locally sourced foods. The grant is open to a wide range of eligible applicants within Vermont, including licensed early childhood education centers, groups of registered family childcare home providers, independent schools participating in federal child nutrition programs, public schools, and supervisory unions or educational districts applying on behalf of a school or school consortium. Applicants must not be current recipients of the FY24 version of the same grant. The program is structured to be inclusive and responsive to the unique needs of each grantee’s community, supporting initiatives that reflect their local goals and values. Funding is allocated based on the total student or child population served by the applicants, with award tiers ranging from $5,000 for populations under 30, to a maximum of $15,000 for populations above 300. Applicants may request additional funding—up to a $20,000 cap—if a strong justification is provided. The grant period runs from February 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Payments are issued in three tranches based on completion of deliverables: 50% upon contract execution, 30% upon interim reporting, and 20% upon final reporting. Each grantee is required to form a diverse project team to oversee the design and implementation of their program. This team should include educators, administrators, food service staff, and community stakeholders. A designated coach, an expert from Vermont’s farm to school ecosystem, is assigned to each grantee to provide individualized support. Coaches assist with action planning, budget development, coordination of resources, and implementation tracking. In addition to financial support, grantees receive no-cost technical assistance in four key domains: meal programs, local food procurement, curriculum integration, and school gardens. These services are customized to each grantee’s context and needs and may include training sessions, planning assistance, and curriculum support. Participation in technical assistance is mandatory for selected team members. The technical assistance aims to increase student participation in nutrition programs, support local food purchasing, and foster long-term sustainability. Applications are submitted exclusively through Vermont’s WebGrants system. The application window opened on October 3, 2024, and closed on November 14, 2024. Key milestones in the grant lifecycle include award notification in December 2024, required onboarding in February 2025, action planning in March 2025, and final reporting by June 30, 2026. Each grantee must also complete a Farm to School Rubric and an Action Plan as part of their reporting obligations. Further support is provided through webinars, coaching, and access to the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Network.

Strong applications show integrated use of 3 Cs; clear goals; full team engagement; leverage all technical assistance