U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here's how you know
        Here's how you knowDot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**
              
              Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
        Https**The site is secure.**
              
              The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.  *You are now leaving the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website and entering a non-government or non-military external link or a third-party site.*

*FNS provides links to other websites with additional information that may be useful or interesting and is consistent with the intended purpose of the content you are viewing on our website. FNS is providing these links for your reference. FNS is not responsible for the content, copyright, and licensing restrictions of the new site.*
  
  
    *Site LogoFood and Nutrition Service
                  U.S. Department of Agriculture*
Menu


    close

        
        
                        
        
  
          Home
      
                        
              Programs
      
                
        
  
          **Programs**
          
                        
              SNAP
      
                        
              Nutrition Education & Food Safety
      
                        
              Meals for Schools and Childcare
      
                        
              Food Distribution & Emergency Assistance
      
                        
              WIC
      
                        
              Summer Nutrition Programs
      
                        
              Assistance for Seniors & Adult Care
      
                        
              Farmers Market Programs
      
                        
              NAP Block Grants for Territories
      
                        
              Data & Research
      
                
        
  
          **Data & Research**
          
                        
              Data Visualizations
      
                        
              Research & Analysis
      
                        
              Program Data
      
                        
              Funding
      
                
        
  
          **Funding**
          
                        
              Grant Opportunities
      
                        
              Grants Management
      
                        
              Doing Business with FNS
      
                        
              Newsroom
      
                
        
  
          **Newsroom**
          
                        
              Press Releases
      
                        
              Blogs
      
                        
              Notice to Stakeholders
      
                        
              Federal Register Notices
      
                        
              Success Stories
      
                        
              Newsletters
      
                        
              USDA Press Releases
      
                        
              USDA Blogs
      
                        
              Contact FNS Press Office
      
                        
              Resources
      
                
        
  
          **Resources**
          
                        
              Factsheets
      
                        
              Federal Register
      
                        
              Infographics
      
                        
              Guidance Documents
      
                        
              Policy Memos
      
                        
              Videos/Webinars
      
                        
              All Resources
      
                        
              Our Agency
      
                
        
  
          **Our Agency**
          
                        
              Acting Under Secretary
      
                        
              Deputy Under Secretary
      
                        
              Administrator
      
                        
              Assistant Administrator
      
                        
              FNS Careers
      
                        
              Contact us
      
                        
              Civil Rights
      
                        
              Equity Action Plan
      
                        
              Partnerships
      
                        
              Freedom of Information Act
      
                        
              State Systems OfficeSearch


          
                      Contact Us
                                
                          
        
                Report Fraud
                                
                          
        
                AskUSDA
                                
                          
        
                USDA.gov Breadcrumb
    HomeJoin the Challenge: Grant Opportunities Now Open
      An opportunity to transform the school food system to support local and regional food systems.
Press Release
    Release No.
              MWRO 020124

      **Contact:**FNS Press Team
    Contact Us
**CHICAGO., Feb. 1, 2024** -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Midwest Region announced today two new grant opportunities available through the School Food System Transformation Challenge Sub-Grants, which is part of USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative.A total of four grant opportunities are available regionally and locally from the Illinois Public Health Institute’s Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub (Innovation Hub) and Full Plates Full Potential. The Innovation Hub will provide funding for innovative projects in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Full Plates Full Potential will fund collaborative projects in Maine.“These grants continue the work of USDA to transform the school food system to support local and regional food systems, expand school food procurement pathways, and engage supporting organizations.” said USDA, Food and Nutrition Service Midwest Region Administrator Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher.Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply for these grant opportunities:**Spark Awards and Innovation Collaborative Awards:**The Illinois Public Health Institute’s Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub, has two funding opportunities available. The Spark Awards will support one-year projects for school food system and marketplace improvements, while the Innovation Collaborative Awards will support two-and-a-half year projects that promote systems-level change for the school food system and marketplace.Overall, these projects will work to connect partnerships and resources for farmers, food producers, food suppliers, food distributors, schools and school districts, and community organizations. Spark Awards will provide funding ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 each, and the Innovation Collaborative Awards will provide funding of up to $100,000 per year, totaling up to $250,000 per award. The request for applications for both awards open on February 1, 2024. An informational webinar on this grant opportunity will be held on February 14, 2024. Applications close on April 30, 2024.The Supporting Culinary Innovation & Healthy Meals by Offering Our Local Food (SCHOOL Food) Grant and the School Food System Innovation Grant: Full Plates Full Potential (Full Plates) will provide $7.4 million in funding to collaborative food system partners to increase the use of local ingredients in Maine school meals. The SCHOOL Food Grant supports Maine school food authorities (SFA) and local partners in planning and piloting innovative and collaborative projects to address challenges in sourcing and serving local, scratch-cooked, and culturally relevant foods.The School Food System Innovation Grant supports innovative and collaborative pilot projects that may be regional or statewide in scale, addressing unique barriers faced by schools in increasing their use of local items in school meal programs.The total funding available for the SCHOOL Food Grant $3,500,000 and $3,900,000 for the School Food System Innovation Grant. A sneak peek webinar for potential applicants will be held on February 13, 2024. An informational webinar for the School Food System Innovation Grant will be held on March 5, 2024, and for the SCHOOL Food Grant on March 7, 2024. The applications for both grant opportunities open on Feb. 26, 2024, and close on May 1, 2024, with grant awards announced in June 2024.To learn more about the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative and the School Food System Transformation Challenge Grants, visit the School Food System Transformation Challenge webpage.USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov.###*USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.*Page updated: February 06, 2024 Return to top

      Home
                              
              Programs
                              
              Data & Research
                              
              Funding
                              
              Newsroom
                              
              Resources
                              
              Our AgencyUSDA
                              WhiteHouse.gov
                              FNS PartnerWeb.gov
                              No Fear Act
                              Privacy Policy
                              Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
                              Non-Discrimination Statement
                              Civil Rights
                              Accessibility
                              FOIA
                              Information Quality
                              Peer Review
  Sign up for Updates
      Your Email Address:
  
      *Site LogoFood and Nutrition Service
                  U.S. Department of Agriculture*
Menu
Twitter Facebook Gov Delivery Instagram Flickr YouTube RSS Feeds