Farm to Kids First Bite Grant
Forecasted
Farm to Kids First Bite Grant supports schools and early childhood education centers in buying Minnesota-grown or raised foods to introduce local food into meals served through federal programs.
Funder: Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: First Bite: $2,500–$5,000, no cash match; optional equipment: up to $20,000, with a 1:1 cash match
Summary: Supports schools and early childhood education centers beginning to buy Minnesota-grown or raised foods for federal meal programs.
Key Information: Applicants with prior Farm to Kids experience or a previous First Bite award should apply for Full Tray instead.
Description
The Farm to Kids First Bite Grant is administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) through its Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program. It supports an intentional learning process for school districts and early childhood education (ECE) centers with little to no experience purchasing local food. Grants reimburse purchases of Minnesota-grown or raised foods used in federal meal programs.
Eligible purchases include produce, grains, proteins, and qualifying processed foods. Applicants may source food from individual farmers, farmers’ markets, food hubs, aggregators, or distributors, including multiple vendors. Optional equipment funding supports Farm to Kids initiatives alongside the food grant. The broader AGRI Program advances Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy industries.
