Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP) | USDA NIFA FASLP 007292

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA FASLP 007292

The Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). Its core purpose is to help children learn more about agriculture while also supporting better nutritional health, especially through practical, hands-on education that connects food, gardens, and nutrition to real daily experiences in schools and community settings. A major theme of the program is building stronger links across different parts of the food system, bringing together people and organizations that do not always work side by side (for example, farms, school systems, educators, and food service staff). The idea is to strengthen an organization's ability to provide meaningful food and nutrition learning in places like school cafeterias and classrooms, while increasing community engagement between local farms and schools. In the bigger picture, FASLP aligns with broader national efforts to improve school meals for low-income children, not just by expanding access, but by significantly improving the quality of the meals and the education that supports healthy eating habits.

This opportunity is listed as "Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)" with Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA FASLP 007292, and it falls under the Agriculture funding activity category (CFDA 10.522). The funding instrument is a grant, and the award ceiling shown for this notice is $225,000. The original application closing date for the opportunity was June 4, 2020, and the notice was created on March 30, 2020. While the listing indicates "ExpectedAwards:" without a number provided, applicants typically should not assume a guaranteed number of awards and should instead focus on presenting a strong project design and clearly stated outcomes aligned with the program goals.

Eligibility to apply is limited to specific types of applicants. Those eligible include state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, national laboratories, private organizations (including foundations or corporations), individuals, and groups made up of two or more eligible entities. A key detail is that these eligibility requirements apply only to the main applicant. Partners and collaborators on the project do not have to meet the same eligibility criteria, which gives applicants flexibility to build practical coalitions that include schools, farms, community groups, food service departments, and other local stakeholders that may not independently qualify as eligible applicants. At the same time, NIFA emphasizes that failing to meet eligibility requirements by the application deadline can lead to being excluded from consideration or can prevent NIFA from making an award even if the project is otherwise strong, so confirming applicant eligibility early is important.

The program also includes an important rule on submissions: duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. If the same applicant submits more than one application or submits duplicate versions, NIFA will disqualify both applications. For organizations or individuals that are new to federal financial assistance, NIFA points applicants to its Grants Overview materials as a recommended resource for understanding the federal grants process, expectations, and general compliance requirements. Overall, FASLP is geared toward projects that expand the reach and quality of food, garden, and nutrition education, strengthen the capacity of host organizations to deliver that education effectively, and create deeper, more sustained connections between farms and school communities in service of better child nutrition and food system engagement.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.522.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-03-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA FASLP 007292

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