CN farm to school grant

This federal Project Grant award, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service under the Farm to School Grant Program (CFDA 10.575), is funding a $457,731 initiative led by Rural Action Inc. to expand access to healthy, local foods in K-12 schools across Appalachian Ohio and West Virginia. The project involves local food procurement, professional development and training, multi-state peer learning, agricultural education, and workforce development, delivered in partnership with sub-awardees Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, Coalfield Development Corporation, and Community Food Initiatives. Key activities include connecting schools with local producers, enhancing nutrition education, supporting school gardens, and strengthening local food supply chains to increase the availability of locally sourced foods in child nutrition programs. The project aims to build upon the partners' two decades of collaborative work to integrate local foods into school cafeterias, engage students in hands-on agricultural learning, and promote sustainable economic development in the Appalachian region.