Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.185
- Agency
-
Agricultural Marketing Service
Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 83
Program facts
- Also known as
- LFS
- Treasury account
-
- 12-2500-1-2-605
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service is awarding cooperative agreements to state governments for local and regional food procurement targeting historically underserved farmers, producers, and small businesses for distribution to schools and child care institutions, Assistance Listing 10.185, with the most recent awards issued January 15, 2025.
The program funds state procurement of unprocessed or minimally processed domestic foods from local producers, with emphasis on historically underserved farmers, fishers, producers, small businesses, processors, aggregators, and distributors. Food purchased is distributed to schools and child care institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program or Child and Adult Care Food Program. Recipients track procurement volume, number of producers engaged (including historically underserved operators and small businesses), and type of food purchased via quarterly and annual reporting. State governments may subaward funds to school food authorities, school districts, distributors, food hubs, and other public or nonprofit collaborators.
Recent grant awards span 83 cooperative agreements totaling $347.7 million in federal dollars obligated since 2022. All awards are cooperative agreements. The Agricultural Marketing Service is the sole funding agency. Award volume has scaled significantly: 28 awards in 2022, 15 in 2023, and 40 in 2025 (through January 15). Recent awards disbursed January 15, 2025, include awards ranging from $1.2 million to $72.6 million. Representative recent awards: California Department of Education received $23.1 million (October 2022, completion June 2026) for school food authorities to procure fresh, unprocessed, and minimally processed foods from local vendors; Texas Department of Agriculture received $22.3 million (October 2022, completion March 2026) for subawards to aggregators and distributors across geographic regions; Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services received $22.9 million (October 2022, completion June 2026) for community partners to connect small farms and socially disadvantaged producers with rural schools.
The program is currently accepting applications. A Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC) was posted December 10, 2024, with an application due date of April 30, 2025. Eligible applicants are state government agencies responsible for agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, National School Lunch Program administration, or similar functions. Only one award is made per state or territory; multiple agencies within a state must coordinate. The period of performance is one year from award. Funding covers food procurement only; recipients may not request direct or indirect administrative costs. All food purchased must be unprocessed or minimally processed and meet federal definitions of domestic and local.
Objective and description
- Objective
1. Provide an opportunity for States to strengthen their local and regional food system. 2. Help to support local and small farmers/producers through building and expanding economic opportunities. 3. Establish and broaden partnerships with farmers/pr
- Description
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will establish non-competitive cooperative agreements with state government agencies involved in food procurement or administering the National School Lunch Program for the purpose of supporting local producers, small business, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers. State governments will purchase domestic food from local and regional producers, target purchases from small and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers, and distribute the food to schools. These cooperative agreements will allow for states to procure local, domestic foods that are unique to their geographic area and meet the needs of their schools. In addition to increasing local food consumption, funds are expected to help build and expand economic opportunity for small business, and local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible entities include the State agencies, commissions, or departments that are responsible for agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, administration of the National School Lunch Program, or similar activities within the State. AMS will make only one award per State or territory; agencies within the State must coordinate if more than one agency wishes to implement this program.
- Beneficiary eligibility
State governments purchase domestic food from local and regional producers, and distribute these food to schools.
- Uses of assistance
The expectation of this program is for recipients to spend awarded funds on food purchases, including distribution costs. Applicants may not request direct or indirect costs associated with developing and administering the program. State governments will purchase domestic food from local and regional producers, target purchases from small business, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers, and distribute the food to schools. Funds used for food purchases must be used exclusively for domestic food products (also known as commodities) that are unprocessed or minimally processed. Funds may be used to cover the costs of production, storage and distribution of agricultural products to schools. Funds awarded through this RFA must increase, expand, or replace, and not duplicate, existing activities of the host initiatives.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The period of performance will be for one year from time of award.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
AMS will make only one award per State or territory; agencies within the State must coordinate if more than one agency wishes to implement this program.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
This is a non-competitive RFA. Assistance will be awarded on a non-competitive basis. AMS will review each project narrative to ensure that it meets the statutory purpose of the program, all application criteria are fulfilled, and all costs are allowable. A review of applications will be completed to ensure a complete work plan is provided that includes plan and objectives, resources, financial controls, reporting and evaluation, risk and fraud mitigation plans and a timeline for your program.
- Award procedure
Program is no longer accepting applications.
- Deadlines
Program is no longer accepting applications.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC) | Closed | ||
| Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 83 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department Of Agriculture Pennsylvania | $6,807,688 | — |
| 2 | Arkansas Department Of Human Services | $3,921,256 | — |
| 3 | Oregon Department Of Education | $1,732,229 | — |
| 4 | Public Instruction Montana Office Of | $1,455,962 | — |
4 of 43 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $569,150 |
| FY2025 | -$553,715,793 |
| FY2024 | $3,564,026 |
| FY2023 | $165,656,060 |
| FY2022 | $36,265,451 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.185?
Assistance Listing 10.185 is Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, a federal grant program run by Agricultural Marketing Service (Department of Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program?
Its CFDA number is 10.185: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.185 awarded?
83 grant awards under 10.185 are on record to 43 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.185?
The recipients obligated the most under Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program are Department Of Agriculture Pennsylvania ($6,807,688), Arkansas Department Of Human Services ($3,921,256) and Oregon Department Of Education ($1,732,229).
How much did 10.185 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 10.185 obligated -$553,715,793 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 10.185?
No opportunity listed under 10.185 is open now. The latest, Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC), was posted on December 10, 2024.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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