Farm to School and Early Care: First Bite Grant

The AGRI First Bite Farm to School and Early Care Grant is meant to be an intentional learning process for school districts and early childhood education (ECE) centers that have little to no experience with local procurement as part of a Farm to School and Early Care program.

If your school district or ECE center has prior Farm to School and Early Care experience, or you’ve previously received a First Bite Grant, you should apply for the AGRI Full Tray Farm to School and Early Care Grant.

If you are a family child care provider, you should submit a Letter of Intent for the Local Tots Cost-Share.

boy with glasses biting into an apple

Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants include:

Public or private schools or school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and serve food to K-12 students
ECE centers that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

We encourage school districts and ECE centers serving sovereign tribal nations to apply.

Eligible projects

Projects must focus on intentional, high-impact Farm to School and Early Care efforts that highlight Minnesota-grown and -raised foods. These may include but are not limited to:

Trialing new Minnesota grown products on the menu or through taste tests
Participating in the Minnesota Great Apple Crunch
Hosting a Breakfast or Lunch with a Farmer meal
Increasing the number of times a Minnesota item or meal repeats on the menu
Adding Minnesota Thursdays as a monthly feature to the menu
Expanding the number of featured items or meals during Farm to School and Early Care Month (October)

Amount available for First Bite Grants

We expect to award up to $1.15 million to reimburse school districts and ECE centers for buying Minnesota-grown and -raised foods used in federal meal programs.

First Bite applicants may apply for $2,500 to $5,000.
There is no cash match.

Equipment Grant

In addition to applying for the First Bite Farm to School and Early Care Grant, you may also apply for up to $25,000 to buy equipment.

Equipment requests may include the cost of equipment, sales tax, shipping, and associated installation costs and must support Farm to School or Farm to Early Care initiatives.
There is a 1:1 match requirement and equipment projects must be completed by December 2027.
Receiving a First Bite Grant does not guarantee you will receive equipment funding.

Information session

On September 15, 2025, we hosted an information session about eligibility, allowable expenses, and how to apply. Watch the recording: Farm to School First Bite and Full Tray Grants – Fiscal Year 2026 Info Session - YouTube

Applying

Apply by 4 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Thursday, October 23, 2025.

Carefully read the full First Bite Farm to School Request for Proposals FY26 (PDF) for eligibility and requirements. You can also view the list of past projects or request a copy of an application to help you prepare.
Apply online.
- If you’re a new user, you need to create an account first.
- Once you’re logged in, select “First Bite Farm to School and Early Care Grant.”
- Complete the required questions and submit.

Questions and answers

Here are some common questions about the fiscal year (FY) 2026 AGRI First Bite Farm to School and Early Care and Equipment Grants.

If you have questions that are not addressed here or in the request for proposals (RFP), email them to MDA.AGRIGrants@state.mn.us with "First Bite Grant" in the subject line. We will post all questions and answers on this page.

Note: Acronyms we use in this program include Early Care Education (ECE), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

My school district has received a Farm to School grant in the past. Am I eligible to apply for FY 2026 Farm to School and Early Care grant funds?
- Yes, you are eligible to apply for the Full Tray and Equipment Grant.
- Only apply for the amount of FY 2026 grant funding you can spend before December 31, 2028.
As a school district that was previously awarded a First Bite Grant for our K-12 meal program, can I now apply for the Full Tray Grant for K-12 and also apply for a First Bite Grant for our onsite early care program that participates in CACFP?
- No, schools can only submit one grant application. If your school district operates both NSLP for K-12 students and CACFP for an early childhood education program, you should submit only one application for both programs.
- If your district has already received a First Bite Grant, you can apply for the Full Tray Grant. In that application, you can combine the reimbursable NSLP, SBP, and CACFP meals and snacks served in October 2024 to determine the amount of Full Tray funding eligibility. Use the formula:
  - (NSLP and SBP meals served + CACFP meals and snacks served) x $0.10 x 12 months = eligible amount of funding for the Full Tray Grant
We meet the eligibly requirements outlined in the RFP but use a food service management company for our meals, so we do not purchase our own food directly. Are we still eligible to apply for this grant? If so, are there any special considerations we need to make?
- Yes, you are eligible for this grant but will need to show evidence that food your school buys is eligible under the program. Before you apply, coordinate with your nutrition department staff and other food service management company staff to ensure they are aware of and can follow through with the grant deliverables.
- If awarded a grant, you will need to work with your food service management company to provide the MDA with the following information to document proof of purchase of eligible food items: list of food items that the company purchased for the grant project, farm source for each item, and the price paid for each item. This documentation could be a single invoice from the company outlining all food purchases, or invoices/receipts provided by the company from farms for the food items purchased. You will also need to provide the MDA with proof of payment to the company for the items purchased.
Is this grant only for Federal Food program schools?
- Yes, the grant is intended for schools participating in the NSLP and ECE centers participating in the CACFP. We encourage school districts and ECE centers serving sovereign tribal nations to apply.
Do applicants need to be a nonprofit and participate in CACFP to apply?
- Nonprofit status is not required, but you must be actively enrolled in a federal child nutrition program such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
If I’ve previously received a First Bite or Full Tray Grant, can I apply for the Equipment Grant this year?
- To apply for the Equipment Grant in FY26, you must re-apply for one of the food grants (First Bite or Full Tray). If you’ve already received a First Bite Grant, apply for the Full Tray Grant alongside the Equipment Grant.
Is there a family income eligibility requirement to apply for this grant?
- No. Eligibility is based on participation in a federal child nutrition program (NSLP or CACFP), not on the demographics or income levels of families served.
How do I enroll in a federal meal program?
- To participate, you must be enrolled in a federal meal program:
  - For schools: National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
  - For early care centers: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- Both programs are administered in Minnesota by the Minnesota Department of Education, which can guide you through the enrollment process.

What will be the end date of the grant? This will help us plan for purchasing seasonal produce.
- The grant will begin in March 2026 (estimate) and end in December 2028.
What is meant by a “1:1 match” requirement for equipment funding?
- A 1:1 match means the grantee pays 50% of the total cost of the equipment. For example, if you want to purchase a Robot Coupe that costs $4,000, you would request $2,000 in equipment grant funds and you would pay the remaining $2,000 of the cost.
Can Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) funding (or other state or federal funding) be used as the matching funds for the equipment 1:1 match requirement for this grant?
- State and federal funds (including SHIP funds) cannot be used as matching funds. State funds are defined as funds that were obtained through the budgeting process of the Minnesota Legislature or granted by a state agency.
How many Letters of Support are required for the grant?
- If you’re applying for the First Bite grant, you don’t need any letters of support.
- If you’re applying for the Full Tray grant, you must have at least one letter from a producer, and a letter from a distributor if you use one. You can also include up to two letters from community partners.
- If you’re applying as a CACFP sponsor on behalf of an eligible ECE center, you must have a letter from the ECE center.
Can we combine meals from K–12 and early care programs in one application?
- Yes. If your site serves both K–12 students and early care children, you may include meals served for both programs in your grant application.
If a school or center runs both NSLP and CACFP, can they apply for two grants?
- No. Only one application per organization is allowed. If your site operates both NSLP and CACFP, you should submit one application that combines the meals served under both programs when calculating funding eligibility.
When will grant awards be announced?
- Award letters are expected to be sent in late January 2026. Grant funds may be spent beginning in spring 2026. Please refer to the RFP for the full grant timeline.

I am working with a local pasta maker to see if they can source 80% of their flour from Minnesota. If they can, would their pasta be an eligible food item? If I include this plan in our grant proposal and we receive a grant, what happens if the plans for this item don’t work out?
- Yes, if the pasta maker can source 80% of the flour from Minnesota, then the item would be eligible. As described in the RFP, processed foods are eligible if at least one primary ingredient is 80% grown or raised in Minnesota. We understand that sometimes plans or circumstances can change from the time that a proposal is submitted. We can work with grantees if updates need to be made to project work plans and budgets.
Can we buy local food from more than one vendor if awarded a grant?
- Yes, eligible foods can be purchased from multiples vendors for this grant. Examples of potential vendors include individual farmers, food hubs or other aggregators, farmers’ markets, and distributors.
Can I use this Farm to School grant to purchase Minnesota grown foods for the summer meal program (SFSP)?
- Yes, FY 2026 Farm to School and Early Care grant funds may be used in school year meal programs (NSLP & SBP), summer meal programs (SFSP & SSO), or CACFP meal programs.
I work with Family and Consumer Science classes to grow produce to use in our program. Is this something that would qualify for the Farm to School and Early Care grant program?
- No. Grant funds must be used as a part of a federal food program. School garden produce is not an eligible expense for this grant.
We use a food vendor who manages all the nutritional facts for food served at our school. Would this program be to purchase fresh fruits and veggies on top of food we get from our vendor or would it be to replace the veggie/fruit portion that is already being served?
- This funding would be to source some of the produce locally, whether through a food vendor, directly from a farmer, or through a food hub.
Would these fruits and veggies still be subject to the standard nutritional compliance?
- Yes, all produce, grains, and proteins purchased through this grant must adhere to the standard nutritional requirements for federal meal programs.
By receiving these funds, will it deduct from or lower our reimbursement for meals from the state?
- No, this is additional funding on top of your reimbursement for the meal program from the state.
How do the products get to our school?
- This varies between the farmer and the school. Each situation is unique. Often, the farmer will deliver directly to your school or ECE. In some instances, the school or ECE center may pick up directly from the farm. You may also purchase local items through a distributor or food hub.
Are processing costs eligible for reimbursement under the grant? For example, peeling and cubing butternut squash to be roasted or incorporated into a chili.
- The grant would reimburse for the cost of the squash that arrives peeled and cubed, but not for your staff time to peel and cube the squash. The grant will reimburse for the expense of the food item, but not for the staff to time to prep and prepare it.
Do you have a list of farmers participating in this program?
- We don't have a list of farmers since it varies by location of each school or ECE center. We recommend starting with the Minnesota Grown Wholesale Directory to find farmers in your area or visiting your local farmers’ market to see if any vendors there would be interested in selling to your school or ECE center.
I'm a producer; how can I encourage schools to apply?
- The MN Farm to School website has a template email that you can use to reach out to local schools and ECE centers and encourage them to apply. Also, if the school or ECE center is applying for the Full Tray Grant, they must include at least one letter of support from a producer who will benefit from their project. You could offer to write one of these letters.
Is it possible to use either the First Bite or Full Tray grant funds to help procure school meals for students to take home on weekends (i.e., a weekend food program)?
- Farm to School and Early Care grant funds can only be used to purchase food served as part of the NSLP, SBP, or the CACFP. Food purchased for a weekend food program is not eligible.
I see that liquid milk is not an allowable food expense. Can I purchase a bulk milk machine with the AGRI Farm to School Equipment grant?
- Yes, while liquid milk is not an allowable food expense, you can use your AGRI Equipment grant funds to purchase a bulk milk machine so long as the milk being served is produced in Minnesota.
Can we apply for more than one item for the equipment grant?
- Yes, you may ask for funding for more than one piece of equipment, as long as you’re not asking for more than $25,000 and you’re able to cover the 1:1 cash match requirement.
Can we purchase meat directly from a local farmer and have it processed at a butcher shop?
- Yes, you may purchase meat directly from a Minnesota farmer. However, the meat must be processed at a facility that is either USDA-inspected or Minnesota “equal to” inspected. This is required to meet federal meal program standards (e.g., NSLP, SBP, CACFP).
- You can find a list of approved meat processors on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s website.
Can we purchase eggs from a small/home farm?
- Yes, but eggs must meet federal meal program requirements. There are additional safety requirements when serving eggs to children under age 4 (e.g., in early care settings).
Is it correct that produce from a home garden is not eligible for reimbursement, but you can be reimbursed for purchases made at a farmers’ market?
- Correct. You cannot be reimbursed for produce grown in your own garden (e.g., at a school or early care center), but you can purchase produce directly from a Minnesota farmer or at a farmers’ market, as long as what you purchase is locally grown.
Is preference given to applicants with high free and reduced-price meal rates?
- No. There is no special preference given based on free and reduced-price meal percentages.
Can we purchase bread from a Cottage Foods-licensed producer?
- Generally, no. Products from Cottage Foods-licensed producers typically do not meet the requirements for use in federal meal programs, such as NSLP or CACFP. Bread must come from an eligible vendor that meets food safety standards.
Where can we find local lettuce or greens?
- The Minnesota Grown Wholesale Directory is a great starting point to find producers of lettuce and other greens. Options include both outdoor growers and indoor hydroponic facilities across the state.
Do all food producers need to be USDA-approved?
- Only in certain cases. For meat products served as part of a federal meal program, processing must occur at a facility that is either USDA-inspected or Minnesota “equal to” inspected.