Farm to ECE Federal Funding Guide
Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN), Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), National Farm to School Network (NFSN)
August 1, 2024
Funding is a necessary resource to build up and carry out farm to early care and education (ECE) activities. There are a variety of funding sources that states, localities, and organizations have leveraged to support the purchase of culturally relevant local foods; gardening and food tastings; and food, nutrition, and agricultural education for ECE sites. Our Partners at ASPHN, FRAC, and the National Farm to School Network, along with the Policy Equity Group, created a Farm to ECE guide to federal funding.
Funding opportunities highlighted in this guide are for states, localities, government agencies, and community-based organizations. The funding streams are organized into three overlapping categories: food and agriculture, health and nutrition, and early care and education. Each funding opportunity is followed by an example of how the funding was leveraged for farm to ECE activities.
Food and Agriculture Funding
- Patrick Leahy Farm to School (F2S) Grant Program
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP)
- Cooperative Extension System
- Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)
- Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)
- Community Food Projects Competitive Grants (CFPCGP)
- Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP)
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
- EPA Environmental Education (EE) Grants
- Food and Agriculture Service-Learning Program (FASLP)
- Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants
Early Care and Education Funding
- Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)
- Head Start and Early Head Start
- Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5)
- Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program
Health and Nutrition Funding
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed)
- State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Program
- Title V Maternal and Child Health Services (MCH) Block Grant
- Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant
- High Obesity Program (HOP)
- Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)
Unique Funding Opportunities
- Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax: A Case Study of Boulder, Colorado
For more information about each funding stream, read Enhancing Young Children’s Access to Local Foods and Farm to ECE: Federal Funding Guide.