Minnesota FY2027 AGRI Farm to Kids First Bite Grant

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is accepting FY2027 AGRI Farm to Kids First Bite Grant applications from eligible Minnesota schools, school districts, and early care and education centers that have little or no experience purchasing local foods through Farm to Kids.

Funding

MDA expects up to $1.22 million to be available for the FY2027 First Bite program. Applicants may request $2,500 to $5,000 for the food grant, with no cash match required for that core award. Applicants may also request an optional Equipment Grant of up to $20,000. Equipment requests require a 1:1 match, meaning the grantee must provide 50 percent of eligible equipment costs; state and federal funds may not be used as the equipment match.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are Minnesota public or private schools or school districts participating in the National School Lunch Program and serving kindergarten through grade 12, and early care and education centers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. MDA encourages applications from districts and centers serving sovereign Tribal Nations. Organizations with prior Farm to Kids procurement experience should review the Full Tray Grant instead.

Deadline and application

Applications are due October 15, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time. Applicants must review the FY2027 AGRI Farm to Kids First Bite RFP and submit through MDA’s Grantinterface online system, selecting the FY 2027 Farm to Kids First Bite Grant. A signed Authority to Apply Letter is required. Late applications are not accepted.

Atlas analysis

Atlas Opportunity Score: 83/100. N9+ Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. This is a school nutrition and local food procurement opportunity, not a clinical care, telehealth, or remote examination funding program. Atlas therefore does not recommend N9+ or QC Healthcare positioning for this opportunity.