USDA’s FY 2026 Farm to School solicitation offered up to $18 million, with individual awards of $100,000 to $500,000. Applications closed December 5, 2025, and USDA reported in July 2026 that it had awarded nearly $20 million to 68 projects. The two totals refer to different stages of the same funding cycle: the original solicitation ceiling and the later award results.
What the FY 2026 Farm to School grants funded
The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is a competitive USDA program intended to bring local food into Child Nutrition Program sites and connect students with where their food comes from. The FY 2026 solicitation focused on comprehensive projects combining local food sourcing with agricultural education. USDA described the opportunity in its FY 2026 solicitation and September 10, 2025 announcement.
Examples of project activities
- Buying local food for school meals and other Child Nutrition Programs.
- Creating or supporting school gardens, taste tests, field trips, and agriculture- or nutrition-related learning.
- Preparing agricultural producers to sell to school food programs.
- Improving infrastructure or distribution so local food can reach participating sites.
These are examples, not a guarantee that a particular activity qualifies on its own. Proposals needed to meet the objectives and conditions in the applicable request for applications (RFA).
How much USDA offered—and what it ultimately awarded
The original FY 2026 opportunity set a total funding ceiling of up to $18 million and an individual award range of $100,000 to $500,000. After the application period, USDA reported nearly $20 million awarded to 68 projects. The latter is the completed-cycle figure, not a revision to the original offer: the solicitation stated the planned maximum, while the July 7, 2026 announcement reported the awards made.
#1 Best Overall
- 3 Piece Garden Tool Set: The gardening hand tools set includes a garden trowel, a garden rake and a transplanting spade with graduated scale. Great gardening supplies for weeding, digging, transplanting, planting, loosening soil, etc. The great lawn and garden tools to meet most of your daily gardening needs
- Sturdy and Long lasting: The main body of our garden tools set is made with high-quality thickened aluminum alloy material, which is rust-resistant, long lasting and extremely sturdy. Would not easily break even when dealing with thick roots or rocky soil
- Ergonomic Design: The handle is designed with contoured finger grips and palm rest to reduce hand fatigue and strain while planting. The high-quality TPR material of the handle makes the trowel garden tool easy to hold and comfortable to use. Saving your labor, time and energy. The hanging hole on the top makes the garden tools for gardening easy to carry and store
- Hand Trowel: With wide spade and 0.08 inch thickness, the hand shovels for gardening is suitable for digging, planting and transplanting plants without damaging the roots
- Transplant Trowel: The depth measurement on our transplanting shovel will help you to quick measure how depth you want to dig, makes it easier to transplant potted plants and flowers
USDA described the FY 2026 cycle as the largest single-year financial investment in the program’s history. Its announcement also reported more than $119 million awarded to more than 1,265 projects since the program began in 2013. Those are cumulative program totals reported by USDA, not amounts available to a new applicant.
Who could apply under the FY 2026 solicitation
The listed eligible entity types included state agencies, Indian Tribal organizations, Child Nutrition Program operators, local agencies, agricultural producers, groups of agricultural producers, and nonprofits. Eligibility depended on the specific solicitation conditions, not only on an organization’s general connection to schools or farming.
Rank #2
- 3 Piece Garden Tool Set: The gardening hand tools set includes a garden trowel, a garden rake and a transplanting spade with graduated scale. Great gardening supplies for weeding, digging, transplanting, planting, loosening soil, etc. The great lawn and garden tools to meet most of your daily gardening needs
- Sturdy and Long lasting: The main body of our garden tools set is made with high-quality thickened aluminum alloy material, which is rust-resistant, long lasting and extremely sturdy. Would not easily break even when dealing with thick roots or rocky soil
- Ergonomic Design: The handle is designed with contoured finger grips and palm rest to reduce hand fatigue and strain while planting. The high-quality non-slip TPR material of the handle makes the trowel garden tool easy to hold and comfortable to use. Saving your labor, time and energy. The hanging hole on the top makes the garden tools for gardening easy to carry and store
- Hand Trowel: With wide spade and 0.08 inch thickness, the hand shovels for gardening is suitable for digging, planting and transplanting plants without damaging the roots
- Transplant Trowel: The depth measurement on our transplanting shovel will help you to quick measure how depth you want to dig, makes it easier to transplant potted plants and flowers
Some applicant categories marked in the RFA had to apply as part of a partnership. Nonprofit applicants had to include an IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter. The solicitation also cautioned that its eligibility, funding, and scope differed from prior rounds. Anyone considering a future application should use that future RFA rather than assume FY 2026 rules will carry over.
Matching requirements and other application conditions
The FY 2026 opportunity listing identified matching or cost sharing as required. The calculation and applicable conditions are specific to the solicitation, so prospective applicants should consult the official RFA rather than estimate a match from the award range alone. The listing’s activity summary is available on Simpler.Grants.gov.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- Sturdy and Stainless Steel Garden Set: Made of Stainless Steel, this stainless steel gardening tools is durable and rust-proof. Moreover, with stable material like this, these gardening tools are hardly deformed
- One for All Package: Grenebo garden tools set includes a total of 8 tools and 1 storage bag. Pruning Shears, Weedier, Transplanter, Cultivator, etc., nearly everything you need in daily garden maintenance
- Ergonomic Handle Design: In order to realize a more comfortable and effortless user experience, the gardening tools were non-slipped wooden handles, well-designed and suitable for different hand sizes. No matter kids or seniors, these gardening tools made things easy during digging, carrying, weeding, planting, and pruning
- Garden Tote Bag: The biggest concern of buying a big gardening tool set is storage, but for this consideration, Grenebo gardening tools for gardening come with a heavy-duty storage bag, is floral design with a vintage style, adds additional beauty to your garden. Moreover, there is a specialized hole on each tool handle for hanging them up in the off-season or after use
- Show your love with a premium Garden Tools Set: The tote bag durable and easy to carry, which is the choice for women, neighbors, and all enthusiastic gardening lovers
Can you still apply for the FY 2026 grant?
No. The deadline was December 5, 2025, and USDA has since reported that FY 2026 awards are complete. USDA’s Farm to School program page says the awards have been made and directs interested organizations to monitor for future requests for applications.
How to prepare for a future round
- Watch USDA’s program page for a new RFA. Confirm that a future opportunity is open and note its dates before committing resources.
- Match the project to the stated objective. Explain how the work combines local food sourcing with agricultural education and serves Child Nutrition Program sites.
- Verify the applicant and partnership rules. Check whether your entity type is eligible, whether a partnership is required, and what documentation is needed.
- Build the budget around the new solicitation. Confirm the award range, any matching or cost-sharing formula, and which expenses and activities are permitted.
- Use examples as project ideas, not automatic approvals. Gardens, procurement, distribution, and education activities must still satisfy the new RFA’s requirements.
What the reported awards show
USDA’s July 7, 2026 release named projects in Mississippi and Arkansas as examples, including student-run hydroponic production, farm visits, and locally sourced school menus. These illustrate the range of funded work; they are not standard requirements for every grantee. In the same release, Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said, “Without a doubt, farm to school is one of the most powerful ways to Make America Healthy Again by bringing real food back to the heart of America’s food culture and onto kids’ lunch trays.” That is the Secretary’s characterization of the program, not an independent evaluation of grant outcomes. See USDA’s July 7, 2026 awards announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Wonderfully Versatile: Hori Hori garden knife for every job in the garden, use it for digging, transplanting, sawing, cutting, removing, dividing, and even measuring soil depth for planting.
- Multifunction Blade: Features a sharp edge for slicing and a serrated edge for cutting tough roots. The curved blade and depth measurement in inches make planting a breeze. The cord-cutting edge also acts as a bottle opener. With so many uses, this knife is a good pick for a range of outdoor activities, including gardening, fishing, and camping.
- Premium: Full length 12.1 inches, 7 inches blade. Made of high-grade stainless steel with rust-proof blades that extend into a full tang for superb strength. The garden knife is sturdy and will hold up under intense work.
- Full Tang Wood Handle: The full tang wood handle is ergonomically designed to provide an incredible grip that can save effort while laboring. Three metal rivets reinforced the blade securely in place, making it safer to use without worrying about bending or breaking.
- Protect Sheath: A protective sheath with a belt loop protects the knife and can also be hung on your belt for easy use. The top of the handle has a hanging hole so that you can hang it in your garage or tool room for easy storage.
Rank #4
- IDEAL GIFTS FOR MEN, WOMEN - Our gardening tools set is the ultimate gift for any men women who loves to garden. Including rust-proof and durable tools, this set ensures she has everything she needs for a flourishing garden. The ergonomic design makes it comfortable to use, making it a thoughtful gift for wife, mom, daughter, or grandma.
- A COMPLETE GARDEN TOOL SET - A durable garden tools set is all you need for your gardening.
- PREMIUM GARDEN TOOLS - Our gardening tool set comes with a Spray Bottle, Shovel, Crack Weeder, Hand Rake, Weeder, Pruner, 15 Plant tags, a pair of Hand Gloves, and a Heavy Duty Garden Bag to keep all your tools packed away provides everything you need to maintain a beautiful and healthy garden.
- DURABLE & RUST PROOF - Our gardening tool set is made of high-quality aluminium alloy, ensuring that the tools are strong, durable, and resistant to rust and corrosion. The aluminium alloy material is lightweight, making it easy to handle and reducing hand fatigue during use. Additionally, the material is eco-friendly and non-toxic. With our toolset, you can be confident that you're using high-quality, reliable tools that will stand the test of time.
- COMFORTABLE ERGONOMIC HANDLE - Our gardening tool set is designed with your comfort in mind. The ergonomic handle design allows for a comfortable grip and reduces hand fatigue, even during long gardening sessions. The soft yet sturdy handle provides a secure grip and helps prevent slipping, so you can work with confidence. Whether you're planting delicate seedlings or digging up stubborn weeds, our tool set's comfortable design will help you get the job done with ease.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
