Update the Plate Mini Grant Program 2015

Update the Plate Mini Grant Program 2015

Mini grants of up to $2,000 are available to increase the capacity of farm to school and early childhood programs in Cuyahoga County. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and Ohio State University Extension, Cuyahoga County are pleased to make the Update the Plate mini grant program possible with funding from the George Gund Foundation and the Child and Family Health Services Grant.

Food consumed at school contributes as much as 50% of a child’s daily caloric intake on school days. The Update the Plate mini grant program is an initiativeto help schools and child care centers create the healthiest food environments possible. By introducing youth to healthy foods in a variety of innovative ways, farm to school and farm to early childhood programs play a key role in shaping preferences for fruits and vegetables.

School districts, schools, and licensed child care centers in Cuyahoga County, Ohio are eligible to apply for Update the Plate funding. New this year:local produce growers are eligible for funding to increase their capacity to grow and sell to schools and child care centers in Cuyahoga County.

Request for Proposals open October 1 and are due October 30, 2015.Funded projects must beimplemented in 2016.

What is farm to school and early childhood?

Farm to school and early childhood programs build strong connections between youth and food in educational settings. These connections are built through food, nutrition, and agriculture education, garden-based learning, and serving fresh and local food in meals and snacks. Farm to school and early childhood programs empower youth, families, and institutions to make healthy choices while also supporting community investment in local agriculture and food-based businesses.

Purpose of the Update the Plate Mini Grant Program

Based on the USDA’s Choose My Plate framework, the Update the Plate mini grant program assists school districts, schools, and licensed childcare centers to develop and implement farm to school and early childhood projects that not only strengthen relationships between youth and food, but also support systems level change within organizations.

The goals of the Update the Plate Program are:

Expand opportunities in the local food system by increasing local food purchases for meals, snacks, and educational programs

Increase the number and success gardens at schools and child care centers

Integrate food, nutrition, and agriculture education into curriculum and programs for children and families

Grow a Cuyahoga County Farm to School and Early Childhood Networkto build relationships and increase awareness, opportunities, and effectivenessof programs

Eligibility

• All school districts, schools,and licensed child care centers located in Cuyahoga County are eligible to apply. Applicant must provide a valid EIN number and submit a completed W-9 form.
• Preference will be given to those that serve children in high poverty areas of Cuyahoga County, meet the 50% or higher free/reduced lunch rate, or have at least 50%of families with enrolled children in care using the child care assistance program(see Selection Criteria section).
• NEW: Local produce growers serving school districts, schools, licensed child care centers that are located in Cuyahoga County are eligible to apply. Applicant must provide a valid EIN numberand submit a completed W-9 form.
• Local is defined as a farm within 250 miles or within the 18 county Northeast Ohio region.

Allowable Expenses for Update the Plate Mini Grant Funding

For school districts, schools, and licensed child care centers, costs related to the following are allowed:

• Gardens: curriculum, garden tools and supplies, compensating a student school garden coordinator
• Local food: marketing materials, equipment, fresh local food for student and family programs, trainings/learning opportunities* related to using fresh local food in meals, snacks, and educational programs
• Education: field trips, curriculum, trainings/learning opportunities* related to farm to school/child care, family engagement, local food events as part of farm to school/child care programs

(* Name and date of training/learning opportunities must be specifically identified in application and budget)

For produce growers, costs related to growing and selling to schools and child care centers in Cuyahoga County are allowed:

• Packaging materials, marketing materials
• Farm equipment, tools, and irrigation to increase production capacity
• Hoop houses or other season extension equipment
• Improvements such as coolers, washing stations, or other supplies/equipment related to post-harvest handling
• Expenses related to Good Agricultural Practices audits/certifications

Unallowable Costs

Funds from this mini grant program may not be used to cover costs of:

• Food that is a part of a reimbursable meal
• Any food purchases that are not from a local source (local is defined as grown within 250 miles or within the 18 county Northeast Ohio region)
• Personnel/Staff time (except for stipends for student school garden coordinator)
• Indirect costs

Selection Criteria

All applications that are complete and comply with the mini grant eligibility and requirements will be reviewed and scored by an objective review committee. A scoring of 40 points will be used to evaluate each proposal as follows:

Component / Points / Component / Points
Applicant Information / 2 / Activities and Timeline / 5
Project Summary / 2 / Outcomes and Evaluation / 3
Need and Justification / 5 / Questions about Farm to School experience / 2
Goals and Accomplishments / 5 / Project Sustainability / 5
Partners and Support / 2 / Project Budget / 3
Communication and Outreach / 3 / Letter of Support / 3

Preference will be given if an application meets the following criteria:

Criteria / Points
For School Districts and Schools: At least 50% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch / 5
For Child Care Centers: At least 50% of families use child care assistance vouchers / 5
For Local Produce Growers: distributing to a district, school, or child care center that meets the above / 5
School or Child Care Center has a garden on site and already in use / 5
Project includes a local food purchasing component / 5

Amount and Notice of Award

Eligible applicants can request up to $2,000. Applicants will be notified via email if they have been awarded an Update the Plate mini grant on or around November 13, 2015.

Application Components to be Completed

All of the following sections must be completed and received in order for an application to be considered complete.
Only complete applications will be reviewed.
Applicant Information, including project contact information and tax verification* (*W-9 form must be included)
Project Summary
Project Narrative
Proposed Budget
Sustainability Plan
Letter of Support

How to Submit Your Application

Send completed application, W-9 form, and letter(s) of support as email attachments to Nicole Wrightat . The signature of the project lead and administrator with authority over the school district, school, or child care center arerequiredin the Applicant Information section. Electronic signatures are accepted. Applicants must also submit a copy of their Agency’s/Business’s W-9. If for some reason an applicant is unable to email the documents, a faxed copy can be sent to 216-429-3146 to the attention of Nicole Wright.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and OSU Extension, Cuyahoga County are invested in helping you make your farm to school or early childhood project successful. If awarded, technical assistance is available to help plan your project and during the grant period. Contact Nicole Wright with OSU Extension, Cuyahoga County with any questions about this opportunity by calling 216-429-8200 x249 or emailing .

Applications must be received by 5pm Friday, October 30, 2015

The Update the Plate Mini-Grant Program is made possible through a partnership between the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and Ohio State University Extension, Cuyahoga County with funding from the George Gund Foundation and the Child and Family Health Services Grant.

This work is funded either in whole or in part by a grant awarded by the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Child and Family Health Services, Child and Family Health Services Program as a sub-award of a grant issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, grant award number B04MC26688, and CFDA number 93.994 and Am. Sub. H.B. 59.

Applicant Information

Name of School District, School, Child Care Center or Farm Business:
Street Address:
City: / State: / Zip Code:
Ages or grades served: / Total number of children:
Number of children estimated to be served by this farm to school or early childhood project:
Age groups or grades that will be primarily served by this project:
Schools/Districts: Percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch program:
Child Care Centers: Percentage of families receiving publicly funded childcare assistance:
Federal Tax ID #:
Project Lead Name and Title:
Project Lead Street Address:
Project Lead City: / Project Lead State: / Project Lead Zip Code:
Project Lead Email: / Project Lead Phone:
Administrative Contact for District, School, or Child Care Center:
Administrator Street Address:
Administrator City: / Administrator State: / Administrator Zip Code:
Administrator Email: / Administrator Phone:

Applicant Information, continued

Name of Project:
Is this a new project or expanding an existing project? (check one) / New / Existing
Total Amount requested (Cannot exceed $2,000):

Signatures

I/We have reviewed this mini grant application and to the best of my knowledge the information in this application is true and correct. I am legally authorized to sign and submit this application on behalf of this organization. We understand that as a recipient of these funds, we are required to:spend according to plan; submit receipts in a timely manner; attend at least one grantee meeting; and participate in at least (3) evaluative components (project profile, mid-term interview, final survey) throughout the project period.We agree to allow the Network to include our project in its local success stories.

______

Project Lead Date

______

AdministratorDate

This is an electronic signature and bears the same legal binding as physically signing your name on a paper document.

Project Summary

In 200 words or less, provide a one paragraph summary of your project. If your project is selected for funding, this paragraph may be used in public promotions for the Update the Plate mini grant program and local success stories.

Project Narrative

Please keep responses to500 words or less for each of the following sections.

Need and Justification

Describe the need that is prompting this proposal and how this funding will help address these needs. Explain what makes you ready and prepared to accomplish this project and build the farm to school or early childhood capacity of your organization. Include a description of the primary population to be served by this project.

Goals and Accomplishments

Clearly outline your project goals and your overall vision for your project. What major accomplishments do you hope to achieve by the end of this project?

Partnerships and Support

Describe other project partners whose involvement or cooperation is necessary to make this project successful. These can already exist or be new partnerships you are hoping to build as a result of this project.

Communication and Outreach

How will you inform the broader community about this project (for example, other staff and students, parents, administrators, or other stakeholders) to create excitement and awareness about it?

Activities and Timeline

Provide a timetable listing specific key activities and completion dates from project beginning toend.

Outcomes and Evaluation

How will your project be evaluated? Be sure to be specific on the impacts you are hoping to achieve and how you will measure success. What types of measureable change do you hope to achieve, i.e. pounds or dollar amount of local food grown or purchased, hours of instruction in the garden or with food, agriculture, or nutrition curriculum?

Questions about previous farm to school and early childhood experience

Previous farm to school or early childhood experience is not required, as grant funds are being directed to support both new and existing projects. Responses to the questions below may be used to establish peer mentored relationships or address technical assistance needs.

Do you currently engage in farm to school or early childhood?☐Yes☐No

If yes, please check the activities that you have done in the past year (check all that apply).

Served meals or snacks with at least some locally grown food

_____Taught children about food, where it is grown, and where it comes from

_____Hosted a special event related to healthy foods and farms

_____Took children or students on a field trip to an urban or regional farm

_____Planted or worked in an on-site garden

_____Involved parents or community stakeholders in activities that involved local foods

_____Other (describe):______and submit this application on behalf of this organization.
cation is true and correct and that I am legally authorized to sig

Please select the category below that best describes your experience with farm to school and early childhood:

_____Getting Rooted!We are just getting started and have no farm to school and early childhood experience.

_____Starting to Sprout! We have some previous experience with farm to school and early childhood, but it has not been a consistent part of our programming.

_____Blooming Away!We have an active farm to school and early childhood program.

Project Sustainability

What steps will you take to sustain your project beyond this mini grant funding period, ifawarded? How is this project part of a long term plan to support the growth of farm to school or early childhood?

Project Budget

Provide a detailed budget including dollar amounts and descriptions for how each line item will be used. Attached Word or PDF budget and budget narratives are acceptable.

Letter of Support

Required:It is required that you submit at least one letter of support from the administrator of the school district, school, or child care center involved in the project

Optional:Applicants are encouraged to submit an additional 1-3 letters of support from other partners or supporters of the project demonstrating their support of your farm to school or early childhood vision now and into the future.

Submit by Friday, October 30, 2015 by 5pm

Send completed application, W-9 form, and letter(s) of support as email attachments to Nicole Wright at you are unable to email the documents, a faxed copy can be sent to 216-429-3146to the attention of Nicole Wright.

DUE OCTOBER 30, 2015 BY 5PM | Update the Plate Mini Grant Program 2015 / 1