Illinois Opens Grant Applications to Boost Farm-to-School Food Programs (Oak Park, IL) – Illinois schools looking to bring more fresh, local food to students will soon have a new opportunity for support. The Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub announced Wednesday it will open applications Oct. 15 for its latest round of grants aimed at strengthening the regional school food system.
The Hub, which serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, funds projects that connect schools with local farmers and food producers to improve access to nutritious, farm-fresh meals. Seven Generations Ahead, an Oak Park-based nonprofit, leads the effort in Illinois.
“We’re excited for this next round of Innovation Hub funding that will help connect K-12s across Illinois to local farmers and healthy, local food,” said Gary Cuneen, executive director of Seven Generations Ahead. “The grants will give us the opportunity to drive Farm to School in our state and support the expansion of markets for local farmers.”
Two types of awards will be available:
Spark Awards: Short-term grants of $30,000 to $100,000 per year for projects such as planning, capacity-building, and product testing.
Innovation Collaborative Awards: Larger grants of $250,000 to $500,000 over two to two-and-a-half years to fund regional partnerships and broader systems-level changes.
Beyond funding, grantees will receive training and support tailored to their goals, organizers said.
The Innovation Hub was created to strengthen the school food supply chain and reduce reliance on heavily processed meals. By fostering collaboration among farmers, food producers, distributors, and schools, the initiative aims to deliver healthier options for children while boosting regional agriculture.
More information is available at InnovateSchoolFood.org.
Illinois Opens Grant Applications to Boost Farm-to-School Food Programs
