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Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids
Grant
For Connecticut local and regional boards of education, regional education centers, cooperative arrangements,
childcare centers, group childcare homes and family childcare homes, or any organization or entity administering
or assisting in the development of a farm-to-school program.
FY 2022 Grant Application Guidelines
Application Deadline:
December 20, 2021 at
4:00pm
Ned Lamont, Governor
Bryan P. Hurlburt, Commissioner
Connecticut Department of Agriculture
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 701, Hartford, CT 06103
CTGrown.gov
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Table of Contents
Important Dates .........................................................................................................................................................3
Grant Description .......................................................................................................................................................4
Eligible Applicants.......................................................................................................................................................5
Expenses, & Payment: ................................................................................................................................................5
Project Duration & Post Award Requirements ...........................................................................................................7
Submission Process ....................................................................................................................................................7
Application Requirements ..........................................................................................................................................7
Evaluation Criteria and Process ..................................................................................................................................8
Section A: Applicant Information ...............................................................................................................................8
Section B: Budget & Budget Justification ...................................................................................................................8
Section C: Grant Narrative ..........................................................................................................................................9
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Important Dates:
There will be a webinar and question and answer session on Tuesday
November 9, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. This will be recorded and posted on
CTGrown.gov/grants.
A video recording walking through how to submit your application via
Salesforce will also be posted.
The deadline for final submissions is December 20, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. Please
review the “Submission Process” section for additional information.
Final Applications must be received by:
December 20, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.
Applications will not be accepted after 4:00 p.m. on December 20, 2021
Questions can be directed to Cyrena Thibodeau, Cyrena.Thibodeau@ct.gov
or 860-895-3094
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Grant Description:
The Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids Grant Program, hereafter referred to as CTG4CTK Grant, provides
funds to Connecticut local or regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, cooperative
arrangements pursuant to section 10-158a of the general statutes, child care centers, group child care homes and
family child care homes, as such terms are described in section 19a-77 of the general statutes, or any organization
or entity administering or assisting in the development of a farm-to-school program.
The CTG4CTK Grant Program, established in 2021 in Connecticut General Statutes § 10 with funding provided
through the American Rescue Plan Act, P.A. 21-0002, S. 364 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Special Session.
The amount awarded to any applicant through the CTG4CTK Grant shall not exceed $24,999. There is no match
required for this grant.
Grant Purpose:
The CTG4CTK Grant shall, “assist schools, school districts, childcare centers & homes, and organizations to develop
farm-to-school programs that will increase the availability of local foods in child nutrition programs, allow
educators to use hands-on educational techniques to teach students about nutrition and farm-to-school
connections, sustain relationships with local farmers and producers, enrich the educational experience of
students, improve the health of children in the state and enhance the state's economy.”
These funds are meant to provide a combination of resources to support projects that will help build capacity
for long-term Farm to School Programs.
What is farm to school?
Farm to school enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by
changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and early care and education sites.
Students gain access to healthy, local foods as well as education opportunities such as school gardens, cooking
lessons, and farm field trips. Farm to school empowers children and their families to make informed food choices
while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities.
Awarding Priorities:
1) To fund applicants located in alliance districts, as defined in section 10-262u of the general statutes, as
amended by this act, or who are providers of school readiness programs, as defined in section 10-16p of the
general statutes
2) To fund applicants who demonstrate a broad commitment from school administrators, school nutrition
professionals, educators, and community stakeholders.
• If the applicant is not a school/district or early childcare provider, then a partnership agreement from an
authorized representative from the school or early childcare provider the applicant proposes to work
with must be submitted. A template is provided for this on the grant webpage.
• In the grant narrative, applicants are requested to describe both the support that they have for the
project and detail how input was gathered to formulate the idea. Additionally, applicants are allowed to
submit up to three letters of support, a template is provided on the grant webpage.
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Eligible Applicants:
The following entities are eligible to apply:
1. Local or regional board of education
2. Regional educational service centers
3. A cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a of the general statutes
4. Childcare centers, group childcare homes and family childcare homes as such terms are described in
section 19a-77 of the general statutes
5. Any organization or entity administering or assisting in the development of a farm-to-school program
CT DoAg encourages school districts with pre-school programs to include those programs in their project.
Expenses & Payment:
The amount awarded to any applicant through the CTG4CTK Grant shall not exceed $24,999.
Combined employee salary and fringe paid to execute and directly administer the project cannot exceed 25% of
grant funds requested, or no more than $6,250.
A 50% cash advance upon contract execution can be requested. The balance is paid, and expenses are reimbursed,
upon project completion and submission of final report with documentation. Incomplete projects cannot be
reimbursed.
CT DoAg reserves the right to offer an award amount less than the award requested.
The following expenses are ineligible and will not be funded:
• Any expense incurred prior to contract execution
• Land acquisition/mortgages
• Cost of borrowing (points and other fees)
• Expenses related to establishing a new organization/business
• Any portion of expense for which the applicant pays a contractor in merchandise or service in lieu of
cash
• Tuition/tuition reimbursement or career-related/scholarship funds
• Routine business expenses (utilities, office supplies, etc.)
• Legal expenses related to litigation
• Indirect or contingency costs of any percentage
Grant Categories
Applicants must select one of the grant categories below. If your project incorporates multiple components,
please apply under the category that reflects the project’s priority focus. If you have any questions about a
project qualifying for these funds or which category to apply under, please contact Cyrena Thibodeau at CT
Department of Agriculture.
The maximum duration for project completion and reporting requirements is 18 months.
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(1) Infrastructure
Purpose: This grant category provides financial resources to cover infrastructure costs associated with projects
that would create and/or further a long-term farm to school program. Multiple pieces of infrastructure can be
included in a proposal.
Examples of Projects in this category:
• Purchasing equipment that will enable the applicant to process and store produce during the height of
the growing season for use during the school year such as a blast chiller, industrial chest freezer,
vegetable slicing equipment, etc.
• Materials and installation for a school garden. This could include, but is not limited to, materials for
raised bed construction (CT Grown lumber and CT Grown compost preferred), purchase of a greenhouse
(if ineligible for NRCS funding), or tower gardens for multiple classrooms.
(2) Experiential Learning Opportunities
Purpose: This grant category provides financial resources to cover costs of development and/or implementation
of farm to school learning opportunities which can be for students, educators, and food service staff among
others as outlined in the statute.
Examples of Projects in this category:
• Curriculum design and/or implementation of lessons to integrate a school garden into classroom
learning. For examples of lesson plans, please see the Green Village Initiative in conjunction with Sacred
Heart University, for Bridgeport Public Schools.
• Hands on culinary and nutrition education and taste testing with CT Grown products. Under this
category, a portion of the funds can be used for purchase of CT Grown ingredients with the goal of
helping to foster relationships between a school and producer(s).
• Agricultural education and experiences such as farm field trips, gleaning on farms, stipends to bring a
farmer to the classroom.
• Professional development and skills training for food service staff in how to process and prepare fresh
food. 25% of grant funds could go towards paying staff for attendance at trainings.
(3) Farm to School Planning
Purpose: This grant category provides funding for applicants to undertake a farm to school planning process
incorporating components of classroom education, CT Grown procurement, and engagement with the
community for input. Applicants must demonstrate clearly how they will involve stakeholders such as students,
school administration, educators, school nutrition professionals, parents, etc. in their process and create a plan
with actionable steps. Funding requests should be proportional to the scope of your plan, depth of community
engagement, and size of population served.
Examples of Projects in this category:
• Example of a simple action plan
• Example of a detailed action plan
(4) Pilot CT Grown Purchasing Program
Purpose: This grant category provides funding for the purchase of whole and/or minimally processed CT Grown
products and the development of a purchasing program with CT producers. Grant funds will cover 50% of
purchase price of CT Grown products, the remaining 50% must be covered by the applicant. Applications in this
category that are submitted with support of a producer(s) that the school will source from will be prioritized.
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• CT producers can be found at Put Local on your Tray Farm Directory and the CT NOFA Farm and Food
Guide. Additionally, please reach out for support in identifying and connecting with producers.
• Funds can be used for CT Grown product in meals, snacks, a la carte items, school community dinners,
and for purchase of CSA shares.
• CT DoAg encourages partnerships with producers that identify as small or medium sized farms, BIPOC
(Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), women-owned, LGBTQ+, veteran-owned, and/or socially
disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to incorporate engaging educational and marketing activities to
educate students where the products came from. Many resources can be found on the Put Local on your
Tray website.
Project Duration & Post Award Requirements
Projects must be completed within 18 months of contract execution. Contract and project extensions are not
allowed.
Applicants of awarded projects will be responsible for the following:
1. Signing an agreement with the State of Connecticut,
2. Providing a Certificate of Insurance holding the state harmless or listing the state as an additional
insured on the grantee’s liability insurance policy,
3. Completing the project within the contractual timeframe,
4. Submitting a final project report including a sustainability plan in the required format per the executed
contract,
5. Submitting a final financial report itemizing actual expenses. Copies of invoices and proof of payment
must be submitted with the payment request at the conclusion of the project,
6. Agreeing to a site inspection once the project is complete and prior to final payment being released (if
applicable,)
7. Other requirements as outlined in the State of Connecticut contract.
Grantees will have additional training on requirements once contracts are executed. Which will include:
• Being matched with an advisory board member(s) to work with throughout the project’s lifetime to
receive support and technical assistance as needed.
• Attending at least one convening with other grantees during the duration of the project for
networking and resource sharing. Virtual format or in person TBD.
Submission Process:
All CTG4CTK Grant applications and attachments are required to be submitted through the Salesforce grant
application portal. Training will be provided on how to create an account and submit applications through this
portal. For any technical questions, please contact Cyrena Thibodeau at CT DoAg.
Application Requirements:
A complete application on Salesforce includes:
Required:
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1. Excel Workbook with completed Budget, Budget Narrative, and Timeline. Template should be
downloaded from the DoAg Webpage and then uploaded to your application as an attachment.
2. Partnership agreement letter from an authorized representative of the school/early childcare
provider where the project will take place if the applicant is not the school or early childcare provider.
Template should be downloaded from the DoAg Webpage and then uploaded to your application as an
attachment.
3. For early childhood providers: Licensed providers need to provide a copy of the license or other
proof of being an active licensed provider. License exempt providers need to provide a letter from
their school board stating the provider is in good operating standing.
4. If applicable, estimates/quotes for services and infrastructure uploaded to your application as
attachments.
Optional:
1. Up to three letters of support demonstrating that there is support for this effort from applicable
stakeholders such as school administration, school nutrition professionals, educators, producers, and
community stakeholders. Template should be downloaded from the DoAg Webpage and then uploaded
to your application as an attachment.
2. Any additional conceptual drawings, stories, videos the applicant would like to share related to the
project uploaded to your application as an attachment.
Evaluation Criteria and Process:
The CTG4CTK is a competitive grant. Only complete applications, as outlined above which are submitted on time,
will be evaluated. The evaluation will be weighted heavily on the project impact and work plan described in the
grant narrative. Applications will be evaluated by an appointed advisory team after an administrative review by
DoAg.
Budget & Budget Narrative Justification
The Budget and the Budget Narrative Explanation will need to be filled out in the Excel
fillable form. Link available at www.CTGrown.gov/Grants and must be added as an
attachment on the Salesforce application.
Page two of two
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Grant Narrative
The information provided below is for informational purposes only. The narrative will
need to be filled out and submitted through the grant portal.
For all application categories, applicants must answer the following questions
1. Introduction- Introduce the school/entity/organization to the reviewers. Include at least the following
information:
a. Describe the population that you serve overall and who will specifically benefit from this project
if different.
b. Describe any past and current farm to school initiatives, if applicable, and why the applicant is
ready and able to begin or further programming.
2. Project Explanation- Explain in detail the project proposal and how it will contribute to the
creation/furthering of a Farm-to-School program.
• Please include details of what the project will accomplish and how it will be accomplished.
3. Project Impact- Identify at least one outcome you strive to achieve as a result of completing this project.
Identify the activities necessary to meet the outcome(s) and how you will evaluate if the project
outcome(s) were met? Here is a good resource developed by CDFA on what project outcomes are, please
note these are not specific to this grant program.
Outcomes: This is the intended impact of the project that can be evaluated. An outcome is
measurable and observable, it can be quantitative or qualitative but must be impactful and
specific.
Ex. X number of students will have monthly planned activities centered on the school garden.
Activities: Actions or measurable steps taken to reach an outcome
Ex. A school garden will be built to be utilized in both classroom based lessons and in taste testing.
4. Project Workplan – Include all project milestones and related deadlines. Applicants must budget in
three months to plan the project once the contract is executed, 18 months to execute and complete the
project, and 30 days past project completion for all reporting. As a reminder no extensions will be given.
No incomplete projects will be funded.
The following template will need to be used to provide the project workplan. This template is on the
third page of the Budget/Budget Narrative/Project Timeline excel worksheet which can be found on
CTGrown.gov/grants
Activity Anticipated Timeline
5. Project Team and Stakeholder Support
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• Describe the team involved in completing this project and how you will work with any
partners. Please also describe the community support that you have for this project from
stakeholders relevant to the project and how they will be involved throughout it’s lifetime (such
as school/program administrators, students, educators, parents, etc).
6. Sustainability Plan- How will this project contribute to the longevity of a farm to school program? What steps
will you take to ensure that the program continues beyond the timeline of this grant?
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