Farm to early care and education (Farm to ECE) builds connections between kids and local food, focusing on the specific learning styles, needs and environments in which young children learn and grow. Farm to ECE thrives in early learning environments that practice food education and on-site gardening, local food procurement, and family engaging.

Qualifying applicants meet the following criteria:

1. Are either a Licensed Center or a Registered Child Development Home

2. For the Local Food Grant ONLY, grantees must participate in the CACFP

To receive funding, grantees must submit the following documents, sent to you upon confirmation of your award. Once received, ISU Extension will issue a check for the full award amount.

Pre-Funding:

1. Supplier invoice confirming award amount (completed as an attachment)

2. Supplier Registration Form (completed online)

Post-Funding: Awardees must submit a short, final questionnaire certifying that they have finished the project by July 31, 2024.

No, you may only apply for 1 grant.

Yes, you may apply for the same award again.

Providers with underestimated and/or underrepresented identities qualify for additional funding of $1,000 (on top of the grant maximum). Underestimated and/or underrepresented identities include:

• BIMPOC providers (BIMPOC: Black, Indigenous, Mixed People of Color)

• LGBTQIA+ providers

• Disabled providers

• Refugee and immigrant providers

You can expect to receive your training certificate within two weeks and the credit will be recorded in i-Power.

Click here to watch a webinar about the awards and training, recorded January 19th, 2024.