The GRANT Program is available for eligible recipients to support the local match requirement when applying for a federal government grant. Applications open June 1, 2024 and will continue on a rolling monthly basis thereafter until funds expire.
Supports the efforts of nonprofit organizations to build vibrant communities that offer stable jobs, homes, and communities connected through culture, recreation, and play.
Funding through the Implementation Pathway will help communities and regions devise and implement long-term economic recovery strategies through a variety of construction and non-construction projects to address economic challenges in areas where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster was issued in 2023 and 2024.
NACo’s Counties for Housing Solutions will provide free virtual technical assistance to help counties assess and update their zoning codes to increase affordable housing development and overall housing supply. These fast-paced technical assistance sprints are designed to be high-intensity and implementation-focused, with a county being on track to formally adopt an amendment to their zoning code at the conclusion of the sprint.
The purpose of this program is to increase the availability of local foods in Child Nutrition Program (CNP) operations and connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for CNP meals. Funds may be used to launch new farm to CNP programs or expand existing efforts, and are expected to improve child health and nutrition and reinvigorate American agriculture by better connecting American farmers and producers with the funding agency's CNPs.
For FY 2026, the objective of this program is to improve access to local foods in eligible CNP sites through comprehensive farm to CNP programming that includes local sourcing and agricultural education efforts. Proposed activities should clearly align with the objective and their associated activities and indicators.
Questions should be directed to Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer, at anna.arrowsmith@usda.gov. Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.
Eligible applicants are:
Statewide government agencies that administer or work in partnership with agencies that administer the federal Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs);
Indian tribal organizations (ITOs);
CNP operators;
Local agencies, including counties, boroughs, municipalities, cities, towns, townships, parishes, special districts, and councils of governments;
Agricultural producers that operate a small- to medium-sized farm and that produce an agricultural commodity or food product;
Groups of agricultural producers;
501(c) nonprofit organizations.
While state agencies and ITOs may apply as a single entity, all other eligible entities must apply as part of a partnership. Partnerships must be composed of no fewer than three confirmed partners, at least one of which must be an eligible CNP operator.
Applicants and partners may be based in any U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or U.S. territory that operates the federal CNPs. Entities located in Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible to apply, given their participation in NSLP and SBP.
Where a school food authority (SFA) exists, the application must come from the SFA, and only one application per SFA is allowed.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 5, 2025.
Award announcements are expected to be made in June 2026.
The project period is 24 months and is expected to begin in July 2026 and end in June 2028. Activities may not begin before July 1, 2026.
Applicants must provide at least 25 percent of the total project budget via nonfederal cash or in-kind contributions.