Community and Miscellaneous School Grants
The Lunchbox School Food Service Grants
Grants with a focus on improving school lunch menus and expanding your student’s palates include the School Food Support Initiative and the Project Produce Fruit and Veggie Grants.
Solid Waste Management Grant Program
The purpose of this grant program is to fund organizations that work to reduce or eliminate water and solid waste pollution in rural areas. Eligibility requires a Private, 501(c)3 status for organizations, government agencies, federally-recognized Native American tribes, academic institutions. The funding is $4 million total and the deadline is December 31.
Fuel Up to Play 60
Every year, the National Dairy Council, National Football League, and the USDA provide grants up to $4,000 to K-12 schools with programs that encourage youth to eat healthily (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and exercise for at least 60 minutes daily. One of this year’s Healthy Eating Plays focuses on Farm to School. Eligibility requires that K-12 schools that follow one Healthy Eating Play and Physical Activity Play. Funding is up to $4,000 per year per school with a deadline in early November.
Micro-Grants/Karma for Cara Foundation
The purpose is to fund service projects in communities, with ideas including rebuilding a playground or turning a vacant lot into a community garden. Children 18 and under are eligible. Funding is between $250 and $1,000 with a rolling deadline. Applications are online and must be submitted to .
Let’s Move! Salad Bars to Schools
This partnership between United Fresh, the White House, the Center for Disease Control, and others, helps provide resources for schools to install salad bars.
Information and a toolkit for parents can be found here.
Shopko Community Grants
Promote healthy lifestyles and educational opportunities within your community with this grant.
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grants
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) has helped more than 8,000 schools across the country create reading gardens, build playgrounds and implement other improvement projects that help strengthen their schools and their communities.
Life Time Foundation Grants
These grants for schools are focused on eliminating harmful ingredients from school food, and support schools who want to start cooking from scratch.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) offers a number of different grant opportunities in all of its regions. Grant proposals should focus on research and education. In the North Central region, for example, there is a grant of up to $2,000 awarded to Youth Educators. Check out your region to get a better idea of which grants your school garden could apply for.
Science Made Fun Grant List
Science Made Fun Blog Site contains multiple grants focussed on education, excursions, environmental projects, to creating orchards! This list is updated every year. If you don't see the current year listed, search for the current year's grant listing in the search bar!
Walmart Giving Grants
Together, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation generally provide more than $1 billion in cash and in-kind to support programs that align with our philanthropic priorities. We work closely with our grantees to address large scale environmental and social challenges in three priority areas: Creating economic opportunity, Enhancing sustainability in supply chains, Strengthening community
Illinois State Board of Education Equipment Grant Fund
More than $1.3 million is available for the Illinois State Board of Education to award fiscal year 2020 Equipment Assistance Grants to School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program. ISBE is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for SFAs to apply on behalf of their schools for grant funding. SFAs can request funds to replace, renovate, or purchase new kitchen equipment needed to serve healthier school meals, improve food safety, and expand access to school meals. ISBE is required to competitively award the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grants to eligible SFAs. Higher priority must be given to high-need schools where 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals and to schools that have not received a previous NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant. This is a rolling deadline each fall September through November. Grant announcements are released in September. The Notice of Funding Opportunity and information on how to apply are available on the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant webpage at www.isbe.net.