FAQ'S

The Minnesota Farm to School Institute is a year-long professional development opportunity for school teams that provides dedicated support, resources and time to create and implement a farm to school action plan for their school.  The Institute kicks off with an in-person immersive, hands-on experiential learning opportunity in June.  At the kick-off, school teams will meet with their farm to school coach and will have dedicated time to reflect and create a farm to school action plan for the following school year.  This in-person experience creates a space for camaraderie, networking and team building so teams can leave ready and able to support each other with shared leadership to implement their action plan for sustainable change.  

For 2024-2025, schools who serve kindergarten through 12th grade are eligible to apply.  There are no stipulations on location, student demographics, free/ reduced price lunch percentages, etc.  We encourage all Minnesota schools to apply!  Teams are welcome to apply as a single school or school district. The Institute is designed to support farm to school programs in either the early stages of development or those ready to take their program to the next level.  

We encourage and seek diverse teams that contain members of different racial and gender identity, experience levels, and program roles.  Single school teams must be composed of 4-5 individuals representing various areas in the school and community.  Teams must have representation from the following three roles: administration, teacher, school nutrition/food service.  

School-district based teams must be comprised of 5-6 individuals representing various roles in the school and community.  District teams must have representation from the following three roles: district-level administration, teacher, school nutrition/food service.  Additional team members for both school and district-wide teams could include: school staff,  farmers, school board members, community partners, etc.

All school team members are required to attend the following events: a live, virtual on-boarding webinar in May, the in-person kick-off event in June which will take place in the Twin Cities area and the end of year virtual celebration at the end of school year.  Teams are also expected to actively engage with their coach throughout the year, whether it's in-person or virtually and participate in any data collection, evaluation and storytelling opportunities related to the Institution.  Most importantly, have fun learning, planning and growing together as a team and with awesome teams from around our state!

Every team participating in the Institute will have a designated coach that will be matched to them based on their geography and/or specific needs their team may have in building up their Farm to School program. Coaches are present and engage with the team at the Institute events and throughout the school year.  Coaches facilitate the development of the action plan and make connections to any technical assistance a team could use as they implement their plans, and also will keep teams informed of learning opportunities and professional development that can strengthen their work.  They can help infuse creativity into the planning and implementation process by offering insights, suggestions, and feedback. Gentle reminders to celebrate successes, capture photos and stories, and market their team’s efforts will be encouraged.  Most of all, coaches guide their team, rather than do things for them—they listen, reflect, evaluate, rethink and support the implementation of the team's action plan.

No!  Thank you to the generous support of our funders, the United States Department of Agriculture's Farm to School grant and Shelburne Farms, we are able to provide the Institute at no cost for school team participants.  

The Minnesota Farm to School Leadership team is assisting with the Institute, with direct support from the Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Ag in the Classroom and the Farm at the Arb, affiliated with the University of Minnesota Extension.  Please email Carrie Stowers, cstowers@umn.edu  r Jayme Anderson,  jayme.anderson@state.mn.us if you have additional questions.