Source Local Food

Farm to school programs connect schools with local producers to provide students with fresh, healthy food in school and summer meals. These programs promote healthy eating habits, support local agriculture and offer educational opportunities for students to learn about food systems, agriculture and nutrition through activities like school gardens and farm visits.

View the Colorado Local Food Program Guidebook developed by Nourish Colorado for tools and resources to launch, implement and sustain farm to school programs. This resource guides child nutrition program sponsors through purchasing, preparing and promoting local products and includes resources to involve communities in farm to school and set up school gardening programs.

Purchase Local Food 

Local Food Program

The Local Food Program pilot is extended for SY 2024-25. The LFP offers funding to eligible sponsors for the purchase of Colorado grown, raised or processed products. Eligible sponsors include those operating the Healthy School Meals for All program as well as individual charter schools, residential childcare institutes and facility schools. This is a competitive award, and sponsors must apply for funding. Approximately $500,000 is available for the 2024-25 school year. The amount of funding a sponsor receives depends upon the number of school lunches served during SY 2023-24 multiplied by a minimum of $0.05 or a minimum of $1,000, whichever is greater. Sponsors are ineligible to participate in the program if more than 2,150,000 lunches were served in the 2023-24 school year.

School Year 24-25 applications are now closed.