MA FRESH Grant Program
The Massachusetts FRESH (Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health) Grant is a statewide farm to school and farm to early care grant program initially established with $1 million in COVID relief funds. The program is administered by the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The FRESH Grant program is designed to support K-12 and early education and care programs to start up or expand their local foods purchasing and education efforts through infrastructure investments, staff training, and educational initiatives that lead to program success and sustainability. Providing schools with the resources they need to deepen their farm to school programming is a win for our kids, our farmers, and our communities.
Photo courtesy of Chicopee Fresh
Current Bill Status
An Act Establishing a Massachusetts Farm to School Program (HD.1043 and SD.841) was just filed for the 2025-2026 Legislative Session. This bill would establish a permanent farm to school grant program.
With over $4M in funding requested during the first two application rounds, additional funds are needed to fully support schools across the Commonwealth.
Tell your Massachusetts legislators to make the Farm to School FRESH Grant program permanent and support the passage of SD.841/HD.1043.
2024 Grantees
In early 2024 DESE awarded over $400,000 to 23 school districts and childcare centers across the Commonwealth to support local food and local food education in schools. This second round of applications saw over $2.5M in requests from nearly 80 applicants.
2023 Grantees
In the spring of 2023, DESE awarded the first round of FRESH grants. There were over $1.6 million in requests from nearly 60 applicants. The sixteen K-12 schools and early education centers listed below received grants totaling nearly $500,000.
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K-12 Schools
Codman Academy
Community Charter School of Cambridge
Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Greenfield Public Schools
Haverhill Public Schools
Holyoke Public Schools
Lenox Public Schools
Mashpee Public Schools
Medway Public Schools
Norfolk County Agricultural High School
Prospect Hill Academy
Salem Public Schools
Webster Public Schools
Westford Public Schools
Early Education & After School Programs
ABCD Head Start and Children's Service
Boys & Girls Club of Metro South
Community Action Pioneer Valley Head Start & Early Learning Program
Ellis Early Learning
Holyoke Chicopee Head Start
MetroWest YMCA
Mystic Valley YMCA
PACE Head Start
Waltham Boys & Girls Club
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K-12 Schools
Boston Public Schools
Bridge Boston Charter School
Fitchburg Public Schools
Gloucester Public Schools
Medway Public Schools
MetroNorth YMCA
Northampton Public Schools
Provincetown Public Schools
RFK Alliance/Dr. Franklin Perkins School (Lancaster)
Shaloh House (Boston)
Somerville Public Schools
Springfield Public Schools
Early Education Centers
Assonet Day Care (Freetown)
Guild of St. Agnes (Worcester)
Metro North YMCA
Rainbow Child Development Center
South Shore YMCA