Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS 10185 CPLFS000 25 0001
The Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC) is a USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) cooperative agreement opportunity designed to help states buy local food and get it into school and child care meal programs. The core idea is straightforward: AMS provides funding to state governments so they can purchase local, domestic foods that are unprocessed or only minimally processed, and then distribute those foods to schools and child care institutions that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Beyond increasing the amount of local food served to kids, the program is also meant to strengthen local and regional food economies by creating more reliable markets and income opportunities for local producers and the small businesses that help move food from farms and fisheries to kitchens.
A major emphasis of LFSCC is directing benefits toward historically underserved farmers, producers, and fishers, as well as small businesses such as processors, aggregators, and distributors. AMS explicitly encourages states to structure their purchasing plans so these groups have real access to contracts and sales, rather than being an afterthought. The program also encourages culturally relevant purchasing, meaning states can prioritize foods that reflect community preferences and needs, including kosher and halal items when appropriate. For states that intend to focus on historically underserved communities and businesses, AMS expects applicants to involve those intended beneficiaries while developing the Project Summary, with the larger goal that the relationships, sourcing pipelines, and distribution channels built through LFSCC will remain in place after the federal funding period ends.
Funding under LFSCC is tightly restricted to food procurement. In practice, that means the money is for buying qualifying foods, not for running the program. States cannot charge direct or indirect administrative costs to the award and cannot use these funds to cover staff time, program management, or other overhead tied to developing or administering the effort. The foods purchased must meet AMS definitions of both domestic and local, and they must be unprocessed or minimally processed, as defined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applicants are expected to follow the NOFO guidance on what counts as allowable versus unallowable costs and activities, especially the section that spells out procurement-only limitations.
States apply by submitting a proposal that explains how the state, and/or participating schools and child care institutions, will use the funds to purchase commodities in ways that meet the program goals within that state. The funding is described as mandatory and is awarded through a non-competitive process, using a formula rather than a typical competitive scoring approach. Allocation is based on factors tied to participation in child nutrition programs: for schools, the formula uses enrollment and earnings associated with schools participating in NSLP and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and for CACFP it uses participant meal counts. Even though the funds are formula-based, AMS still requires an acceptable Project Summary and expects the recipient to demonstrate that it can carry out the program in a way that aligns with LFSCC objectives.
Eligibility is limited to state governments, specifically state agencies, commissions, or departments that have relevant responsibilities such as agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, or administration of NSLP and/or CACFP (or similar functions). AMS will make only one award per state, so if multiple state agencies want to be involved, they must coordinate and present a unified approach rather than submitting competing applications. USDA AMS also plays an active role throughout the agreement by providing not only the procurement funding but also guidance, technical assistance, instruction, and monitoring across the life cycle of the cooperative agreement.
Key administrative details from the opportunity listing include the funding opportunity title (Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program, LFSCC), funding opportunity number (USDA AMS 10185 CPLFS000 25 0001), funding instrument type (Cooperative Agreement), activity category (Agriculture, Food and Nutrition), and CFDA number (10.185). The original closing date listed is 2025-04-30, and eligible applicants are state governments, with AMS as the issuing agency within USDA.Apply for USDA AMS 10185 CPLFS000 25 0001
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.185.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-04-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC) - FAQs
1) What is the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program (LFSCC)?
LFSCC is a USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) cooperative agreement opportunity that provides funding to state governments to buy local, domestic foods and distribute them to schools and child care institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
2) What is the main purpose of LFSCC?
The program is designed to increase the amount of local food served in school and child care meal programs while also strengthening local and regional food economies by creating more reliable markets and income opportunities for local producers and the small businesses that move food from farms and fisheries to meal program kitchens.
3) Who can apply for LFSCC funding?
Only state governments are eligible to apply, specifically state agencies, commissions, or departments with relevant responsibilities (for example: agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, or administration of NSLP and/or CACFP or similar functions).
4) Can schools, school districts, child care providers, or nonprofits apply directly?
No. Based on the opportunity description, eligibility is limited to state governments. Schools and child care institutions participate as recipients of the purchased foods, but the applicant and award recipient is the state.
5) How many awards can a state receive?
USDA AMS will make only one award per state. If multiple state agencies want to be involved, they must coordinate and submit a unified approach rather than competing applications.
6) What type of award is this?
The funding instrument type is a Cooperative Agreement, meaning USDA AMS has an active role throughout the agreement by providing guidance, technical assistance, instruction, and monitoring during the project life cycle.
7) Is LFSCC competitive?
The program is described as mandatory and awarded through a non-competitive process using a formula rather than a typical competitive scoring process. Even so, AMS still requires an acceptable Project Summary.
8) How is funding allocated to states?
Allocations are formula-based and tied to participation in child nutrition programs. For schools, the formula uses enrollment and earnings associated with schools participating in NSLP and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). For CACFP, it uses participant meal counts.
9) What must states submit to apply?
States apply by submitting a proposal that explains how the state and/or participating schools and child care institutions will use the funds to purchase commodities in ways that meet LFSCC goals within that state. An acceptable Project Summary is required.
10) What can LFSCC funds be used for?
Funding is tightly restricted to food procurement. The funds are intended for buying qualifying foods that meet AMS definitions of local and domestic and that are unprocessed or minimally processed as defined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
11) What costs are not allowed under LFSCC?
The funds cannot be used for program administration or overhead. States cannot charge direct or indirect administrative costs to the award and cannot use the funds to cover staff time, program management, or other overhead tied to developing or administering the effort. Applicants are expected to follow the NOFO guidance on allowable versus unallowable costs and activities, especially the procurement-only limitations.
12) What kinds of foods are eligible to be purchased?
Foods must be local and domestic according to AMS definitions and must be unprocessed or only minimally processed, consistent with the definitions and rules laid out in the NOFO.
13) Who receives the food purchased with LFSCC funds?
The foods are distributed to schools and child care institutions that participate in NSLP or CACFP.
14) Does LFSCC prioritize any specific groups or communities?
Yes. A major emphasis is directing benefits toward historically underserved farmers, producers, and fishers, as well as small businesses such as processors, aggregators, and distributors. AMS encourages states to structure purchasing plans so these groups have real access to contracts and sales.
15) What does “historically underserved” mean in the context of this opportunity?
The opportunity description indicates the program emphasizes directing benefits to historically underserved farmers, producers, and fishers and related small businesses. Specific definitions and eligibility details are not provided in the summary and are expected to be addressed through the NOFO and state purchasing plans.
16) Are culturally relevant foods allowed or encouraged?
Yes. The program encourages culturally relevant purchasing, including prioritizing foods that reflect community preferences and needs. The description specifically notes kosher and halal items when appropriate.
17) Does AMS expect states to involve intended beneficiaries in planning?
Yes. For states intending to focus on historically underserved communities and businesses, AMS expects applicants to involve intended beneficiaries while developing the Project Summary, with the goal that relationships and sourcing/distribution channels built through LFSCC remain in place after the federal funding period ends.
18) What is AMS’s role after an award is made?
AMS provides the procurement funding and also remains actively involved by offering guidance, technical assistance, instruction, and monitoring across the life of the cooperative agreement.
19) Where can applicants find the detailed rules for allowable activities and definitions?
The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is the key reference for definitions (such as local, domestic, and minimally processed) and for the section that spells out procurement-only limitations and allowable versus unallowable costs.
20) What is the official funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA AMS 10185 CPLFS000 25 0001.
21) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 10.185.
22) What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The activity category is Agriculture, Food and Nutrition.
23) Who is the issuing agency?
The issuing agency is USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
24) What was the listed closing date for the opportunity?
The original closing date listed is 2025-04-30.
25) If funding is formula-based, why does AMS still require a Project Summary?
Even though allocations are formula-based and the process is described as non-competitive, AMS still requires an acceptable Project Summary and expects the recipient to demonstrate it can carry out the program in alignment with LFSCC objectives.
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