We encourage applicants to read through our FAQ page for more information about the program, Institute model, and in-person retreat details.
Additional questions? Reach out to Betsy Rosenbluth at [email protected].
BUILDING LEADERSHIP
"I use farm to school to reshape food systems and as a way to hand the reins to a new form of leadership. And doing that through education, I think is going to be really powerful. This program reinforces the importance of facilitation and guiding folks into what they know is important for them; we don’t have to have the answers, but we help guide them to what make sense for them locally."
—Pantaleon Florez III, Experiential Learning Specialist & Farm to School Coordinator, Lawrence Public Schools (Kansas), 2023–24 participant
A RESEARCH-BASED MODEL
"There are so many elements of this intentionally designed, thoughtful program that I want to replicate. It's just a matter of putting our own spin on it. The program has given us incredible tools, we’ve seen the model in action, and we understand why it was done the way it was done so we can adapt it at home."
—Caitlin Mandel, Rhode Island Department of Education Farm to Child Nutrition Program Specialist, 2023–24 participant
A Proven Model for Making Change That Lasts
Applications for the 2025–26 Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program will open in November. Sign up to be notified.
Our model’s success lies in engaging whole-school teams in building shared leadership and capacity. Through action planning, coaching, peer networking, and skill building, we create sustainable farm to school programs that connect the dots between classrooms, cafeterias, and communities.
Our Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program is an opportunity for farm to school leaders across the country to adapt the model to their region and grow farm to school in your state.
Join us to bring the Institute model to your state.
Program Overview
Our Adaptation Program supports teams in their efforts to adapt, develop, and launch their own Farm to School Institute programs. We focus on centering the core components that make our Institute model impactful, while modifying aspects to fit your local context and goals.
The Institute's core components represent a set of effective, researched-based practices that form the foundation for an immersive, relationship-based Institute experience focused on transformational outcomes for schools, educators, and communities.
In partnership with USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools has supported 19 states in launching or preparing to launch their own Farm to School Institutes. You can be next.
The Model in Practice
Watch how Connecticut has adapted our model to meet their state's diverse needs and goals, leading to their first statewide Farm to School Institute in 2023. Read more about their experience.
Benefits of Participation
Attend an in-depth,five-day training at Shelburne Farms June 23–27, 2025 in conjunction with the Northeast Farm to School Institute summer retreat to experience the Institute in action. A pre-Institute deep dive into program components will be included, as well as a post-Institute debrief and planning session.
Receive direct technical assistance tailored to individual adapters will be provided, covering topics such as recruiting schools and coaches, supporting a coaching program, budgeting and logistical concerns, centering equity in program and recruitment efforts, professional learning framework and evaluation.
Join a cohort of four other state adaptation teams in a year-long community of practice. With Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools as host, you’ll learn from our resources, technical assistance, tools, and one another.
Selected state teams will receive a $7,500 stipend to cover travel and other expenses.
Application Details
Applications are due Monday, January 6, 2025.
Notifications of team selections will be made mid-February 2025.
Review our FAQ page for more information about the program, Institute model, and in-person retreat details. If you have additional questions, reach out to Betsy Rosenbluth at [email protected].
This opportunity has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Learn More About the Program: Additional Resources
+ Get to know the Northeast Farm to School Institute
Launched by Vermont FEED in 2010, the Northeast Farm to School Institute is a whole-school professional learning experience that builds capacity in school communities to create a culture of wellness, improve food access, engage youth, and strengthen local food systems. Learn more about the program that inspired and embodies our Farm to School Institute model.
+ Learn about our impactful Institute model
Meet Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools facilitators and state adaptation teams as they share the evidence-based design of our model, the key components of farm to school sustainability, and how the Institute is being adapted across the country:
+ Explore the Institute’s impact through a retrospective evaluation
In 2021, PEER Associates completed a retrospective evaluation of our Farm to School Institute to determine what factors support robust and sustainable farm to school programs and how these were strengthened by their team’s participation in the Institute. Watch a webinar diving into the report and outcomes and read the summary report:
Overall, 19 states have launched their own Farm to School Institutes with our support, fourteen of which have been a participant of this formalized program.
