(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) announces the release of the fiscal year 2027 Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids Grant (CTG4CTK) guidance and application opening. Microgrant applications are due by September 9, and full grant applications are due by November 9, 2026.
Program updates for 2026 include revised grant categories aligned with the three Cs of Farm‑to‑School: Cafeteria, Classroom, and Community. Additionally, hosting a CT Grown for CT Kids Week event is now a priority for awarding and is no longer a post‑award requirement.
“Aligning our categories with those commonly used within the farm-to-school community is the direct result of listening to feedback, and it simply makes sense. This program continues to strengthen connections that help bring healthy Connecticut Grown food and meaningful nutrition education to young people, improving their quality of life,” said Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. “None of this would be possible without support at every level – from administration and legislature to school communities and farmers who make this work possible every day.”
A total of $950,000 in funding is available through the program to support farm-to-school efforts that connect Connecticut children with local food while strengthening local agriculture and nutrition education to advance long-term, sustainable benefits for students. Full grant awards will be funded up to $50,000, while microgrants will receive up to $5,000 each.
Eligible applicants include local and regional boards of education, regional education service centers, private schools and institutions, colleges and universities including student‑led groups, cooperative arrangements under section 10‑158a, childcare centers, group childcare homes, family childcare homes under section 19a‑77, and organizations or entities—including Connecticut farmers—that administer or support farm‑to‑school programs.
An informational webinar with question-and-answer session will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Register for the webinar here.
For additional information, please visit the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant webpage and direct questions to Kaylee Carlisle at kaylee.carlisle@ct.gov.
About CTG4CTK Grant Program
The CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program supports Connecticut-based educational entities and community organizations in building sustainable farm-to-school programs.
This is the sixth round of funding available for CTG4CTK, which was originally established as a two-year pilot program in 2021. In June 2025, the legislature allocated up to $1 million annually in the FY26 and FY27 budgets.
