Schools and community organizations in the Mohawk Valley can now compete for part of a new $10 million round of state funding to improve how fresh New York food is stored, prepared and served to students. This funding is part of the New York School Food Infrastructure Grants for Mohawk Valley. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Round 4 of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program on Sept. 25, with eligible applicants in the Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, Southern Tier and Finger Lakes.
The New York School Food Infrastructure Grants for Mohawk Valley offer a unique opportunity for local schools to enhance their food programs.
The program is aimed at helping schools move beyond reheating packaged meals by investing in kitchens, storage hubs and other facilities needed to prepare more food from scratch. It is also intended to create more reliable markets for New York farmers and food producers.
The funding from the New York School Food Infrastructure Grants for Mohawk Valley aims to ensure that schools can provide fresher, healthier meals.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants include school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, local municipalities and nonprofit organizations. Projects must be regional in scope and serve multiple school districts, according to the governor’s office.
The state says proposals should focus on improving meals for K-12 students while also addressing food insecurity, expanding market opportunities for New York producers and strengthening the food supply system.
Examples of eligible capital projects include:
- Regional food aggregation centers
- Cold and dry storage facilities
- Commissary-style kitchens
- Food processing and preparation equipment
- Infrastructure that helps distribute fresh meals to multiple districts
The application deadline for Round 4 is Jan. 22, 2027, at 3 p.m.
Why the Mohawk Valley is included this round
The Regional School Food Infrastructure program is structured so different parts of the state receive awards over several years. The state plans to provide $50 million over five years. Previous rounds went to Western New York, the North Country, Long Island, Central New York, New York City and the Mid-Hudson region.
Round 4 makes the Mohawk Valley one of four eligible regions. Two regions will ultimately receive $5 million each in this round, according to the state. That means applicants are competing not just locally but within a broader regional process.
The state has already awarded $30 million through the first three rounds.
Connection to universal school meals
The grant program is being expanded as New York also rolls out universal school meals statewide. The state says every student now has access to breakfast and lunch at school without a family income test.
The infrastructure program addresses a different part of the problem: whether schools have the kitchens, storage space, equipment and workforce needed to prepare fresh meals at scale.
“The RSFI program is a huge part of this work, providing the funding our partners need to prepare and cook nutritious meals for our kids using fresh ingredients grown and produced in New York,” Hochul said in the announcement.
Training is part of the plan
Grant-funded projects can also include workforce development. The state says training may cover culinary skills, food processing, safe food handling, storage, logistics and delivery.
That could make the program relevant not only to cafeteria operations but also to students and workers interested in food-service careers.
A potential boost for New York farmers
The program is designed to connect institutional buyers such as school systems with New York farms and food producers. Schools can be attractive customers because they buy large quantities on a regular schedule. But smaller farms may struggle to meet those needs without regional aggregation, storage and distribution systems.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said the grants are intended to help close that infrastructure gap and create more opportunities for farmers to sell directly into local communities.
The effort also complements several existing state programs, including the 30% New York State Initiative for school meals, Farm-to-School programs, Nourish New York and other food-access efforts.
What local districts should watch
For Mohawk Valley school leaders, the key question is whether districts can build partnerships strong enough to submit a regional proposal. The state requires funded facilities to serve multiple districts and support the surrounding community.
That could encourage collaboration among school districts, BOCES, municipalities, nonprofits and local food organizations. Projects that also include workforce training may have an advantage because that is one of the program’s stated goals.
The state has not announced which Mohawk Valley organizations plan to apply, and no local awards have been made yet. Those decisions will come after the January deadline and state review process.
Applicants should review the full request for proposals before committing funds or developing a project timeline.
Source: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.
