Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the availability of $10 million in funding through the third round of New York’s Regional School Food Infrastructure (RSFI) Grant Program. The initiative aims to bring more locally sourced food to students in schools across the state, supporting both children’s nutrition and New York farmers. The RSFI program, first introduced in the Governor’s 2023 State of the State, is set to provide $50 million over five years to help schools improve meal preparation and distribution for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Governor Hochul said, “As this irresponsible federal government shutdown continues following the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to food programs, I’m proud to say that here in New York State, we’re continuing to advance our goals of reducing food insecurity while increasing market opportunities for farmers. Our Regional School Food Infrastructure program brings our farmers and our schools together, supporting our agricultural industry while ensuring that our children have enough local, fresh meals they need to learn and thrive. The funding for these projects will provide the much-needed support to help schools prepare delicious, fresh foods from scratch for our students in their own facilities, further strengthening the resiliency of our food system.”
The RSFI program is managed by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The funding supports the development of facilities that allow organizations to aggregate, store, process, and prepare farm products on-site. It also includes workforce development, offering training in culinary arts, food processing, safe food handling, logistics, and delivery.
The funding announcement was made at an event on Long Island, where State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball visited the East End Food Institute. The Institute is developing a new Food Hub with $5 million from the program’s second round. The facility will serve as a center for aggregating, processing, and distributing local food to schools in the region. The project will address logistical challenges faced by schools and institutions when sourcing local foods and will include workforce training for staff.
Commissioner Ball said, “One of our priorities at the Department is ensuring that New York farmers can get their fresh, local food items directly into our communities, and ensuring our schools have the equipment they need to cook from scratch and use ingredients made by our farmers and producers is a crucial part of that effort. Through the first two rounds of the program, we are already seeing some exciting progress on projects like a new Food Hub spearheaded by the East End Food Institute that will benefit farmers and students alike. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of this critical program and encourage all eligible applicants to consider applying for Round 3, which provides an opportunity to strengthen our food system and provide delicious, healthy and locally sourced meals to our students while supporting our farmers.”
East End Food Institute Executive Director Marci Moreau stated, “The ongoing support from Governor Hochul and Commissioner Ball through the Regional School Food Infrastructure program is transforming food systems in New York and helping to build more resilient local food networks. All of us at East End Food are deeply grateful for this partnership, which brings our farmers and schools together, supporting local agriculture while ensuring that every child has access to fresh, nourishing meals. At East End Food Institute, we believe that when we bring farmers and schools together, the process of education itself is enhanced and students gain not only healthier meals, but also a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and the people who grow it. These funds are pivotal in helping us build a stronger, more connected food system, one that feeds body, mind, and community. We are grateful for this opportunity and remain committed to honoring it through our work every day.”
Southampton Schools Director of Food Services Regan Kiembock said, “As a school food service director for over 25 years with a strong passion for farm-to-school, I am thrilled about the investment that New York State and our Governor have made to increase access of local foods to our students in our schools here on Long Island. The East End Food Institute will be a valuable resource for all who are committed to providing our students with fresh, local, and healthy food in our schools’ cafeterias by not only making it easier for us to connect and purchase from our farmers and local producers, but also allowing us to have a workforce development program to train staff on more scratch food preparation. This is a true win-win for all.”
State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “The result of federal cuts to food security programs is that children and families across New York will not have access to the meals they need. Everywhere the state can make a difference to protect people and expand food access, we are taking action. That includes supporting the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which gives schools the capital funding to store, cook, and serve fresh, healthy food—while also helping New York farmers get their high-quality products onto students’ plates. I thank Governor Hochul and Commissioner Ball for prioritizing this critical program, and encourage all eligible applicants to apply.”
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “The Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program has helped schools and other institutions incorporate fresh, local produce into the meals they serve. The program supports NY’s hardworking farmers, encourages the consumption of healthy and nutritious foods, all while strengthening local food systems. I encourage school districts to apply for this third round of funding; these critical infrastructure investments will pay dividends for years to come.”
Assemblymember Jodi Giglio said, “The Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program will help to ensure our students here in the North Fork have the nutritious, locally sourced foods they need to help them learn. In addition to that, the program supports our local farmers, so it is a true win-win for all. I congratulate East End Food Institute on this award and look forward to seeing the project come to fruition.”
East End Food Institute Program Director and Soul Creations Apothecary and Herb Farm Owner Kayla Barthelme said, “It’s an honor to welcome Commissioner Ball and our community to the East End Food Hub. As a small farmer and herbalist on the East End, I grow medicinal herbs and work alongside other local growers, producers, and educators who share one mission: to keep our community healthy, connected, and nourished from the ground up. For those of us who farm out here, this project represents so much more than a building — its hope for the future of local agriculture. The East End Food Hub will give growers the infrastructure we’ve long needed to process, store, and distribute our products efficiently and affordably. It will help keep food grown on Long Island on Long Island — feeding our schools, hospitals, and families, while giving farmers the stability to keep doing what they love. We often talk about ‘growing community,’ and that’s exactly what this project does. It strengthens the roots between farmers and neighbors, and reminds us that when we invest in local food, we’re really investing in people — in resilience, sustainability, and the shared story of this land.”
The RSFI program requires that funded facilities serve multiple school districts and provide workforce development opportunities. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, local municipalities, school districts, and Boards of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). Grants can be used for capital projects such as aggregation centers, storage hubs, or commissary-type kitchens.
Funding is distributed across different regions of New York State over five years. Each year, $5 million is awarded to two regions at a time. Previous rounds have supported projects in Western New York, the North Country, Long Island, and Central New York.
Proposals for Round 3 are due by January 20, 2026. More information about eligibility and application details can be found at agriculture.ny.gov/Funding-Opportunities.
Governor Hochul’s administration continues to implement various programs aimed at improving food access for students and all New Yorkers. These include Nourish New York, the 30 Percent NYS Initiative for school meals, Farm-to-School programs, FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grants Programs, among others. The Governor has also issued an executive order requiring state agencies to source at least 30 percent of their food from New York producers within five years.
In June, Governor Hochul announced $13.7 million for 19 projects statewide through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant Program to support farmers and food businesses working within the supply chain.
