Last Call to Register for MIFN Virtual Network Meeting on 11/2!

Get students learning about local food

Last call to register!  Educational activities that get kids excited about local food Join us at the next MFIN Virtual Network Meeting on November 2nd to learn about educational activities that get kids thinking about where food comes from and how it’s grown.  Join us for ideas and discussion about how to engage students with learning about local food, inside and outside the lunch room or cafeteria. We’ll also take a special look at educational activities to support Michigan-grown foods served through 10 Cents a Meal.   Registration is required to participate in this free virtual meeting. The recording will be shared after the meeting.  When 2:00 – 3:00 pm on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022 Where This virtual meeting will be held on Zoom. Once you register, you will get the link to join the upcoming meeting at the appointed time and date. If you haven’t used Zoom before, you can click here to download the app or the web browser client.  Register STAY CONNECTED ‌ ‌ ‌ About MFIN The Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) is a space for learning, sharing and working together to get more local food to institutions. Visit our website About Cultivate Michigan In 2014, MFIN launched a local food purchasing campaign designed to help farm to institution programs grow and track progress. Visit our website

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MFIN’s New Guiding Framework for 2022 and Beyond

Guiding values include diversity, equity, integrity and more

New framework reflects MFIN’s mission, priorities, and values The Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) has created a framework to guide its work in 2022 and beyond. MFIN will maintain a focus on local food but will broaden its values going forward to also include diversity, equity, integrity, environmental sustainability, and business viability.  The network supports institutions working to become more responsible food buyers and community members, as well as food and farm businesses in Michigan’s local and regional food supply chains. Employees of institutions, like hospitals, schools, and colleges, as well as farmers and food suppliers can use this resource to understand the direction and driving values of the Network in the coming years.  Through a multi-year process of gathering feedback from network members, this updated framework was developed in conversation with the 2022 Michigan Good Food Charter, which was released in late July.   Explore and share this resource with your networks!  The Michigan Farm to Institution Network’s Framework for 2022 and Beyond  Funding for this work comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. MFIN is coordinated by the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems with support from MSU Extension.   Contact: Colleen Matts, matts@msu.edu  Please Help us Spread the Word Forward this message and share on social media. Please tag @MSUCRFS on  Facebook and Twitter.   Suggested social posts:   Following a multi-year process of gathering feedback from network members, the Michigan Farm to Institution Network’s updated Framework identifies guiding values for their work. Check out their commitments here! #migoodfood foodsystems.msu.edu/mfin-framework  Learn more about the driving goals of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network – check out their new guiding framework! #migoodfood foodsystems.msu.edu/mfin-framework  EXPLORE foodsystems.msu.edu EMAIL CRFS@msu.edu CALL 517-353-3535 FOLLOW @MSUCRFS ‌ ‌ ‌ FOODSYSTEMS.MSU.EDU You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to one or more MSU Center for Regional Food Systems listservs or mailing lists. You can update your subscriptions by clicking the "Update Profile" link below.

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10 Cents a Meal Application Coming Soon!

Greetings all,

Happy National Farm to School Month! We would like to share an update on 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan's Kids & Farms, Michigan's local food incentive program that provides schools, early care and education (ECE) centers, and other organizations participating in USDA Child Nutrition programs with match funding up to 10 cents a meal to purchase and serve Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans. 10 Cents a Meal is implemented by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).

The application is expected to open very soon.
There is $9.3 million in funding this program year.

Now is the time to start reaching out to prospective grantees who could benefit from this program or think about applying if you are eligible for the grant. Please see the attached handouts and information below to forward on to your network and prospective grantees. 

Who's eligible? Any sponsor feeding children with a USDA child nutrition program such as:

• Schools (public, public school academies, or private)

• Early care and education centers (learn more about ECE eligibility here)

• After-school programs

• Residential youth programs

• Community organizations

Interested? What now?

• Sign up for the 10 Cents a Meal newsletter, we will send out more info on the application when available: tencentsmichigan.org/supporters_sign_up.

• Learn more about the program in this training. The training will be required to apply.

• Save your invoices! Any invoice information for purchases of eligible foods dating back to September 1, 2022 will be reimbursable for the 2022-2023 program year.

• Visit our website to learn more about 10 Cents a Meal!

Some important info for this year's program: 

• 10 Cents a Meal funds can be used for supportive activities such as taste tests of local food, or other educational activities that use local food.

• The reimbursement process will be simplified.

• Meal counts will not be required to be submitted with invoice information.

• The "10 Cents" aspect will be used in calculating the max grant award… per MDE: Sponsors will be eligible for a total grant that is 10 cents times every meal served last year.

Once the link for the application and any other application resources are available they will be uploaded to tencentsmichigan.org and sent out in the 10 Cents a Meal newsletter. Make sure to sign up to receive updates! 

Thanks so much! Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.  

Program Contacts 

Questions about the application or program may be directed to Wendy Crowley at crowleyw@michigan.gov 

Additional Program Contacts:

Melanie Wong, Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, melanie@groundworkcenter.org

Colleen Matts, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, matts@msu.edu

Megan McManus, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, mcmanu60@msu.edu

Lori Yelton, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, YeltonL@michigan.gov