SPARK AND INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE AWARDS

smiling farmer in the field

The Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub fosters collaborations that nourish students, connect schools with local farms and businesses, and reflect our region’s families and communities.

2025 Spark and Innovation Collaborative Awards recipients have been announced and their projects will begin August 15th, 2026. A final round of Spark Award applications will open October 30th, 2026, so please apply if the timing is right or you!

We have funded two rounds of the Innovation Collaborative Award. Learn more about both our Innovation Collaborative and Spark grantees here.

2026 Spark Award Launch Webinar: Understanding Our Spark Awards and How We Can Help

Wednesday, November 4, 2026
2:00 p.m. CST / 3:00 p.m. EST

The Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub is thrilled to launch our final round of Spark Awards. This webinar will cover an overview of the Request for Applications, including what’s changed from our previous round, and the answers to a few of your most frequently asked questions. There will be time to meet and greet your State Leads, along with other partners who are interested in Innovation Hub grants for your State!

REGISTER TODAY

SPARK AWARDS

2027-2028 GRANT TIMELINE

Spark Awards fund projects that need a short-term infusion of funds for school food system and marketplace improvements, such as capacity-building, planning, and product testing projects.

Award Range: $30,000 – $100,000

Grant Cycle: One year

Project Timeline: 2027-2028

Application Preparation: Connect with your State Lead and visit our support for applicants page.

Application opens: October 30, 2026

Final Application Deadline: January 22, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CST

Missing Materials Deadline: February 12, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CST

Award Notification: Early Summer 2027

Project Start Date: Early Summer 2027

INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE AWARDS

Innovation Collaborative Awards fund projects that promote systems-level change of the school food system and marketplace, such as scaling up of programs, regional partnerships, or new program or product development and integration.

Learn more about our Innovation Collaborative grantees here.

Grant Cycles

INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE AWARDS
ROUND ONE
2024-2026 (Applications Closed)
ROUND TWO
2026-2028
(Applications Closed)
SPARK AWARDS
ROUND ONE
2024-2025
(Applications Closed)
ROUND TWO
2026-2027
(Applications Closed)
ROUND THREE
2027-2028
(Opening October 2026)

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