A Delicious and Local Way to Raise Money!
The school fundraising program “Harvest Montana Fundraiser” allows schools and clubs to raise money while supporting local food producers and increasing awareness of the importance of local foods. The wholesome, delicious, healthy and locally grown products available through this program may be enjoyed in the home or given as holiday gifts. Participants in this fundraising program are supporting local schools, local farmers and the community as a whole.
History & Need of Project
(as taken from Team Nutrition report from the pilot offering)
“Farm to school programming has emerged as an important avenue through which to effectively address both food available in the school environment and healthy eating behaviors. Research has shown improved participation in 
school meals as a result of Farm to School programming along with improved student knowledge relative to identifying certain foods, the source of their food and attitudes toward trying new, healthy food items.
A significant need for Farm to School programming exists throughout Montana. Farm to school programming is a proven avenue for connecting local food producers to the schools in their communities. The benefits of these relationships are numerous and include improved access to fresh, nutritious foods for school children, increased understanding and appreciation for agriculture among these students and their families, and improved economic viability for local food producers.
School fundraising activities have been recognized as an important food access point in the school environment. In fact, school wellness policies often target fundraising specifically as an important area of intervention when addressing food available at school. With Montana being a largely agricultural state, many creative and wholesome food products are produced right here. Exposing students and their families to these Montana-made healthy food items through a Made-in-Montana school fundraising project served to 1)benefit the school organizations through the raising of needed funds, 2) benefit the Montana food producer by gaining increased exposure for their products and 3) improve the overall school nutrition environment.“
Do you want to organize the Harvest Montana Fundraiser for your school/group? Visit the Montana Team Nutrition website for a complete How-to Guide and technical assistance.
2011 Harvest Montana Fundraiser
Fall 2011 is an exciting year for the Harvest Montana Fundraiser! Students from Gallatin Gateway, Hawthorne, Irving, Longfellow, Whittier, Amsterdam, Chief Joseph Middle School Spring to Europe Club, Bozeman High School Sustainability Club, and Hopa Mountain’s Youth Leadership Teams are participating. Again, there is a diverse and updated product selection to include everything from garden tools to lentils to jam! Learn about the final sales, recommendations, and other information by downloading the 2011 HMF Report.
Download the 2011 HMF brochure by clicking here.
Download the 2011 Seller Instruction Sheet, Accounting Tool, Accounting Tool Instructions, and Poster!
2010 Harvest Montana Fundraiser
The Harvest Montana Fundraiser is back with a greatly expanded product selection and with seven schools participating! Sell dates are between October 1st and 20th, so look for announcements, articles, posters, and the kids themselves to know how to order. Download the 2010 brochure by clicking here and the 2010 full report here. If you have questions, please contact Aubree, Program Coordinator, at aubree@gvfarmtoschool.org.
2009 Harvest Montana Fundraiser, (Formerly known as the From Farms to Schools Fundraiser)
The 2008 pilot Harvest Montana Fundraiser demonstrated that school fundraisers offering healthy, Made in Montana foods could be successful at generating revenue for school programs and increasing awareness of health, local economics and food systems. Gallatin Valley Farm to School, took over the administration of the fundraising program for the Fall 2009 offering.
VISTA volunteer having a squashing time advertising the fundraiser at Morning Star Elementary.
Over $37,000 of the Montana made products were sold. Schools received 40% of the retail amount and producers received 60%. Gallatin Valley Farm to School collected 10% in addition to the retail price of each item (paid by each customer) to cover administration and printing costs (the total amount of money collected including the fee was over $40,000). The best seller in terms of quantity sold was the huckleberry preserves while the Montana Mornings Breakfast giftbox was the best seller by dollar amount.
Download the full 2009 report here!
Download the 2009 appendices: 2009 From Farm to Schools Fundraiser Brochure, Seller Info Sheet, and Accounting Tool Instructions. If you would like the PAC Accounting Tool (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) please contact us at lunchbox@gvfarmtoschool.org.
