Category Archives: Agriculture

Farmers Market Promotion Program

The Farmers Market Promotion Program from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service supports projects that increase access to producer-to-consumer markets.

Grants are available in four categories: Capacity Building, Community Development Training and Technical Assistance, Turnkey Marketing and Promotion, and Turnkey Recruitment and Training. Awards vary by category, but all grants require a non-federal match equal to at least 25% of the requested amount. Applications are due by May 14, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

Agricultural businesses or cooperatives
Producer networks or associations
CSA networks or associations
Food councils
Local governments
Nonprofit corporations
Public benefit corporations
Economic development corporations
Regional farmers market authorities
Tribal governments

Applicants may also subaward or subcontract with partners or collaborators.

Program Goals

The primary goals of the FMPP are:

Connect and cultivate regional food economies through public-private partnerships
Support the development of business plans,feasibility studies, and strategies for value-added agricultural products and local and regional food system infrastructure
Strengthen capacity and regional food system development through community collaboration and expansion of mid-tier value chains
Improve income and economic opportunities for producers and food businesses through job creation
Simplify the application and the reporting processes for the grants administered under the Program.

Grant Categories

Capacity Building

Capacity Building grants are available for $50,000 – $250,000 over 36 months to increase an organization’s ability to sustain direct producer-to-consumer markets or to expand existing markets. Possible projects include, but are not limited to:

Developing tools and practices that may be replicated
Market analysis and strategic planning
Training and education for local farmers, ranchers, and market managers
Recruitment of historically underserved producers

Community Development Training and Technical Assistance

Community Development Training and Technical Assistance grants are available for $100,000 – $500,000 over 36 months to provide training and technical assistance to producers serving local markets. Possible projects include, but are not limited to:

Creating and sharing tools and practices
Assisting producers with marketing and promotion through training and technical assistance
Creating or expanding producer-to-consumer networks
Helping producers comply with regulations

Turnkey Marketing and Promotion

Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-in-knitted-sweater-and-denim-jeans-sitting-near-the-cart-with-woven-baskets-8540262/

Turnkey Marketing and Promotion grants are available for $50,000 – $100,000 over 24 months to conduct at least 3 of 5 pre-defined activities. Applicants must use the FMPP Turnkey Marketing and Promotion Project Narrative Form.

Identify and analyze new or improved market opportunities
Develop or revise a marketing plan
Design or purchase marketing and promotion media
Implement a marketing plan
Evaluate marketing and promotion activities

Turnkey Recruitment and Training

Turnkey Recruitment and Training grants are available for $50,000 – $100,000 over 24 months to conduct at least 3 of 5 pre-defined activities. Applicants must use the FMPP Turnkey Recruitment and Training Project Narrative Form.

Identify and analyze new or improved strategies for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
Develop or revise strategies or plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
Design materials for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
Implement plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
Evaluate outcomes related to vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both.

NIFA Veterinary Services Grant Program

The Veterinary Services Grant Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture will support projects to develop and sustain food animal veterinary services and alleviate vet shortages in the United States.

Grants will be awarded in two categories – Education, Extension, and Training (EET) and Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE). Approximately 10 awards will be made in each category. EET applicants may request up to $250,000; RPE applicants may request up to $125,000. There is no matching requirement. All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by March 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET.

Education, Extension and Training Grants

EET grants are intended for programs to assist veterinarians, vet technicians, and students gain the skills needed to alleviate the shortage of veterinary services in the United States and Insular Areas.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

Colleges or schools of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association
Departments of veterinary science or departments of comparative medicine accredited by the U.S. Department of Education
University research foundations or veterinary medical foundations
State, regional, or national organizations supporting food animal veterinary programs.
Allied or professional food animal veterinary organizations recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association
State agricultural experiment stations or Research Farms
State, local, or tribal government agencies

Potential Activities

https://vet.purdue.edu/hospital/farm-animal/

Potential uses of grant funds may include:

Training in food safety, public health, or food animal medicine
Modifying veterinary courses, including updates for remote learning and faculty recruitment and retention
Training vet residents, interns, and externs
Continuing education, including remote learning opportunities
Outreach to 11th and 12th grade students on education and career opportunities in food animal medicine

Rural Practice Enhancement Grants

RPE grants will support private clinics in Veterinarian Shortage Situations expand their capacity to provide food/large animal veterinary services.

Eligibility

This grant is open to clinics in rural veterination shortage situtations as definded by the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP). Type II shortage situtations are rural. Type I and III situtations will need to consult the USDA’s Rural Community Development Initiative to determine eligibility.

Applicants may include:

For-profit or nonprofit vet clinics and hospitals
Clinics or hospital that employ a current VMLRP grantee

Potential Activities

https://vetmed.iastate.edu/vmc/large-animal/food-animal-camelid

Potential uses of grant funds may include:

Veterinary office equipment
Clinical equipment
Overhead expenses associated directly with providing services in the shortage area (up to 50% of total budget)
Establishing mobile vet facilities
Outreach to 11th and 12th grade students on education and career opportunities in food/large animal medicine and herd health management

Natoora Farm Fund

Natoora is on a mission to preserve the flavor in food by protecting the planet and its people. They do this through supply chains that source ingredients directly from growers and supporting young farmers with their Farm Fund.

The Farm Fund helps farmers 35 and under in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe overcome financial barriers to establishing sustainable farming practices. Applications for up to $12,500 are due by February 2, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to farmers in the US, UK, and Europe who are:

Individuals aged 35 and under
A cooperative or partnership primarily made up of individuals aged 35 and under

Key Areas

Grantees must be committed to agroecological methods that preserve rather than deplete the environment. Projects must address at least one key focus area and be able to measure progress in achieving their goals.

Key areas:

Soil Health
Cultural Preservation
Innovation
Biodiversity
Education
Access to Land
Accessible Scale

Grantee farms are also expected to keep synthetic interventions as a last resort, if they use them at all.

Partnerships for Local Agriculture & Nutrition Transformation in Schools (PLANTS)

Partnerships for Local Agriculture & Nutrition Transformation in Schools (PLANTS) supports projects working to change school food systems. The program is administered by the Chef Ann Foundation and funded by the USDA Food & Nutrition Service Healthy Meals Incentives for Schools.

Grants of $500,000 – $600,000, with no matching requirement, will be awarded to eight projects. Applications are due by January 22, 2024 at 10:00 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to groups of local partners:

With 3-5 partners, including the Lead Partner
Which include at least one School Food Authority
With a Lead Partner who has a demonstrated history of working with school nutrition programs
Who are all located within 250 miles of the Lead Partner
Who are all located in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands

Other potential partners might include:

Food producers
Cooperative Extension Services
Local government entities
Community-based food support organizations

Objectives

The objectives of the PLANT program are to:

Build and strengthen relationships
Improve school food supply chain coordination
Increase awareness of and access to K-12 markets
Expand scratch cooking operations in K-12 schools
Establish a sustainable approach and best practices

Additional Benefits

In addition to financial support, grantees will receive technical assistance, tools, training, and resources from:

SeedMoney Garden Grant Challenge

SeedMoney helps public food garden projects raise funds through their combination grant and crowdfunding Garden Grant Challenge. Applicants have 30 days to reach their fundraising target and receive one of 408 grants ranging from $100 to $1000. The amount of grant funding received depends on how much money is raised in comparison to other applicants.

Applications, which also serve as the fundraising page, are due by November 12, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET. The fundraising period starts on November 15th and ends on December 15th. Participants keep all money raised regardless of whether they reach their goal or qualify for a grant.

Eligibility

This grant is open to nonprofit organizations including, but not limited to 501(c)3s. Past grantees have included:

Schools
Churches
Homeless shelters
Food pantries

Organizations from anywhere in the world are eligible, but the majority of grants are awarded to U.S. based groups and funds are dispersed in U.S. dollars.

Allowable Expenses

Photo by Soo Ann Woon: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-green-vegetables-3265437/

Use of grant funds is quite open with the only stipulation being that money go toward a public garden project. Possible expenses include:

Seeds
Compost
Tools
Irrigation
A greenhouse

Grant Types

Challenge Grants

Challenge Grants will be awarded to 288 organizations based on where they rank in amount of funds raised.

Rank	Grant Amount	Awards
1st	$1,000	1
2nd	$900	1
3rd	$800	1
4th – 9th	$600	6
10th – 18th	$500	9
19th – 36th	$400	18
37th – 72nd	$300	36
73rd – 144th	$200	72
145th – 288th	$100	144

Strong Start Grants

Fifty awards of $100 each will be given to the organizations who raise the most money in the first week. It is possible to win both a Strong Start and Challenge Grant.

Geographic Interest Grants

Seventy grants of $150 – $300 will be awarded to organization in either Maine, where SeedMoney is headquartered, or in a developing country. There is no crowdfunding requirement for a GIG award.

Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program

The Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program from the USDA Farm Service Agency is designed to address shortages in farm labor availability while improving the supply chain. It will also improve working conditions for both domestic workers and workers hired from northern Central American countries under the seasonal H-2A visa program.

Awards will range from $25,000 to $2 million based on the number of full time equivalent workers the applicant intends to hire and addition benefits and protections they intend to provide. There is no matching requirement, nor is preference given to applicants who provide matching funds.

Applications are due through Grants.gov by November 28, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to domestic agricultural employers who can meet the regulatory requirements for the H-2A program.

Program Goals

Goal 1: Drive U.S. economic recovery and safeguard domestic food supply by addressing current labor shortages in agriculture
Goal 2: Reduce irregular migration from Northern Central America through the expansion of regular pathways
Goal 3: Improve working conditions for all farmworkers

Application Types

Photo by Mark Stebnicki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/farmers-plowing-on-the-field-8658557/

There are multiple ways to apply, based on the employer type.

Fixed-site Employer – Apply as an individual or individual business with a single site
Farm Labor Contractor – Apply as an individual or individual business with multiple sites
Joint Employers – Apply jointly with one main applicant and one or more sub-grantees each of who is responsible for program compliance on their own property
Association Joint Employers – Apply jointly with one main applicant and subgrantees who have agreed to share responsibility for compliance

Award Structure

Applicants may apply for a Baseline, Silver, or Platinum Level award.

	1-10 FTE	11-25 FTE	26-75 FTE	76-200 FTE	201-500 FTE	500-2,000 FTE	2,000+ FTE
Baseline	$25,000	$50,000	$100,000	$150,000	$180,000	$215,000	$250,000
Silver	$100,000	$200,000	$400,000	$600,000	$720,000	$860,000	$1,000,000
Platinum	$200,000	$400,000	$800,000	$1,200,000	$1,440,000	$1,720,000	$2,000,000

FTE = Full Time Employees

Benefits and Protections

Baseline

Photo by Mark Stebnicki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/farmers-busy-working-together-11678427/

Programs at all application levels must engage in Responsible Recruiting which includes all applicable federal, state, and local laws. If they choose to employ a private recruiter, they must be registered in the country in which they will operate, if possible, and submit a Recruiter Partner Level.

Silver and Platinum

To qualify for a Silver or Platinum level application, an applicant must commit to providing addtional benefits and protections as described below.

Responsible Recruitment

Silver – Recommended
Platinum – Required

Conduct recruitment via Northern Central American Ministries

Pay, Benefits, and Working Conditions

Silver – Choose at least two
Platinum – Choose at least three

Overtime pay
Bonus pay
Paid sick leave
Weekly Housing Maintenance Plan
Collaborative Working Group
Innovative External Partnership

Partnership Agreements

Silver – Recommended
Platinum – Choose at least one

Participation in a worker-driven social responsibility program
Participation in a collective bargaining agreement
Committing to neutrality, access, and voluntary recognition in unionization efforts

Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides funding for projects that increases food access for low-income individuals.

There are two types of grants under this program: Planning Projects and Community Food Projects. Applications for both are due through Grants.gov by October 30, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET.

Eligibility

Applicants to this grant program must have experience with:

Community food work, especially working with small to medium sized farms to provide for low-income residents
Job training and business development for food-related activities in low-income communities
Efforts to redue food insecurity

Program Priorities

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program is intended to:

Meet food needs of low-income residents through measures such as food distribution, assistance to federally funded nutrition programs, and improving access to food
Increase community self-reliance for meeting food needs of residents
Promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues

Meet state, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs such as equipment, long-term planning, or creative marketing strategies to benefit both producers and low-income customers

Grant Programs

Planning Projects

Planning Projects provide start-up capital for new projects or funding to perform planning activities in preparation for completing a Community Food Project. Applications and projects should focus on a specific, defined community and must involve low-income individuals.

Applicants may request up to $35,000 over 12-36 months; the average award is $25,000. A 1:1 match of non-federal funding is required.

Potential projects include:

Community food assessments
Collaborative development plans
Global Information Systems analyses
Food sovereignty studies
Farm-to-institution exploration

Community Food Projects

Community Food Projects should create long-term, sustainable solutions to food and nutrition security. They should have a whole community focus, rather than supporting just one food pantry, farmers’ market, or community garden. All projects must involve low-income individuals.

The minimum award is $125,000 over 12 months; the maximum award is $400,000 over 48 months. A 1:1 match of non-federal funding is required.

Potential projects include:

Value chain projects
Farm-to-institution projects
Food hubs
Marketing & consumer cooperatives

Farmers Advocating for Organic Grant

The Farmers Advocating for Organic Grant from Organic Valley funds research, education and advocacy projects in the field of organic farming. All money comes from voluntary contributions made by Organic Valley farmers.

One time grants of $5,000 – $50,000 are available; the average grant is $20,000. Letters of Interest are accepted during two annual grant cycles; the next deadline will be announced in April 2023. Submissions will receive a response within two weeks and, if approved, will be invited to submit a full application.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

Nonprofit organizations in the United States
Academic/research institutions

The organization’s reach should also extend beyond the geographic area in which they are located.

Current Priorities

Projects that focus on the following topics will receive priority consideration.

Benefiting family organic farmers who produce fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, meat, and grain/forage
Organic soil health and biology
Strengthening CROPP Cooperative

All projects should advance Farmers Advocating for Organic’s mission: “to protect and promote the organic industry and the livelihood of organic farmers.”