FMLFPPGrants@usda.gov

The Local Food Promotion Program provides grants to intermediary organizations to support the development, coordination, and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to help increase access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products.

Funding may support 3 types of projects.

• Planning Grants for the planning stages of establishing or expanding a local and regional food business enterprise, such as:
  • Feasibility studies for new intermediary food channels, market potential, capacity, and potential competitors and partners in the region
  • Hiring experts for technical assistance to implement a local or regional food transportation system
  • Hiring experts for training on managing a food storage or processing facility
  • Creating a business development plan for marketing agricultural products
• Implementation Grants for establishing a new local and regional food business enterprise, or to improve or expand an existing local or regional food business enterprise, such as:
  • Developing or expanding food incubator programs or mid-tier value chains
  • Instituting group-based Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification for sellers of food into institutional or wholesale marketing channels
  • Cultivating new wholesale market channels through an online portal
  • Investigating and implementing more cost-effective means of transportation for food supply chains through backhaul, route optimization, and/or other operational efficiencies
• Farm to Institution Grants for supporting institutional markets and institutional food service operations through local and regional producers and local and regional food enterprises that engage as intermediaries. Projects may include:
  • Support aggregation, processing, distribution, and storage of local and regional food products by increasing the availability of local food products available on the menu of pre-K through grade 12 schools, college, university, hospital, and public dining facilities and hospital and local government, tribal, and state-operated or contracted meal programs
  • Connect, cultivate, and strengthen relationships between local and regional producers and local and regional food businesses that engage as intermediaries with local institutional markets
  • Support the development of business plans and strategies for the inclusion and expansion of local food products, including value-added local agricultural products, in institutional settings and local and regional food system infrastructure in support of farm to institution
  • Cover expenses incurred in obtaining food safety certification related and improvements to food safety practices and equipment to meet institutional requirements

Priority will be given to projects that benefit communities located in areas of concentrated poverty with limited access to supermarkets.

Eligible entities include:

• Agricultural businesses and cooperatives
• Producer networks and associations
• Community supported agriculture (CSA) networks and associations
• Food councils
• Local governments
• Nonprofit corporations
• Public benefit corporations
• Economic development corporations
• Regional farmers market authorities
• Tribal governments

Planning Grants

• Award ceiling: $100,000
• Award floor: $25,000
• Project period: 18 months

Implementation Grants

• Award ceiling: $500,000
• Award floor: $100,000
• Project period: 36 months

Farm to Institution Grants

• Award ceiling: $500,000
• Award floor: $100,000
• Project period: 36 months

A 25% cash or in-kind match from non-federal sources is required.

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

Additional guidance and required forms are available on the program website.