Grants may be a good option for you and your urban farm operation. There are many challenges and specifications that must be taken into account when considering applying for a grant in an urban environment, the basics of which are addressed in this fact sheet in addition to lists of helpful resources and programs to source grants.
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Applying for Grants
An increasing number of grant programs are available to farmers from federal or state sources each with specific objectives. Grants fall into the three general types: 1) grants for business planning, adding value and increasing farm viability; 2) grants for on-farm research and demonstration projects that are mostly production oriented though some include marketing demonstration projects; and 3) grants for farm energy conservation, alternative energy, environmental protection and conservation, waste management, and community building. There is a different pool of grant opportunities for urban farms that are also non-profit 501(c)3 organizations. This guide does not focus on those opportunities, but some resources below may be of assistance.
Grants, however, are not a reliable strategy for growing your business. Grants may enable you to expand a particular aspect of your business to make your operation more viable or provide funding to try a new practice on your farm.
Grants are highly competitive so apply only if the project you are proposing clearly meets the grantor’s objectives. Always find out what kinds of projects were funded in the past to determine if your project is in line with what has been funded.
It takes significant time and effort to write a winning grant proposal. Instructions must be followed precisely. Grants often require a cash or in-kind match that must be documented in the budget you propose. Grants will not be considered if they arrive late after the deadline for application. Deadlines for application submission and instructions are generally announced once a year. Most grants are not available on an ongoing basis.
Once you submit a grant, it may take 3 to 6 months to find out if your application was selected for funding. If funded, it also takes time to finalize the contract. Generally, you will not be reimbursed for money spent prior to receiving the signed contract. Grant contracts require that you write a report of the results and provide an accounting of how the money was spent; therefore, you must keep accurate records. Grants are also considered income for tax purposes.
The following grant opportunities pertain especially to farmers in urban centers. More general grant opportunities for farmers are also provided.
Grant Opportunities for Urban Farmers
| USDA AMS Local Foods Promotion Program (LFPP) | The Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) offers grant funds with a 25% match to support the development and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to increase domestic consumption of, and access to, locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets. Eligibility: Entities, including urban farms, that support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products. | Deadline: LFPP grants are usually announced in mid-March, with a due date 45 days from the announcement. Visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/lfpp for detailed information. |
| USDA-SARE Sustainable Community Grants | For community organizations to make direct connections between community revitalization and farming. Eligibility: Must be affiliated with Cooperative Extension, a municipality, a state department of agriculture, a college or university, a community organization, or other institutional entity. All applications must come from an individual within an organization. Unaffiliated individuals may not apply, and there is a limit of one proposal per applicant per year. | Deadline: Submit applications online in November for awards in the spring. Visit http://www.nesare.org/Grants/ for more information and for information about how to write a Sustainable Community Grant. |
| Wallace Center Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development (HUFED) Grants | To make healthier and affordable food available in low-income areas, increase market access for small- and medium-sized agricultural producers, and promote positive economic activities generated by attracting healthy food enterprises into underserved communities.It offers small enterprise, large enterprise, and feasibility study grants, each with different purposes and awards. | Visit http://www.wallacecenter.org/hufed/ or contact hufed@winrock.org or (703) 531-8810 for more information. |
| US EPA Brownfields Program Grants | Provide direct funding for brownfields assessment, cleanup, revolving loans, and environmental job training. The program offers grants in assessment, cleanup, training, research, technical assistance, and others. | Information for each grant type is available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-funding |
| United Way of New York City Seed Grants | United Way of New York City has created an Urban Farms initiative and provides seed grants for Urban Farming through the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP). To support the creation or enhancement of services in community-based organizations. | Eligibility: Must be a community-based organization with 501 c. 3 status. More eligibility requirements are listed on the website provided below. For eligibility requirements, selection criteria, and application procedures, visit https://foodbankcny.org/assets/Uploads/2024-2025-HPNAP-Award-Notification-Grant-Agreement-Packette2.pdf |
| NYS Funding for Organic Certification | Reimburse producers for a portion of their annual organic certification renewal costs; can apply annually (75% reimbursement up to a maximum of $750). | More information is available from the USDA National Organic Program website (ams.usda.gov/nop) and forms can be downloaded from https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/index. |
| NYS Specialty Crops Block Grants Program | Increase the competitiveness of specialty crops, encourage efficiency, partnerships, innovation, and new markets. The RFP includes many areas of focus including: packaging/labeling, environmental quality, distribution, education and outreach, food safety, food security, marketing and promotion, product development, plant health and international trade. 2009 awards were solely focused on plant health. | Eligibility: Funding available to nonprofits, for profits, individuals, educational institutions, and government; however, individuals and businesses must partner with others.https://agriculture.ny.gov/farming/specialty-crop-block-grant-program Contact Jonathan Thomson at Thomson@agriculture.ny.gov or (518) 485-8902. |
| New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Programs | Several programs, incentives and loans for farm waste management (biogas); improved energy efficiency; solar and wind generation; and innovative business practices for energy conservation, alternative energy, and energy use. Energy audits available. | For more information, visit http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ (for all programs and services, visit http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs) or call (518) 862-1090. |
| USDA-SARE Farmer Grant | Support on-farm research demonstrations, marketing innovations, value adding activities and other projects | Capped at $15,000; capital improvements limited to $500 of total project cost; no match required. For more information, visit nesare.org, email nesare@uvm.edu or call (802) 656-0471. |
More Grant Opportunities
New York State Funding Opportunities
For further information on grants and financial opportunities for your farming operation, visit the ‘Grant Opportunities for Farmers’ fact sheet in the Guide to Farming in New York.
Ambrook Farm Funding Library – an updated list of funding opportunities available for farmers across the United States
Resources for Grant Writing
The Foundation Center offers a comprehensive proposal writing online short course for purchase (see Get Started).
Non-Profit Guides are free online grant-writing tools for non-profit organizations, charitable, educational, public organizations, and other community-minded groups.
Cornell University Library offers an online compilation of grant writing resources.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer unique opportunities for fundraising and receiving donations, usually via the Internet. Be sure to read Terms of Use and other guidelines before using a Crowdfunding platform.
