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USDA and the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) assists urban, small-scale, and innovative producers with growing, processing and selling. We provide technical and financial assistance for a variety of growing operations, including community farms and gardens, rooftop, indoor, and vertical farms, and hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic facilities. |
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Rural Development’s (RD) Rural Energy for America Program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers (including urban and innovative) and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Apply by Sept. 30, 2024.
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RD and the Healthy Food Financing Initiative are now accepting funding inquiry submissions for the Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund which aims to improve access to fresh, healthy food through food retail and food retail supply chain projects. Submit Funding Inquiry Form by Oct. 14, 2024. (new)
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Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the Heartland Regional Food Business Center are making available over $3.7 million to farm and food businesses in first round of Business Builder Grants. Apply by Oct. 15, 2024.
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American Forests and U.S. Forest Service announced $12 million in The Tree Equity Catalyst Fund for faith-based and frontline environmental justice organizations advancing Tree Equity. Apply by Oct. 25, 2024. (new)
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AMS and Appalachia Regional Food Business Center are making available $3.32 million in Business Builder subawards to support food and farm business development, market access, and processing, aggregation, and distribution infrastructure. Apply by Nov. 1, 2024. (new)
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National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program has approximately $4.8 million available to fight food insecurity through developing community food projects that promote self-sufficiency of communities. Apply by Nov. 7, 2024. (new)
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FSA’s Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program is now open to small and medium-sized businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. Apply by Jan. 31. 2025.
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RD’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program funds many facility types including local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses. Limited to areas with no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census data. Open Year Round. (new)
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U.S. Department of Interior Tribal Climate Resilience Annual Awards Program provides financial support for federally recognized Tribal Nations and authorized Tribal organizations to address current and future climate change impacts on Tribal Treaty and Trust including food sovereignty and conservation practices. Apply by Oct. 18, 2024.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Open Opportunities:
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Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communities and Tribes and Intertribal Consortia help build a circular economy, improve local post-consumer materials management programs, and make improvements to local waste management systems. Community Grants apply by Dec. 20, 2024; Tribes and Intertribal Consortia apply by March 14, 2025. (new)
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  Partners tour Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production projects in Ponce and Isabela, Puerto Rico. Photos: USDA, Jose Jimenez
Jose Jimenez, OUAIP, toured projects funded through sub-awards made by UAIP recipients Mercy Corps and the Hispanic-American Institute, Inc. In Ponce, Mercy Corps facilitated a visit between Flor de Loto Montessori School, OUAIP and USDA agencies to learn how the school is providing students with exposure to urban agriculture and creating a sustainable model to increase local food production and resilience. In Isabela, OUAIP and partners visited La Casa del Veterano’s community garden, a cornerstone of the Hispanic-American Institute grant, and the USDA-Certified Organic Farm "Desde mi Huerto", which transformed a once-closed local school into a community seed bank and market.
 Annual Aquaponics Conference attendees’ network in Irving, TX. Photos: USDA, Sharonté Williams
In Texas, Sharonte Williams and Markus Holliday, OUAIP, attended the 2024 Aquaponics Conference where USDA had an opportunity to immerse themselves in all things aquaponics from technical assistance to business operations. Sharonte and Chistopher Greene, USDA NIFA, presented on a panel to discuss USDA opportunities for innovative growers and how USDA is helping introduce high-school students to aquaponics and how USDA is helping introduce high-school students to aquaponics through the UAIP grant program.
Leslie Glover, OUAIP, participated in a panel discussion at the USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program (RAPP) Annual Workshop. This hybrid convening brought together faith-based organizations that are RAPP participants from across the country to learn of USDA programs.
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Join us for the People’s Garden networking call on October 29th from 2-3:30 p.m. ET.
Makela Elvy with Cornell Cooperative Extension will present on community garden structure and organizing.
Register in advance for this meeting.
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OUAIP mourns the passing of Teddy 方以代 Fang who spent his life improving the well-being of his community.
Of his many accomplishments, Teddy directed the Bayview’s Florence Fang Community Farm – San Francisco’s largest sustainable farm and served on the USDA Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. He will be missed.
March 13, 1963 - September 9, 2024.
Photo: Teddy Fang, 1963-2024
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