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USDA and the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) assist 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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OUAIP, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program has announced approximately $1 million in People’s Garden funding. More information below. Apply by Jan. 30, 2025. (new)
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Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is accepting applications and will award up to $12 million to plan, develop, and implement farm to school projects. Apply by Jan. 10, 2025. (new)
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USDA’s Northwest and Rockies Regional Food Business Center is offering Colorado Business Builder Grants of up to $10,000 to support small to mid-scale Colorado food and farm businesses. Apply by Jan. 10, 2025. (new)
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USDA’s Northwest and Rockies Regional Food Business Center is offering Idaho Business Builder Grants between $3,000 and $15,000 to support small to mid-scale Colorado food and farm businesses. Apply by Jan. 15, 2025. (new)
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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 and improve local materials management. Community Grants apply by Dec. 20, 2024; Tribes and Intertribal Consortia apply by March 14, 2025.
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 The U.S Department of Agriculture announced open nominations for one urban producer on the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Federal Advisory Committee. Nominations will be open to the public until Nov. 29, 2024. Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified individuals for membership, including self-nominations. See the Members page for more details on how to become a member.
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Agricultural Marketing Service Local and Regional Foods Resources & Research webinar series held on the third Thursday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. ET:
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Nov. 21: The Local and Regional Food Systems Resilience Playbook
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Dec. 19: Visualizing Food Systems Data
- Jan. 16, 2025: The Promise of Urban Agriculture: Courses for Grower and Planners
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  Photo Credit: Brian Guse, USDA
Brian Guse, OUAIP Director traveled to Kansas City, Mo., in October to attend the 2024 Farmer Veteran Coalition Stakeholders Conference. Brian participated in a panel discussion with fellow USDA agencies and discussed OUAIP’s support for veteran producers engaged in urban agriculture and innovative production. While in Kansas City, he visited Chow Hall Farms, a USDA People’s Garden and recipient of a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture “Seed to Table” grant. A big shout out to these veterans for their military service and for continuing to serve at home, by growing local, fresh food for their communities.
 Photo credit: Sharonte Williams, USDA
Sharonte Williams, OUAIP Management and Program Analyst attended the 8th annual National Cultivating Community Composting Forum hosted by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in partnership with Rust Belt Riders, in Cleveland, Ohio. The three-day interactive forum focused on cultivating a sustainable community composting movement through connection and collective problem-solving with like-minded individuals from across the country. Over 160 composters, haulers, farmers, regulators, researchers, public servants, industry leaders, and allies from diverse organizations worked together to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing community composting while building collective power to grow the movement. It was great to see OUAIP’s Composting and Food Waste Reduction project partners in person from Rust Belt Riders, Compost Crew, and LA Compost to name a few.
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Approximately $1 million in funding is available from the People’s Garden Initiative through USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, in partnership with The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) 2025 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program. The program will fund projects that support community-based gardens promoting sustainable agriculture practices that benefit people and wildlife. Applications will be accepted until Jan. 30, 2025. Applicant gardens do not need to be registered as People’s Gardens prior to applying, however, they will be asked to sign up once funding is awarded. Gardens of different sizes and types, including school gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and small-scale agriculture projects in rural and urban areas, can be recognized as a People’s Garden.
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People’s Garden partners - Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA promote integrated pest management (IPM) that emphasizes pesticide reduction and pollinator health. To help gardens and affiliates, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation launched a new IPM Plan Toolkit and webinar. Learn more about Xerces Society resources and events!
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