Local Food Promotion Program

The summary for the Local Food Promotion Program grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Agricultural Marketing Service, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.
Local Food Promotion Program: Approximately $13 million in competitive grant funds in fiscal year (FY) 2016 is available for award through the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP). LFPP is a component of the Farmers Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), which is authorized by the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3005).

LFPP offers grant funds with a 25% match 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, by: developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to Local and Regional Food Business Enterprises, or assisting in the development, improvement, and expansion of Local and Regional Food Business Enterprises.

Eligible entities may apply if they support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products. Such entities may include agricultural businesses, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, producer associations, community supported agriculture networks, community supported agriculture associations, and other agricultural business entities (for-profit groups); nonprofit corporations; public benefit corporations; economic development corporations; regional farmers’ market authorities; and local and tribal governments.

Two types of project applications are accepted under LFPP—planning grants and implementation grants. Applicants can apply for either but will receive only one type of grant in the same grant cycle.

LFPP Planning Grants are used in the planning stages of establishing or expanding a local and regional food business enterprise. Activities can include but are not limited to market research, feasibility studies, and business planning. A minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $100,000 will be awarded for any one proposal, and the grants must be completed within a 18 month period.

LFPP Implementation Grants are used to establish a new local and regional food business enterprise, or to improve or expand an existing local or regional food business enterprise. Activities can include but are not limited to training and technical assistance for the business enterprise and/or for producers working with the business enterprise; outreach and marketing to buyers and consumers; and non-construction infrastructure improvements to business enterprise facilities or information technology systems. A minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $500,000 will be awarded for any one proposal, and the grants must be completed within a 36 month (3 years) grant period.

FMLFPP will host a webinar on March 24, 2016, at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time) for FMPP applicants (registration link). In addition, FMLFPP will host www.Grants.gov webinars on March 22 (registration link) and March 29 (registration link), both at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time), to explain how to submit grant applications via www.Grants.gov.
Federal Grant Title: Local Food Promotion Program
Federal Agency Name: Agricultural Marketing Service
Grant Categories: Agriculture
Type of Opportunity: Discretionary
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-LFPP-G-16-0001
Type of Funding: Grant
CFDA Numbers: 319549
CFDA Descriptions: Local Food Promotion Program
Current Application Deadline: May 12, 2016
Original Application Deadline: May 12, 2016
Posted Date: Mar 8, 2016
Creation Date: Mar 8, 2016
Archive Date: Jun 11, 2016
Total Program Funding: $13,000,000
Maximum Federal Grant Award: $500,000
Minimum Federal Grant Award: $25,000
Expected Number of Awards: 160
Cost Sharing or Matching: Yes
Applicants Eligible for this Grant
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Additional Information on Eligibility
1. Agricultural Business. A business entity that provides, holds, delivers, transports, offers, or sells agricultural products or services.2. Agricultural Cooperative. A group-owned or member-owned entity or business that provides, offers, or sells agricultural products or services for the mutual benefit of their members. 3. Producer Network. A producer group- or member-owned organization or business that provides, offers, or sells agricultural products or services through a common distribution system for the mutual benefit of their members.4. Producer Associations. An organization or other business that assists, represents, or serves producers or a producer network. 5. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network. A formal group of farms that work collectively to offer consumers regular (usually weekly) deliveries of locally-grown farm products during one or more harvest season(s), often on a subscription or membership basis. Customers have access to a selected share or range of farm products offered by the group of farmers based on partial or total advance payment of a subscription or membership fee.6. CSA Associations. An organization or other business that assists or serves, represents, or services CSAs or CSA networks.7. Local Government. Any unit of government within a state, including a county; borough; municipality; city; town; township; parish; local public authority, including any public housing agency under the United States Housing Act of 1937; special district; school district; intrastate district; council of governments, whether or not incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under state law; and any other agency or instrumentality of a multi-, regional, or intra-state or local government.8. Nonprofit Corporations: Any organization or institution, including nonprofits with State or IRS 501 (c) status and accredited institutions of higher education, where no part of the net earnings of which inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. 9.Public Benefit Corporation. A corporation organized to construct or operate a public improvement, the profits from which inure to the benefit of a State(s) or to the people thereof. 10. Economic Development Corporation. An organization whose mission is the improvement, maintenance, development and/or marketing or promotion of a specific geographic area. 11. Regional Famers Market Authority. An entity that establishes and enforces regional, State, or county policies and jurisdiction over State, regional, or county farmers markets.12. Tribal Government. A governing body or a governmental agency of any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including any native village as defined in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 85 Stat. 688 (43 U.S.C. § 1602)) certified by the Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and services provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Link to Full Grant Announcement
Grant program website
Grant Announcement Contact
Camia Lane Management Analyst Phone 202-720-0933
Application Questions

Agricultural Marketing Service 202-205-3941