U.S. Department of Agriculture: Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program

The primary goals of the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP) are to support programs: designed to:

1. Designed to: a) Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, or improving access to food as part of a comprehensive service; b) Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; and c) Promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm, and nutrition issues; or

2. Meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs including needs relating to: a) Equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a project; b) Planning for long-term solutions; or  c) The creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.

CFPCGP has two program areas:

* Community Food Projects (CFP): This area supports the development of projects with a one-time infusion of federal dollars to make such projects self-sustaining. CFPs are designed to create community-based food projects with objectives, activities, and outcomes that are in alignment with CFPCGP primary goals. Examples of CFP Projects include, but are not limited to, community gardens with market stands, value chain projects, food hubs, farmers’ markets, farm-to-institutions projects, and marketing & consumer cooperatives. All projects must involve low-income participants.

* Planning Project (PP): The purpose of this area is to complete a plan toward the improvement of community food security in keeping with the primary goals of the CFPCGP. PPs
are to focus on a defined community. Preference will be given to CFPs and PPs designed to:

1. Develop linkages between two or more sectors of the food system;
2. Support the development of entrepreneurial projects;
3. Develop innovative connections between the for-profit and nonprofit food sectors;
4. Encourage long-term planning activities, and sustainable, multi-system, interagency approaches with collaborations from multiple stakeholders that build the long-term
capacity of communities to address the food and agricultural problems of the communities, such as food policy councils and food planning associations; or
5. Develop new resources and strategies to help reduce food insecurity in the community and prevent food insecurity in the future by: a) Developing creative food resources; b) Coordinating food services with park and recreation programs and other community-based outlets to reduce barriers to access; or c) Creating nutrition education programs for at-risk populations to enhance food-purchasing and food-preparation skills and to heighten awareness of the connection between diet and health.

Examples of PPs include, but are not limited to, community food assessments, coordination of collaboration development plans, GIS analyses, food sovereignty studies, and farm-to-institution exploration. All projects must involve low-income participants.

Amount: $4,800,000 is available. CFP awards range from $125,000-$400,000 over four years and PP awards range up to $35,000 for three years. A 100% match is required.

Eligibility: Public food program service providers; tribal organizations; or private nonprofit entities, including gleaners

Link: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/community-food-projects-cfp-competitive-grants-program

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