Requests for applications (RFAs) have officially launched for three new Business Builder grant programs, funded by the Northwest and Rocky Mountain USDA Regional Food Business Center. In the Northwest and Rocky Mountain region, these grants are designed to empower small- and mid-sized farm and food businesses, helping them scale, enter new markets, and expand their impact. The program also extends to essential partners—aggregators, processors, distributors, and more—who play a critical role in bringing local food to market.
“The Center is in the midst of lots of exciting initiatives, including active Business Builder grant programs, customized to address key issues identified by our state and theme advisory boards,” said Dawn Thilmany, director of the Northwest and Rocky Mountain USDA Regional Food Business Center. “We are excited to hear about, read applications from and consider how the Center can help a number of enterprises envision new ideas for their local and regional marketplaces in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado.”
The Diverse Markets Business Builder Grant is designed to build and expand local and regional non-commodity markets for climate resilient grains, pulses, and pseudocereals—offering between $3,000 and $50,000 in funding. In order to be eligible, farms, ranches and non-farm food businesses must be growing, producing, processing and/or supporting the aggregation, distribution and marketing of grain, pulse and/or pseudocereal products within local and regional value chains. Entities must have been in operation for a minimum of two years at the time of application. Applications are due March 1, 2025.
The Enhancing Local and Regional Meat Supply Chain Business Builder Grant is designed to expand the capacity of meat, seafood and poultry businesses that provide important services to small or mid-scale meat and/or poultry producers and brands. Prioritized applicants are those who serve and enhance multiple small- or mid-sized meat and/or poultry producers such as: meat brands or cooperatives that source from multiple meat producers, processors doing further processing for multiple producers, processors serving a geographic or demographic need, cold storage facilities and local/regional distributors, and retail meat shops. Grants offered are between $3,000 and $50,000. Applications are due March 7, 2025.
The Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Business Builder Grant is designed to expand the capacity of facilities that incubate and support multiple small, value-added food businesses by providing access to commercial kitchen space, business development support, and other assistance such as guidance on product formulation, packaging and exploring new product lines. Grant funds are intended to be used for businesses to expand services to more businesses so that market access, sales and quality food offerings are elevated across the region. Grants offered are between $20,000 and $35,000. Applications are due April 1, 2025.
“For our current programs focused on Diverse Markets, Food Entrepreneurs and Meat Supply Chains, we hope to fund proposals that invest in networks of producers and businesses that want to broaden and scale up their reach into local and regional markets, while benefiting a number of businesses through collaborative efforts,” said Thilmany.
From 2024 to 2027, the Northwest and Rocky Mountain USDA Regional Food Business Center is offering $6.75 million in grants across a six-state region.
Resources
For more detailed information on each Business Builder RFA, please visit the links below:
Diverse Markets Business Builder Grant
Enhancing Local and Regional Meat Supply Chain Business Builder Grant
Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Business Builder Grant
https://nwrockymountainregionalfoodbusiness.com/food-rfa/
The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center is a node for the region’s small and mid-tier food and farm businesses and local and regional food sector development initiatives by supporting cross-regional collaboration, providing and analyzing relevant and timely data, and serving as a gateway for USDA programs and other third-party funding opportunities. Over one quarter of the Center’s resources will be invested in farms, ranches or food businesses who need capital to launch and expand their businesses (known as Business Builder grants).
Contact Information
For media inquiries, please contact Chelsea Bonser (chelsea.bonser@colostate.edu)
For questions on Business Builder grant programs, click here.
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