Deadline: 2-May-23
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year 2023 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP).
FMPP’s purpose is to support the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer markets to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. AMS will competitively award grants to eligible applicants for projects that meet the purpose of this grant program.
Goals
- The primary goals are to:
- Connect and cultivate regional food economies through public-private partnerships;
- Support the development of business plans, feasibility studies, and strategies for value-added agricultural products and local and regional food system infrastructure;
- Strengthen capacity and regional food system development through community collaboration and expansion of mid-tier value chains;
- Improve income and economic opportunities for producers and food businesses through job creation; and
- Simplify the application and the reporting processes for the grants administered under the Program.
Purpose
- FMPP funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The program focuses on:
- Supporting and promoting domestic direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-toretail, direct producer-to-restaurant, and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) marketing such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, or online sales;
- Encouraging the development of value-added agricultural products;
- Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food and value-added products;
- Facilitating regional food chain coordination development;
- Promoting new business opportunities and marketing strategies to reduce on-farm food waste;
- Responding to changing technology needs in direct producer-to-consumer marketing; and
- Covering expenses related to costs incurred in obtaining food safety certification and improvements to food safety practices and equipment.
Priority Areas
- Priority consideration may be given to projects located in low income/low food access (LI/LA) census tracts as defined. AMS does not require applicants to conduct projects in priority areas to be eligible to apply or receive grant funds.
- To qualify for low income/low food access (LI/LA) priority consideration, the project’s implementation address must be in a LI/LA census tract, as defined by the four major map layers on the ERS Food Access Research Atlas. “Implementation address” refers to the street address or census tract location within the targeted community where the applicant plans to conduct or deliver approved project activities.
- The applicant must provide its census tract(s) for at least one LI/LA address (priority area). If your organization or business is located in and/or primarily serves at least one LI/LA community, your application will be considered under this priority area.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $15,400,000
- Award Ceiling: $500,000
- Award Floor: $50,000.
Project Types
- FMPP offers Capacity Building (CB), Community Development Training and Technical Assistance (CTA), and Turnkey Marketing and Promotion project types:
- Capacity Building: Capacity Building projects are intended to build long-term organizational capacity to develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. CB projects should demonstrate a direct benefit to farm and ranch operations serving local markets (including new, beginning, and underserved farmers and ranchers, veteran producers and/or underserved communities) and maximize the involvement of farmers, ranchers, and community organizations.
- Community Development Training and Technical Assistance: Community Development Training and Technical Assistance (CTA) projects are intended to provide outreach, training, and technical assistance to farm and ranch operations serving local markets to develop, coordinate and expand direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. CTA projects should engage a diverse set of local and regional food stakeholders, including new, beginning, and underserved farmers and ranchers, to illustrate a substantive effect on the local and regional food system.
- Turnkey Marketing and Promotion: Turnkey Marketing and Promotion projects are intended to offer a streamlined approach to some of the most common FMPP grant activities related to the marketing and promotion of local and regional food projects.
Eligibility Criteria
- All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or Tribal Governments.
Ineligible
- Projects are not eligible for consideration if the proposed activities:
- Are not focused on direct producer-to-consumer marketing.
- Are for agricultural production, including crop production and the purchase of farm equipment, tools, materials, supplies and other related costs (section 4.4.)
- Benefit only one agricultural producer, vendor, or individual. Applicants must collaborate with others to benefit the larger community.
- Are to purchase land, or for construction of a building or structure.
- Intend to register, train, and/or educate customers on Food Assistance Programs such as SNAP, WIC, etc. (other than how they can use those benefits at the market)
- Depend upon the completion of another project or the receipt of another grant.
- Include legal fees and other costs associated with establishing a business or organization.
- Duplicate activities in a project that has received funding from another Federal award program, including the Local Food Promotion Program.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.