Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)

Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)

 

What is this program?

LFPP funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food business enterprises and increase access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products.

LFPP offers three types of grants:

• Planning: Funds the planning stages of developing, coordinating, or expanding a food business; including business plans, feasibility studies, trainings, and pilot programs
• Implementation: Funds the establishment and expansion of food businesses, such as shared-use kitchens, food hubs, and food incubators
• Farm to Institution: Supports the development, coordination, and expansion of institutional markets or institutional food service operations (e.g., school cafeterias, hospital meal programs)

 

How can I use this program?

Programs that have been funded in the past include:

• Adding locally made products to school meals by connecting school food service buyers and producers
• Advancing public awareness of and viability of smaller-acreage local food producers by creating a marketing strategy
• Strengthening training capacity and improving beginning, organic farms’ readiness to enter markets

See more examples of past and current projects.

 

Who or what is eligible and what are the eligibility requirements?

Eligible entities include:

• Entities that support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products, including:
  • Agricultural businesses and cooperatives
  • Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks and associations
  • Food councils
  • Economic development corporations
  • Local governments
  • Nonprofit and public benefit corporations
  • Producer networks or associations
  • Regional farmers’ market authorities
  • Tribal governments
• All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to be considered eligible.

Projects are not eligible for consideration if the proposed activities are the following:

• Not related to local and regional food system activities
• Not for production related expenses, including food production and the purchase of farm equipment, tools, materials, supplies, and other related costs
• Intended to purchase land, or for construction of a building or structure
• To purchase general purpose equipment such as freezers, walk-in coolers, commercial coolers, etc. – general purpose equipment can be leased, but not leased-to-own or purchased
• To register, promote, train, and/or educate vendors and/or customers on Food Assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC, etc.
• To benefit only one agricultural producer, vendor, or individual
• Dependent upon the completion of another project or the receipt of another grant
• Duplicate activities in a project that have received funding from another federal award program, including the Farmers Market Promotion Program

 

Are there any deadlines?

Visit the AMS LFPP page for notices on the next round of funding.

 

Is there anything else I should know?

• LFPP requires matching funds from non-federal sources in the form of cash and/or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the total federal portion.
• For Planning project types, applicants may request $25,000 to $250,000 for 24 months.
• Implementation and Farm to Institution project types may request $100,000 to $750,000 for 36 months.
• For the new Turnkey Marketing and Promotion project type, applicants may request $50,000 to $100,000 for 24 months.

 

How do I apply?

• Complete the Request for Applications (RFA) on Grants.gov.

 

 

 

Page last updated: January 29, 2024