The United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) has announced up to $7.5 million in grant funding for projects to promote urban agriculture and innovative production in urban areas. The budget is available through two categories of grants: Planning Projects and Implementation Projects.
Planning Projects, which support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production in urban areas, will target food access, education, business start-up costs, and zoning plans. On the other hand, Implementation Projects will accelerate existing urban agriculture models and improve local food access, collaboration with partner organizations, infrastructure needs, emerging technologies, and education.
The USDA accepts grants applications on Grants.gov until March 27, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. In addition, a pre-recorded webinar on Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grants provides an overview of the grants and the application process.
The OUAIP was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and is led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with partnerships with various USDA agencies. The USDA’s investment in urban farming includes a Federal Advisory Committee, the People’s Garden Initiative, compost plans, financial and technical assistance, and urban county committees.
The USDA is transforming America’s food system with a focus on resilient local food production, fair markets, access to safe food, new markets and income, rural infrastructure, and equity. These grants are a testament to the USDA’s commitment to promoting sustainable and equitable food systems in urban areas.
In June, The USDA is investing $43.1 million in urban agriculture, including $10.2 million in new cooperative agreements to expand composting and food waste reduction, $14.2 million in new grants to support urban agriculture, and $18.7 million to fund 75 worthy grant proposals from the 2021 application cycle. The funds aim to strengthen the food supply chain, build a fairer food system, increase access to nutritious food, and emphasize equity by creating wealth in small towns and underserved communities.
Image provided by USDA
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