Micro-Grants for Food Security Program

IPPGrants@usda.gov

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide grants to eligible agencies for the competitive distribution of sub-grants that increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in areas that have significant levels of food insecurity. The program promotes climate-resilient landscapes and rural economic systems, including tools to support agriculture, forests, grazing lands, and rural communities.

Sub-grant activities may include:

• Small scale gardening
• Small scale herding and livestock operations
• Expanding access to food
• Expanding knowledge of food security

Eligible applicants include agricultural agencies or departments in Alaska, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the United States Virgin Islands.

Eligible sub-grant entities must be physically located in an eligible state or territory and include:

• Individuals
• Tribes and tribal organizations
• Nonprofit organizations that are engaged in increasing food security, such as:
  • Religious organizations
  • Food banks
  • Food pantries
• Federally funded educational facilities, such as:
  • Head Start and Early Head Start programs
  • Public elementary and secondary schools
  • Public institutions of higher education
  • Tribal Colleges and Universities
  • Job training programs
• Local and tribal governments that may not levy local taxes under state or federal law

Award ceiling: $2,000,000
Award floor: $125,000
Project period: 4 years
Estimated number of awards: 10
Estimated total program funding: $5,000,000

Allocation percentages by state/territory are provided in the application instructions.

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.