Rural Community Toolbox: Funding & Resources for Rural Communities to Address Substance Misuse

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Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)

Link

https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/fmpp

Additional Links

Fact Sheet
Notice of Funding Opportunity (Grants.gov)

Deadline

Application Deadline: May 14, 2024

Sponsor

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Purpose

Awards funding to projects that develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets. Aims to make locally and regionally produced food and agricultural products more available and accessible, especially in communities that may have difficulty accessing supermarkets or locally/regionally grown food.

FMPP activities and focuses include:

  • Support and promotion of farmer's markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, online sales, or other direct producer-to-consumer marketing
  • Encouraging development of value-added agricultural products
  • Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food and value-added products
  • Facilitating regional food chain coordination development
  • Reducing on-farm food waste through the promotion of new business opportunities and marketing strategies
  • Addressing changing technology needs in direct producer-to-consumer marketing
  • Paying expenses related to food safety certification and improvements to food safety equipment and practices

Grants are awarded for the following project types:

  1. Capacity Building grants support the development of long-term organizational capacity in direct-to-consumer markets that result in direct benefit to local farmers and ranchers and maximize their involvement with community organizations. Projects include but are not limited to:
    • Developing tools, techniques, or practices that can be rapidly adopted to help local agriculture markets
    • Market analysis and strategic planning
    • Startup training and education for local farmers, ranchers, and market managers
    • Startup, operation, and expansion projects to support farmer's markets, roadside stands, CSAs, agritourism or online sales
    • Recruitment, outreach and retention of historically underserved farmers and ranchers in support of direct producer-to-consumer markets
    • Recruitment, outreach, and retention of new and existing consumers in support of direct producer-to-consumer markets
  2. Community Development Training and Technical Assistance grants provide outreach, training, and technical assistance (TA) to develop, coordinate, or expand direct-to-consumer markets for local farm and ranch operations, and engage diverse local and regional stakeholders to substantively affect local/regional food systems. Projects include but are not limited to:
    • Developing and disseminating tools, techniques, or practices that can be adopted or replicated by local agriculture markets
    • Statewide or regional training to help farmers, ranchers, or farmer's market managers develop or maintain their enterprises
    • Assisting farmers and ranchers with training and TA related to advertising and promotion of locally and regionally produced agricultural products, including value-added products
    • Promoting that a market accepts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other public benefits to customers and how customers can use those programs at the market or with individual vendors
    • Establishing or expanding producer-to-consumer networks and organizations on a state, regional, and national level
    • Technical support for compliance with regulatory and buyer specifications/standards for small and mid-sized producers
  3. Turnkey Marketing and Promotion grants to support a streamlined approach to some of the most common FMPP grant activities related to the marketing and promotion of local and regional food projects. Applicant must select 3-5 of the following activities:
    • Identify and analyze new or improved market opportunities
    • Develop or revise a marketing plan
    • Design or purchase marketing and promotion media
    • Implement a marketing plan
    • Evaluate marketing and promotion activities
  4. Turnkey Recruitment and Training grants support a streamlined approach for common FMPP recruitment and training activities for local and regional food system stakeholders. Applicant must select 3-5 of the following pre-defined activities:
    • Identify and analyze new or improved strategies for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
    • Develop or revise strategies or plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
    • Design materials for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
    • Implement plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both
    • Evaluate outcomes related to vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both

Amount of Funding

Award amounts:

  • $50,000 to $250,000 for Capacity Building grants
  • $100,000 to $500,000 for Community Development Training and Technical Assistance grants
  • $50,000 to $100,000 for Turnkey Marketing and Promotion and Turnkey Recruitment and Training grants

Project period:

  • 36 months for Capacity Building and Community Development Training and Technical Assistance grants
  • 24 months for Turnkey Marketing and Promotion and Turnkey Recruitment and Training grants

Estimated total program funding: $10,400,000

Matching funds are required for a portion of the project. Applicants must provide a matching contribution equal to 25% of the total grant award. Matching funds can be cash and/or in-kind contributions and must be from non-federal sources. Additional information regarding matching funds requirements and funding sources for this opportunity can be found in the application instructions.

Who Can Apply

Applications may be submitted by domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the U.S. states or territories. Eligible applicants include:

  • Agricultural businesses or cooperatives
  • Producer networks or associations
  • CSA networks or associations
  • Food councils
  • Local governments
  • Nonprofit corporations
  • Public benefit corporations
  • Economic development corporations
  • Regional farmer market authorities
  • Tribal governments

Priority consideration is given to projects that:

  • Benefit underserved communities, including communities located in low income or low food access (LI/LA) census tracts. Use the 4 map layers of the USDA Food Access Research Atlas to determine if an address is in a LI/LA census tract.
  • Carry out eligible activities under a partnership agreement in a Regional Food Systems Partnership project and have not received a FMPP award within the past 5 years.

Geographic Coverage

Nationwide

What This Program Funds

Capacity Building • Starting a Business

Application Process

Application instructions, requirements, and other information can be found on the program website.

Applicant office hours
(Registration required)
May 7, 2024
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern

Applicant webinar recording
Applicant frequently asked questions

Contact

For programmatic or technical questions:
FMLFPPGrants@usda.gov

Rural Awards

Past awards communities received in fiscal year 2023 can be found on the program website.

Rural communities who have received funding include:

  • Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska received funds to address the needs of rural farmers markets' by providing individualized training and technical support in order to grow sales and strengthen the farmers markets.
  • Copper River Fish Market in Cordova, Alaska received funds to establish the Vocal-Local Food Collective to support small-food producers by amplifying their voice and expanding their market reach to new customers using new technology.
  • West Georgia Farmers' Cooperative in Hamilton, Georgia is a 120-member multicultural co-op that was awarded funds expand access to fresh food in rural areas with low-income and low access to fresh produce.

Topics This Program Addresses

Community Planning and Coalition Building • Economic Development