Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS LFPP 2015
Apply for USDA AMS LFPP 2015
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2015 Local Food Promotion Program Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.172 Local Food Promotion Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 26, 2015 and posted on Mar 16, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 14, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $13,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 200 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- 1. Agricultural Business. A business entity that provides, holds, delivers, transports, offers, or sells agricultural products or services.2. Agricultural Cooperative. A group owned or member owned entity or business that provides, offers, or sells agricultural products or services for the mutual benefit of their members. 3. Producer Network. A producer group or member owned organization or business that provides, offers, or sells agricultural products or services through a common distribution system for the mutual benefit of their members.4. Producer Associations. An organization or other business that assists, represents, or serves producers or a producer network. 5. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network. A formal group of farms that work collectively to offer consumers regular (usually weekly) deliveries of locally grown farm products during one or more harvest season(s), often on a subscription or membership basis. Customers have access to a selected share or range of farm products offered by the group of farmers based on partial or total advance payment of a subscription or membership fee.6. CSA Associations. An organization or other business that assists or serves, represents, or services CSAs or CSA networks.7. Local Government. Any unit of government within a state, including a county borough municipality city town township parish local public authority, including any public housing agency under the United States Housing Act of 1937 special district school district intrastate district council of governments, whether or not incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under state law and any other agency or instrumentality of a multi , regional, or intra state or local government.8. Nonprofit Corporations Any organization or institution, including nonprofits with State or IRS 501 (c) status and accredited institutions of higher education, where no part of the net earnings of which inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. 9.Public Benefit Corporation. A corporation organized to construct or operate a public improvement, the profits from which inure to the benefit of a State(s) or to the people thereof. 10. Economic Development Corporation. An organization whose mission is the improvement, maintenance, development and/or marketing or promotion of a specific geographic area. 11. Regional Famers Market Authority. An entity that establishes and enforces regional, State, or county policies and jurisdiction over State, regional, or county farmers markets.12. Tribal Government. A governing body or a governmental agency of any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including any native village as defined in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 85 Stat. 688 (43 U.S.C. 1602)) certified by the Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and services provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
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Opportunity Summary:
The 2015 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) Grants were a competitive USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) funding opportunity designed to help communities and food system organizations build stronger local and regional food economies. In FY 2015, USDA made about $13 million available through LFPP, which sits under the broader Farmers Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program and is authorized by the Farmer to Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1946 (as amended, 7 U.S.C. 3005). The overall purpose was to support projects that develop or expand local and regional food business enterprises so more people can buy and access locally and regionally produced agricultural products, while also creating new market opportunities for farms and ranches that sell into local markets. A key requirement of the program was cost sharing: grantees had to provide a 25 percent match.
LFPP funding targeted enterprises and partnerships involved in the "middle" of the local food supply chain, specifically efforts that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food. Rather than funding individual farm production, the program emphasized the business and market infrastructure that helps local food reach consumers and institutional buyers more reliably and at greater scale. In practical terms, that could include building capacity for aggregation hubs, improving distribution and cold storage, developing market channels, or strengthening coordinated producer networks that can meet buyer demand.
Eligibility was broad but focused on organizations that support local or regional food business enterprises. Eligible applicants included agricultural businesses and other for-profit agricultural entities, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks and producer associations, community supported agriculture (CSA) networks and CSA associations, nonprofit corporations (including 501(c) organizations and accredited institutions of higher education), public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities, and local, tribal, and other forms of local government. The common thread across these categories was an organizational role in helping local and regional food enterprises function, grow, or reach markets more effectively.
Applicants could choose between two project types, but could only receive one type of LFPP grant in the same grant cycle. Planning Grants were meant for early-stage work needed before launching or scaling an enterprise. These grants supported activities such as market research, feasibility studies, and business planning, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Planning projects had to be completed within a 12-month period, reflecting their role as short-term, decision-oriented groundwork.
Implementation Grants were intended for putting plans into action by launching a new enterprise or expanding/improving an existing one. Funded activities could include training and technical assistance for the enterprise itself and/or participating producers, outreach and marketing to buyers and consumers, and non-construction infrastructure improvements such as upgrades to business facilities or improvements to information technology systems. Implementation awards ranged from $25,000 to $100,000 and could run for up to 24 months, allowing time to execute operational improvements, build market relationships, and demonstrate measurable progress.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted March 16, 2015, under Funding Opportunity Number USDA AMS LFPP 2015, with an application deadline of May 14, 2015. USDA anticipated making roughly 200 awards across both grant types. The program fell under CFDA 10.172 (Local Food Promotion Program). AMS also scheduled a webinar on March 25 to introduce the grant and share background and application guidance, with additional information hosted on the AMS grants website (http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSgrants). For access issues or application questions, the notice listed a contact: Nicole Nelson Miller, Team Leader, at 202-720-2731.
Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) 2015 Grants - FAQs
1) What is the 2015 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) grant opportunity?
The 2015 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) was a competitive grant program run by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to help communities and food system organizations strengthen local and regional food economies. The program focused on helping local and regional food business enterprises develop or expand so more people can buy and access locally and regionally produced agricultural products, while creating new market opportunities for farms and ranches that sell into local markets.
2) How much funding was available through LFPP in FY 2015?
USDA made about $13 million available through LFPP in FY 2015.
3) What is the main purpose of LFPP?
The overall purpose was to support projects that develop or expand local and regional food business enterprises, improving consumer and buyer access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products and creating additional market opportunities for farms and ranches selling into local markets.
4) What kinds of activities or parts of the food system does LFPP focus on?
LFPP targeted efforts in the "middle" of the local food supply chain. That includes projects and partnerships that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food, rather than funding individual farm production.
5) Does LFPP fund individual farm production?
No. The program emphasized business and market infrastructure that helps local food reach consumers and institutional buyers more reliably and at greater scale, rather than funding individual farm production.
6) What are examples of projects LFPP aimed to support?
Examples mentioned include building capacity for aggregation hubs, improving distribution and cold storage, developing market channels, and strengthening coordinated producer networks that can meet buyer demand.
7) Is there a cost-share or matching requirement?
Yes. A key requirement was cost sharing: grantees had to provide a 25 percent match.
8) Who was eligible to apply for LFPP in 2015?
Eligibility was broad but focused on organizations that support local or regional food business enterprises. Eligible applicants included:
- Agricultural businesses and other for-profit agricultural entities
- Agricultural cooperatives
- Producer networks and producer associations
- Community supported agriculture (CSA) networks and CSA associations
- Nonprofit corporations (including 501(c) organizations and accredited institutions of higher education)
- Public benefit corporations
- Economic development corporations
- Regional farmers market authorities
- Local, tribal, and other forms of local government
9) What is the common theme across eligible applicant types?
The common thread is that the applicant organization plays a role in helping local and regional food business enterprises function, grow, or reach markets more effectively.
10) What project types were available under LFPP?
Applicants could choose between two project types: Planning Grants and Implementation Grants.
11) Can an applicant receive both a Planning Grant and an Implementation Grant in the same cycle?
No. Applicants could only receive one type of LFPP grant in the same grant cycle.
12) What are Planning Grants intended to support?
Planning Grants were intended for early-stage work needed before launching or scaling an enterprise. Supported activities included market research, feasibility studies, and business planning.
13) What were the award sizes for Planning Grants?
Planning Grant awards ranged from $5,000 to $25,000.
14) How long could a Planning Grant project last?
Planning projects had to be completed within a 12-month period.
15) What are Implementation Grants intended to support?
Implementation Grants were intended to put plans into action by launching a new enterprise or expanding or improving an existing one.
16) What activities could be funded under Implementation Grants?
Implementation Grants could fund activities including training and technical assistance for the enterprise and/or participating producers, outreach and marketing to buyers and consumers, and non-construction infrastructure improvements (such as upgrades to business facilities or improvements to information technology systems).
17) What were the award sizes for Implementation Grants?
Implementation Grant awards ranged from $25,000 to $100,000.
18) How long could an Implementation Grant project last?
Implementation projects could run for up to 24 months.
19) When was the LFPP 2015 opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 16, 2015.
20) What was the application deadline for LFPP 2015?
The application deadline was May 14, 2015.
21) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number was USDA AMS LFPP 2015.
22) About how many awards did USDA anticipate making?
USDA anticipated making roughly 200 awards across both grant types.
23) What CFDA number was associated with LFPP?
The program fell under CFDA 10.172 (Local Food Promotion Program).
24) Under what broader program does LFPP sit?
LFPP sits under the broader Farmers Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program.
25) What is the authorizing legislation mentioned for LFPP?
LFPP is authorized by the Farmer to Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1946 (as amended, 7 U.S.C. 3005).
26) Was there any informational webinar for applicants?
Yes. AMS scheduled a webinar on March 25 to introduce the grant and share background and application guidance.
27) Where could applicants find additional information about the grant?
Additional information was hosted on the AMS grants website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSgrants.
28) Who was listed as a contact for access issues or application questions?
The notice listed Nicole Nelson Miller, Team Leader, as the contact for access issues or application questions.
29) What phone number was provided for the listed contact?
The phone number provided was 202-720-2731.
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