The Heartland Regional Food Business Center will provide financial assistance through Business Builder (BB) Subawards to support projects focused on meeting regional needs and increasing capacity among food and farm businesses working toward expansion in local and regional food markets.
Donor Name: Heartland Regional Food Business Center
State: Selected States
County: Benton County (AR), Boone County (AR), Carroll County (AR), Crawford County (AR), Franklin County (AR), Johnson County (AR), Madison County (AR), Newton County (AR), Washington County (AR)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Business Buildeer Subawards will go to projects predominantly aimed at starting or expanding food businesses in the region through value-added opportunities, diversification of on-farm activities, expansion of and/or access to new markets, and/or innovations to generate income. BB Subawards will provide food and farm businesses with the capital needed to launch and expand their businesses while they work to build income streams or identify needed investors.
Priority Areas for Funding
Priority for funding are projects that accomplish the following desired outcomes:
- Expand and strengthen regional food systems networks and partnerships in response to hardships and vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Increase food and farm business and financial acumen, particularly among small and mid-size operators.
- Create more, new, and better markets, and increase market awareness and access for small and mid-size producers and processors.
- Increase the number of local producers that distributors, retailers and foodservice buyers source from, either directly or through intermediaries.
- Increase the number of new food and farm businesses and improve the viability of existing businesses.
- Increase the revenue of food and farm businesses served and/or increase local food capacity for the community served.
Funding Information
- Maximum award: $50,000
- Minimum award: $5,000
Project Period
Projects should be completed within 12 months of award date.
Eligibility Criteria
Primary qualifications: Eligible to apply are small food and farm businesses or nonprofit organizations either located in or serving the five-state Heartland Center region (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska) or its nine counties in northwest Arkansas (Benton, Carrol, Boone, Washington, Madison, Newton, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson).
Priority are small business projects that accomplish one or more of the Heartland Center’s desired outcomes (see Desired Outcomes section). This program was designed to support projects focused on meeting regional needs and increasing capacity among businesses working towards expansion. Highly encouraged are BB Subaward projects that are predominantly focused on starting or expanding a business project in the region through value-added opportunities, diversification of on-farm activities, expansion of access to new markets, and/or innovations to generate income.
For more information, visit Heartland Regional Food Business Center.
