HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) is pleased to announce the competitive solicitation process to award The Food System Capacity Building Grant provides funds to Connecticut organizations and groups involved in food policy or creating innovative, localized, programming in their respective communities to increase food access and address food insecurity. Funding for the Food System Capacity Building Grant is provided through the Connecticut Food Policy Council under C.G.S. Sec. 22-456.
There is no minimum and the maximum amount of funds that can be requested for one project is limited to $10,000.00. There is no match requirement for this grant.
The application deadline is November 15, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. through the Connecticut Department of Agriculture online application system.
Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that we needed to improve our food system, not only to make more food available to families across the state, but to incorporate more CT Grown products to offset the amount of food imported from out of state. Through the efforts and commitment from the Food Policy Council, I’m happy to announce the creation and availability of the Food System Capacity Building Grant, which will improve the local food system and make food, particularly CT Grown farm products, more accessible to Connecticut residents.”
Eligible applicants include Local Food Policy Councils and/or food working groups. Agricultural producers, for-profit and non-profit grocery stores, food pantries, farmers’ markets, community gardens, including municipalities or organizations operating a community garden, small food retailers, such as corner stores, convenience stores, farmers’ markets, mobile food markets, or retail food outlets operated by an emergency food program or food hub.
The goal of the Food System Capacity Building Grant is to improve the local food system and make food, particularly CT Grown farm products, more accessible to Connecticut residents.
The project template, performance measures, and information required to apply are available online at Food System Capacity Building Grant (ct.gov). For more information on the Food System Capacity Building Grant Program, please visit the website, http://www.ctgrown.gov/grants and click on the Food System Capacity Building Grant Program, or contact Erin Windham at Erin.Windham@ct.gov or 860-519-6083.
For interested parties, there will be a webinar and question and answer session on October 11, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. This will be recorded and posted on CTGrown.gov/grants. A video recording walking through how to submit your application via Salesforce is also posted. The deadline for final submissions is November 15, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. Additional details can be found at the Food System Capacity Building Grant page. The grant guidance and application is also available in Spanish.
–Connecticut Department of Agriculture