On Tuesday, October 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $8.6 million through the Community Food Projects (CFP) competitive grant program to organizations dedicated to increasing food security in underserved communities through local solutions that also build up local food systems.
The Community Food Projects program seeks to address food insecurity by supporting nonprofits, tribal organizations, and food program service providers who promote community-driven food projects, self-sufficiency, and food access in low-income communities. The program, which is administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, has provided more than $90 million to over 400 projects in at least 48 states since its inception in 1996.
This funding round represents the first to implement the 2014 Farm Bill change that increased funding available through CFP from $5 million to $9 million, a change which NSAC championed.
NSAC congratulates all 32 organizations in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and American Samoa who received awards this year. This year’s projects range from expanding food forests and community gardens to food education programs that partner kids with farmers and value-added producers to learn about sustainable food systems.
NSAC is pleased to highlight the following NSAC members who received awards:
Angelic Organics Learning Center (Illinois) — Angelic Organics will expand its Eat to Live Farm and Garden (E2L) project and establish E2L as an urban business incubator through which they will provide new farmers with physical, educational, and logistical support. E2L is located in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, a low-income community that has limited access to fresh produce but has many vacant spaces that can be used for urban agriculture.
Center for Rural Affairs (Nebraska) — The Center will build on its existing connections and local food systems activities in the Santee Sioux and UmoNhoN (Omaha) communities to build an understanding of current Sioux and Omaha food systems and help these communities create strategic plans for realizing food sovereignty.
Land Stewardship Project (Minnesota) — In response to the concerns and ideas of residents of the Philips neighborhood in Minneapolis, LSP and community development organization, Hope Community, will expand their community teaching garden by improving physical infrastructure, establishing training programs for gardeners, and developing food prep and nutrition demos. They will also work to develop networks across sectors of the food system and expand community leadership for local food system change.
A list of all CFP grantees can be found here.