Small Farmer Grant

Background

Grant funding is limited to the capital equipment needs of Alachua County residents who have small producer agricultural operations that are all contained within Alachua County. For the grant, a small producer (farm) is a commercial operation with an established gross cash income of at least $1,000 but no more than $250,000 per year from the regular harvest and sale of crop, livestock, or aquaculture products meant for human consumption. Examples are grain, honey, fruit, vegetable, dairy, and livestock operations.

Criteria

Goal: Promote local food system economic resilience and equity for marginalized communities that will:

1. Assists Alachua County residents.
2. Applicable to Alachua County based small producers (farms, ranches, or other agricultural operations) producing food stuffs for human consumption.
3. Prioritize funding for small producers with annual gross cash income of no more than $75,000.
4. Prioritize black, women, indigenous, and persons-of-color owned agricultural operations
5. Support the immediate acquisition of capital infrastructure and equipment to enhance the farm's productive capability and financial expansion. This grant recognizes that small producers may not have adequate cash flow to acquire capital equipment and then wait for reimbursement by the County. This grant offers an immediate infusion of funds at the point of award by the Board of County Commissioners. 
   
6. Improve the economic viability of these small producers
7. Increase the resiliency of local food production and expand the production of related value added farm products
8. Achieve Board policies related to economic development: increases economic prosperity, economic equity and diverse tax base.
   

Process

General Scope and Methodology

Applicants will complete the application and submit it to Alachua County’s Office of Sustainability, Equity, and Economic Development Strategies. Applications may be submitted by email to ​SMAACA@alachuacounty.us or by mail or in person to:

Attention: Small Farmer Grant
Alachua County’s Office of Resilience, Climate Change, and Sustainability
12 SE First Street, 2nd Floor County Manager’s Office
Gainesville, FL 32601

Questions? Call Sean McLendon at 352-548-3765.

The total grant request must not exceed $5,000.

Application solicitation is from May 2024 through 5 PM June 28, 2024.​

A panel composed of County Staff will score the applications based on the quality of responses per the scoring criteria. The panel’s scores will be averaged to a final total project score. A maximum score of 50 points (up to 40 points from priority areas, 5 points for first-time applicants, and five points for an applicant having a UF-IFAS Agricultural Extension Farm Plan) is possible. The panel will prioritize awarding the full amount requested, but if multiple qualified applications are received with the same average score, partial funding may be suggested to the Board of County Commissioners, depending upon the availability of County funds.​

These highest ranked proposals will be submitted for Board consideration for award at earliest available meeting.

Examples of Eligible Operations and Related Farm Products

Examples of Eligible Capital Equipment

Examples of Not Eligible Operations and Related Products

Scoring Criteria

• First Time Applicant: Applicants who have not applied or received a grant award in the past two years will be eligible for 5 bonus points.
  
• Location Priority: Funds are limited to Alachua County residents with small-scale agriculture operations within Alachua County. No points are associated with this priority. Projects may be within municipalities or in unincorporated Alachua County. Applications for funding outside of Alachua County will not be considered.
  
• Economic Priority: Priority will be given to applications from small producers with annual gross cash incomes between $1,000 and $75,000. Award 10 points for annual gross cash incomes between $1,000 and $75,000. Award 5 points for annual gross cash income between $75,001 and $150,000. Award 2 points for annual gross cash income between $150,001 and $250,000.
  
  
• Equity Priority: Priority consideration will be given to applications of small producers that are owned and operated by black, women, indigenous, and or persons-of-color. Award 10 points for small producers that are owned and operated by black, women, indigenous persons, and or persons-of-color.
  
  
• Viability Priority: Priority will be given to applications for capital equipment that demonstrates an enhancement, cost avoidance, or savings of the economic productivity of the small producer’s operation. A maximum of 20 points may be awarded for projects that define the specific equipment needed, cost, how it will be utilized, and economic return to the operations. See below for specific questions to be answered.
  
  Three Primary Questions to be Answered under the Viability Priority:
  
  

1. How will the grant maximize or contribute to the farm’s overall business plan and grow the farms profitability or avoid costs?

Example farmer response: These funds will help our farm package, sell, and distribute our blueberry crop to local restaurants. We estimate that these funds will allow us to box and wholesale 500 lbs. of organic blueberries.

Example rancher response: We will use this grant to help our ranch secure our herd by repairing and adding fencing, gates, and posts. We cannot move our cattle because of the inconvenient availability of slaughter facilities for small ranchers. We will need to hold them longer till the market turns around.​


2. What are the estimated financial returns?


Example farmer response: 500 lbs. of wholesale organic blueberries is estimated to generate an additional $1,045 per growing season for our farm.

Example rancher response: If we can securely hold our 30 head of cattle, we can wait till market conditions improve and send the herd to slaughter at the best time to make a profit. Without these grant funds, we would have to sell our herd at a loss of $15,000 when the market is low. If we can hold them, our ranch estimates to make $15,000 when the market rebounds. ​



3. What specifically will be purchased with the grant funds?

Example farmer response: The grant funds will be used to purchase a $300 sanitation station, with a $250 three-basin sink plumbed to sanitary sewer, and for $500 boxing, and labeling equipment.

Example rancher response: These grant funds will purchase 3,960 Linear feet of barbed wire at $330, $500 in replacement fence posts, and $2,000 in metal gating.

Incentive Points 
To promote small farms' economic viability and financial sustainability, the County will award five (5) points to any application showing proof of completing the Agricultural Extension Office’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship Series​ with a Farm Plan. 


As an added incentive to take the course and create a Farm Plan, the County will offer to pay the cost (estimated cost $135/applicant) for up to 50 small farmers in Alachua County.  The funding for the course will be offered on first come first served basis and is available regardless of being awarded a Small Farmer Grant.  


 The applicant must have completed the coursework and appended their farm plan to the application to receive the incentive points. 


To take advantage of course work please notify the Alachua County’s Office of Sustainability, Equity, and Economic Development Strategies by email with the subject line 2024 Farm Plan


The email may be sent to SMAACA@alachuacounty.us​ or by mail or in-person to:


Attention: Small Farmer Grant
Alachua County’s Office of Sustainability, Equity, and Economic Development Strategies
12 SE First Street, 2nd Floor County Manager’s Office
Gainesville, FL 32601


Questions? Call Sean McLendon at 352-548-3765.


Tie-in to Other Food System Projects 


• ​​Applicant information may be shared with the County’s Fresh Food Pathways non-profit administrator and other institutional food purchasing programs to support potential food purchases from the farmer. 
• Food System Map. Data from the application may be put into the County’s Food System Map. 
 
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Award & Reporting