Grants Open for CA Community Food Hubs

CDFA Seeks Proposals to Boost Local Food Systems

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) is now accepting grant applications for its new Farm to Community Food Hubs Program. 

Interested parties are encouraged to apply by April 14, 2025, at 5 p.m. PDT by submitting their proposals to cafoodhubs@cdfa.ca.gov. Detailed application materials can be accessed online at the program's website.

This initiative will distribute $13.75 million in competitive grants to help establish and expand community food hubs. These hubs will focus on increasing the accessibility of local, climate-smart, and nutritious foods to schools and other institutions throughout California.

Notably, 10 percent of the funding is reserved for projects led by California Native American Tribes and Tribal-led nonprofit organizations.

Applicants can choose between two funding tracks - Planning grants for preliminary activities, and Infrastructure and Operations grants for building out food aggregation and distribution capacities. 

These grants are intended to foster a more resilient food system economy, support local and Indigenous food producers, enhance climate adaptation and resilience, and provide fair employment in the food system sector.

To assist potential applicants, CDFA-F2F will offer feedback on draft application materials for select groups and has scheduled several virtual information sessions. Dates and registration links for these sessions are as follows -

• February 19, 2025, at 10 a.m. PST - Register here

• February 25, 2025, at 4 p.m. PST - Register here

• March 11, 2025, at 12 p.m. PDT - Register here

• March 26, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. PDT - Register here

• April 1, 2025, at 11 a.m. PDT - Register here

• April 10, 2025, at 12 p.m. PDT - Register here

This funding opportunity builds upon CDFA's previous investments in food hubs through several of its programs, aiming to create a more sustainable and equitable food landscape across California.

Interested applicants are urged to review the full application guidelines and prepare their submissions in accordance with the stated requirements and deadlines.