July 22, 2024
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, in partnership with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center (NERFBC) and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Foundation, today announced the launch of a first round of funding, totaling $2 million, to support direct business technical assistance and the development of regional technical assistance provider networks. This first round of funding makes $1.2 million available to technical assistance providers to offer business services to small- and medium-sized farms. An additional $800,000 is available to support the formation of regional or sub-regional networks of technical assistance providers throughout the 11-state region, plus the District of Columbia, that comprises the NERFBC.
The NERFBC initiative was created to strengthen local and regional food systems across New York State and the northeast following the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the funding round announced today, the NERFBC will offer two additional streams of funding over the course of the five-year program: technical assistance provider network development awards and business builder awards. Subsequent rounds of funding will offer direct investment in farm and food businesses and additional opportunities for technical assistance provider grants.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Northeast Regional Food Business Center offers a tremendous boost to New York State’s efforts to build a more resilient food supply chain and bridge gaps in our food system. The funding announced today will help us provide targeted resources and assistance to our small- and mid-sized food and agricultural businesses to help them thrive and reach new markets. We’re excited to be a part of this exciting and forward-thinking initiative, along with our partners at the NASDA Foundation, CREA, and Buffalo Go Green.”
Funded through a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, the NRFBC is part of a nationwide initiative to ensure a more resilient food supply chain while supporting historically underinvested producers and food business owners. Additional partners in the initiative include Buffalo Go Green and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA).
The Center will provide funding to organizations who provide direct business technical assistance and training to small- and mid-sized food and agricultural businesses and partnership building among technical assistance providers. Awards ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 will be awarded to providers in the northeast region who offer:
- business technical assistance,
- value and supply chain coordination,
- market development,
- financial guidance services,
- professional development and training, and
- production expansion and new product development.
The NERFBC will also offer awards of $100,000 to $200,000 to organizations that focus on regional technical assistance provider network development. Awardees will create or expand regional/sub-regional networks of technical assistance providers. Networks may be organized by industry, market, geographic area, or other commonality.
The deadline to apply for funding is August 23, 2024 and sub-awardees will be announced in early October.
Interested applicants must register and submit applications through the Northeast Regional Food Business Award application portal at nerfbc.fluxx.io. Applications should address the project priorities and guidelines as outlined in the request for applications.
For more information about the first round of sub-awards for technical assistance providers, visit nasda.org/technical-assistance-provider-sub-awards or contact [email protected]. Throughout the open application period, there will be opportunities to connect directly with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center, including a pre-recorded webinar and three informational webinars that will be held on July 30, August 7, and August 15. Register for the webinars on the NASDA Foundation’s website.
Buffalo Go Green CEO Allison DeHonney said, “Buffalo Go Green is excited to partner with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the National State Departments of Agriculture, and Cornell University’s Center for Economic Advancement in this groundbreaking opportunity to strengthen our local and regional food system. Over the past year, we have collaboratively worked together to ensure that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been woven throughout every aspect of the process, including internal and external conversations, regional communication, public-facing documents, and, most importantly, in how the distribution of technical and financial assistance will roll out to industry workers.”
Jenn Smith, Director of Food and Ag Innovation for Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement, said, “CREA and our colleagues at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are inspired by the thoughtful work invested into the launch of the Center’s first round of funding. This funding will support technical assistance providers so that they are better able to train, develop, and coordinate small- and mid-sized farms and food businesses. We are honored to be a partner in the Center and look forward complimenting the funding and direct technical assistance with virtual resources that ensure growth, resiliency, and sustainability in the region’s food systems.”
First announced in spring 2023, the Northeast Regional Food Business Center serves 11 Northeast states and the District of Columbia, and was established along with 11 centers around the country in response to gaps in food supply chains that were identified or exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center is led through a collaborative structure that includes New York State, neighboring state departments of agriculture, a community advisory council, and a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) advisory council. The center aims to provide sustainable and equitable regional network coordination and localized business support to invest in farm and food businesses throughout the Northeast.
The NASDA Foundation is the only educational and research organization that directly serves the nation’s state departments of agriculture. The NASDA Foundation’s mission is to enhance American food and agricultural communities through education, outreach and research. The NASDA Foundation works with states to nourish people and communities while serving as the stewards of the environment and public trust. To learn more about the NASDA Foundation, please visit nasda.org/nasda-foundation.