Market Grower Grants

Each year, Flagstaff Foodlink supports local farmers in expanding and enhancing their operations through the Grower Grant Program. We created the Grower Grant Program to fill gaps that we see in traditional funding sources for small-scale food producers. If you are interested in learning more about this unique funding opportunity, please review the information below:

To learn about past recipients, read our Grower Grants report.

For reference, take a look at this Grower Grant Example Application.

Grant proposals for the 2025 cycle will open December 1-31st, 2024. Applicants will be informed by mid-February 2025. If you have any questions about your eligibility or the grant itself, please email us at grow@flagstafffoodlink.com

Who can apply for a grant?

Applicants must be either 1) small-scale food producers who plan to market/trade their produce to the wider public (e.g. farmers, ranchers, herders, wildcrafters/gatherers), or 2) initiatives working with local food growers to expand food production (e.g. small seed companies, co-op kitchens, butchers, etc.). Applicants should be located in Coconino County or Navajo County and projects must fall within the scope of the Grower Grant program.

We continue to strive to better support local Indigenous food producers in addition to non-Indigenous growers in the region. Flagstaff is located at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, a place held sacred by thirteen Native nations in the region. We live, work, eat, and grow food on Indigenous land. Indigenous food production and food sovereignty are vital parts of a just and resilient regional food system.

Grantees that have received funding for two consecutive grant cycles will be ineligible to apply the following year and will be invited to participate in grant review.

What types of projects qualify?

High priorities include food-related projects that help increase or enhance:

  • local skills, knowledge, and capacity

  • the production and availability of locally produced foods (especially artisanal, wildcrafted, heirloom, high desert or sustainably produced)

  • the demand for locally-produced foods

  • regional and cultural food traditions

Please contact us directly before you fill out a complete application if you want to find out if an idea might fit.

For home gardeners and education-focused school projects, the Coconino Master Gardener Association’s Garden Grants and the City of Flagstaff Neighborhood Sustainability Grants may be better funding sources for your project.

What are some specific examples?

See our Grower Grant Example Application.

Funding to enhance your farm or operation that enhances sustainability, such as projects to address water, energy efficiency, transition to certified naturally grown, organic, or biodynamic (including initial certification costs), or invest in equipment or supplies that will enhance your operation and opportunities.

 Funding to support agricultural biodiversity, including the purchase of seeds and equipment related to producing a crop or breed of livestock, especially if it is:

  • an open-pollinated/heirloom variety,

  • a food important to the cultural traditions of native or immigrant communities on the Colorado Plateau, or

  • a local food crop or tradition at risk.

  • on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy watch list

While we must be careful stewards of our limited funding, we don’t mean for this to be a burdensome process. If you have any questions or need help, contact us at grow@flagstafffoodlink.com

When are applications due?

At this point, grants are awarded once a year. Applications for 2025 grants will open in the winter of 2024. A selection committee will then review applications. The Flagstaff Foodlink Board of Directors votes on final grant decisions after considering the committee recommendations. Applicants will be notified by late winter (expected around February).

How much funding can I request?

The maximum grant request is $1,000 and most awards are in the $500-$1,000 range. We strongly encourage you to seek matching funds from other private, government and/or foundation sources. This grant can be used as a match, too. The grants are competitive and due to funding constraints, we can only support a few of the many worthy projects that are submitted.

How will proposals be evaluated?

The Flagstaff Foodlink Board will score each proposal with a weighted matrix that considers the perceived effectiveness of the approach (5 points), the capacity for impacting the local food system (5 points), and the transferability of the project to other growers in the region (5 points).

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE 2024 GROWER GRANT AWARDEES!

Townsite Urban Farm

  • During the 2023 growing season TUF experienced an increase in demand for use of and engagement with the site by community members. This came in tandem with continued deterioration of the factory plastic from the hoop house kit. This funding helped to replace and install a new outer-framing of a hoophouse at Townsite Urban Farm. This new framing is supporting gutters that will allow us to feed our rain garden with water collected from the hoop house. This will result in a major step toward a more sustainable growing environment, increased rain water harvesting capacity (a TUF priority), and further extension of the growing season.

Taavi Honahnie

  • “My grant project consisted of growing Hopi heirloom seeds which included beans, melon, and corn. I also grew other veggies such as kale, chard, tomatoes, cucumbers, green chili, squash, basil, sweet peas, etc. My whole goal was to encourage and motivate anyone and everyone to grow their own crops in any capacity. I wanted to share certain Hopi values that were passed down from generation to generation. Those values consist of helping one another without being told or expecting anything in return. It’s about taking care of one another in any capacity and sharing what we are able to give. My grandparents and parents always reminded me, “no one should ever go hungry.””

  • The fund also supported finances related to water bills.

Summit Star Farm

  • The Grower Grant Program supported operations of impact at Summit Star Farm through the purchasing of new chicken processing equipment.

  • “This year Summit Star Farm took our first steps towards being a local source of pastured chicken for the Flagstaff community. With the help of the Flagstaff Foodlink Growers Grant we were able to invest in processing equipment such as a scalder, plucker, and cones. This equipment greatly increased our processing capacity through adding efficiency and cleanliness. In addition, we purchased and raised our first 30 Cornish Cross. These were made available to the community through a hands-on workshop where attendees were given the opportunity to participate in the butchering process and take home their finished bird. We taught alongside a fellow farm providing instruction on everything from breed selection to processing day. Additional birds were made available for purchase where we received excellent feedback on the quality and flavor! With the help of the new equipment, our goal is to increase the number of birds raised next year starting in spring.”

Grandjean’s Honeybee Operation

  • A new honeybee operation came into fruition through the Grower Grant Program, as a homestead interested in selling honey at the Farmers’ Market got their first two beehive frames, a queen, and materials needed for processing honey using these funds. After a successful season, this new bee-keeper has 70 pounds of locally-sourced honey they intend on selling this upcoming market!

If you have questions, please contact us at grow@flagstafffoodlink.com. 

COMING SOON (2025): COMMUNITY GROWER GRANT PROGRAM: A new small grant program intended to support community grower (non-market) projects and promote education and information sharing. This grant program is meant to be complimentary to our existing Market Grower Grant program yet autonomous in its award cycle. Any proposals received in Market Grower Grant applications that do not fit those criteria can be referred to the Community Grower Grant program.

Who does this program support (individuals and organizations):

  • Neighborhood gardens

  • School gardens

  • Backyard gardens

  • Community gardens