Business Builder Sub-Awards

The Northeast Regional Food Business Center recently launched the first round of Business Builder sub-awards, designed to strengthen local and regional food systems by providing direct funding to small- and mid-sized farm and food businesses. $10 million will be made available in this round, with awards ranging from $15,000 to $100,000 to support businesses in scaling their operations, expanding markets and connecting various segments of the regional food supply chain.

The Business Builder program will fund projects through three specialized funding tracks:

• Track 1: Equipment ($25,000 - $50,000)
  • Supports the purchase of special-purpose equipment for post-harvest
    activities, from processing to market. Farm and food businesses with
    $350,000 or less in annual sales are eligible to apply
• Track 2: Business Development ($15,000 - $25,000)
  • Supports business financial acumen and industry knowledge. Farm and
    food businesses with $350,000 or less in annual sales are eligible to
    apply.
• Track 3: Product & Market Expansion ($50,000 - $100,000)
  • Assists businesses in expansion through new products, broader
    markets and wider distribution. Farm and food businesses with $1M or
    less in annual sales are eligible to apply.

Applications will close April 7. Awardees will be announced in July, and funded projects are anticipated to begin activities in August.
 

The Center launched a pre-recorded webinar on February 24 to walk potential applicants through eligibility requirements, allowable activities, external resources and an application checklist. On March 3, March 11, March 19 and March 27, the Center will host informational sessions to answer any technical- or program-related
questions

Learn More & Apply Here