Local Produce Support Mini-Grant Application

The Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health seeks proposals from local farmers and farmers’ market or farm stand operators for activities that will help support and promote access to fresh produce, local agriculture, and food justice in Philadelphia.

Farmers' Market / Farm Stand

An area where, on designated days and times, growers and producers of horticultural and agricultural products sell those products directly to the public.

definitions

Food Justice

Food justice aims to address disparities in nutritious, affordable, and culturally-appropriate access to food, particularly for communities of color and low-income communities, by addressing land ownership, agricultural practices, distribution of technology and resources, workers’ rights, and the historical injustices communities of color have faced.

Farmers' Market Operator

An individual or organization that manages the farmers' market and selects, manages, and coordinates farmers' market vendors.

Local Farmer

An individual or organization that grows horticultural and agricultural products within Philadelphia County, OR an individual or organization that grows horticultural and agricultural products in a nearby county and distributes/sells in Philadelphia County.

Farmers' Market / Farm Stand

An area where, on designated days and times, growers and producers of horticultural and agricultural products sell those products directly to the public.

Applicant eligibility

Applicant may be an individual, non-profit or for-profit entity that is currently operating a farm stand or farmers’ market in Philadelphia or is a farmer or grower that sells or distributes produce at a farm stand or farmers’ market in Philadelphia. Priority will be given to farmers, operators or markets/stands located in, led by, and/or serving historically underserved communities, including but not limited to immigrant populations, low-income communities, communities of color, and people with disabilities. Applicants are eligible whether they sell produce or distribute free produce in the community.

Project eligibility

1.

Horticultural and agricultural products must be grown AND/OR distributed in Philadelphia, primarily in low-income communities of color.

2.

The project should be centered around promoting food justice and increasing fresh produce access in the community.

3.

Individuals or organizations that distribute produce to low-income areas with high rates of food insecurity and low access to fresh produce will be prioritized for grants.

Grant Award Funding

Mini-Grants

The maximum amount of funding for any single grant awarded is $2,000

Timeline

Awardees will be notified in mid to late April 2026 if they were selected

Funding

Funds will be provided in one lump sum payment via check

Grant funds can be used for:

SNAP/EBT machines/fees
Promotion/signage
Equipment to help support or expand your market or farm
Infrastructure to support operations during weather challenges - fans, heat lamps, mobile tents, etc.
E-commerce/online purchasing platforms
Staff support
Disability accessibility accommodations, aids, tools, and supplies
Language access services – translations, symbolic signage, etc.
Off-setting costs to operate and de-risk new opportunities (i.e. stipends to support growers with the necessary resources/certifications to sell to new markets, subsidizing produce costs, new market start-up costs, etc.)

mini-Grant Logistics

Info Session

There will be an Zoom Info Session on March 11th from 2pm – 3pm.

Register Here

Proposal Evaluation

Proposals will be reviewed by staff from the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention. Proposals launch March 1st and are due March 31st by 11:59 pm.

Proposal Submission

Please use this link to complete your submission:

Submit Proposal

Reporting Requirements

Once the funds are distributed a brief report summarizing your operations and how the funds were used will be expected. This may include:

Operating Schedule

Number of Vendors

Sales Data

Daily Customer Count

Funding Usage Details

Operating Barriers

Additional Resources or Support that would be Helpful in the Future

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Local Produce Support Mini-Grant Information

Let’s work together

If you need this information in another language, please email Lu.Collina@phila.gov.

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