Are you a farmers’ market looking for funding to grow, invest in a project such as a commercial kitchen, or purchase much needed equipment to take your market’s impact to the next step? Up to $25,000 of non-repayable matching funding becomes available Thursday, August 15!
On Monday, August 12th, Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia was invited to attend a special announcement by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The address, which took place inside a balmy greenhouse belonging to Hope Blooms, also featured an announcement of an exciting new funding opportunity for our farmers’ markets, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund.
Canada’s Local Food Infrastructure Fund consists of $50 million, created to “support a wide range of community-led projects that aim to improve access to safe, healthy, and culturally diverse food”. The fund consists of two streams, the first of which is called Infrastructure and Equipment Improvement Projects. The first rendition of this stream will be open for submissions on Thursday, August 15th until November 1st, 2019.
Projects may receive up to $25,000 as a matched contribution in the form of non-repayable funding to “enable small community-based organizations to improve their infrastructure and purchase equipment that is directly related to the accessibility of healthy, nutritious, and ideally local foods within their community”.
The exciting news is that eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations such as farmers’ markets! Eligible costs include capital assets such as community kitchens, equipment for kitchens, distribution, storage, or refrigeration, vehicles and transport equipment, technology systems, energy systems such as greenhouses or solar panels, water infrastructure, and labour costs associated with completing the project.
How to apply
Applications are officially open, and can be completed by clicking here.
Need help applying?
As always, Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia is here every step of the way to help our member farmers’ markets prepare an application for these exciting funding opportunities. If you have any questions or would like assistance with your application, please don’t hesitate to contact us! For more information, please check out Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s website on the Local Food Infrastructure Fund by clicking here.
