Agencies
Services
Grant Programs
Illinois Department of Agriculture Administered Grants:
Illinois Specialty Crop Block Grant
The Illinois Department of Agriculture receives Specialty Crop Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Specialty Crop Block Grant - Farm Bill. A portion of those grant funds will be used to fund the Illinois Specialty Crop Grant Program. Through this program Illinois specialty crop projects can apply for grant funds to help increase the competitiveness of the Illinois specialty crop industry.
Illinois Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program
The purpose of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program is to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain, to provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses, to support the development of value-added products for consumers, fair prices, fair wages, and new and safe job opportunities.
Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grant
The new Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program will invest in critical infrastructure to scale up the processing, aggregation, and distribution of local food to meet the needs of Illinois communities.
Agricultural Grant Programs Administered by Other Entities:
Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC)
A new program offered through USDA's FSA: The Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program provides financial assistance to specialty crop producers to help them expand domestic markets or develop new markets for their crops
FFY2025 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program
In FY 2025, the USDA will award up to $12 million in competitive grants to eligible entities through the grant program. Each grant will help eligible entities implement farm to school programming that increases access to local food in eligible schools, connects children with agriculture for better health, and inspires youth to consider careers in agriculture. For more information and links to webinars, please click the link above.
Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program to now include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. The program has also been expanded to include assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2024 expenses beginning July 1, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. For program year 2025, the application period will be Jan. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026. Please click the link above for more information.
Dairy Business Innovation Alliance Grants
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) has established a grant program that will solicit, review and approve proposals from dairy farms and businesses within the region, who will then receive a financial grant to help bring said ideas to fruition.
Examples of applications qualifying for grants could include:
- Modernization, specialization or expansion of farmstead or plant infrastructure to support product development or improvement.
- Increase sales of current product quality/range through product development, packaging and marketing.
- Value chain and commodity innovation to develop specialty dairy products from their operations.
- Ensure quality compliance to give businesses greater access to the food industry, e.g. to supply local stores and processors.
This is grant program is administered by the DBIA. For more information, please click the link above.
Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund
The Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund is a small grant program that provides direct assistance to veterans who are in their beginning years of farming or ranching. The Fellowship Fund does not give money directly to the veteran, but rather to third-party vendors for items the veteran has identified will make a crucial difference in the launch of their farm business. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000, and nearly $4 million has been awarded to more than 930 veterans since 2011.
This grant program is administered by the Farmer Veteran Coalition. For more information, please follow the link above.
Illinois- Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems (IL-EATS) Program
The primary goal of the Illinois - Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems (EATS) program, funded by the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), is to improve domestic agriculture supply chain resiliency by strengthening local and regional food systems, expanding economic opportunities for local, socially disadvantaged farmers in Illinois, and building partnerships that get fresh, nutritious food to underserved communities.
This grant program is administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services. For more information, please follow the link above.