​​

Will this award be taxed?

Yes, if you are a for-profit farm, this award will be treated as income and taxed accordingly. Be sure to account for that in your submitted budget or when filing your firm’s annual taxes. 

​

What are the eligible geographic locations for this award?

LAFPC’s priority for this funding are farmers in the Los Angeles region. In alignment with CDFA priorities that means farms within 25 miles of the following cities Los Angeles ▪ South Gate ▪ Inglewood ▪ West Covina ▪ Palmdale ▪ Glendale Pasadena ▪ Huntington Park ▪ Baldwin Park ▪ Santa Monica ▪ Long Beach ▪ Downey ▪ Burbank ▪ Norwalk ▪ Whittier ▪ Alhambra ▪ Lakewood ▪ Cerritos ▪ Compton ▪ Santa Clarita ▪ Torrance ▪ El Monte ▪ Pomona ▪ Redondo Beach ▪ Bellflower ▪ Lynwood ▪ Rosemead ▪ Monterey Park ▪ Diamond Bar

 

Other eligible areas for in alignment with CDFA priorities include San Diego, Fresno, and the Bay Area, but are not priorities for LAFPC as there are other entities issuing micro-grants in those regions. *Tribal governments don't have to align with the 25 mile rule. 

​

Who is eligible for the award?

• Sub awardee Eligibility: Sub awardees may be for-profit organizations and businesses, non-profit organizations, individuals, or tribal based non-profits and tribal governments operating an urban agriculture project within the LA region. 

• Subawards to eligible stakeholder will fund infrastructure, equipment, workforce development, community engagement efforts or technical assistance needs of projects that accomplish one or more of the following:

  • Be led by and or serving priority populations. Priority Populations will be identified using the California Air Resources Board’s California Climate Investments Priority Populations map.

  • Demonstrate community engagement practices.

  • Support the viability of urban food cultivation, processing, or distribution.

  • Pilot an innovation in production such as but not limited to mushroom propagation, aquaponics, aeroponics, hydroponics, rooftop gardens or warehouse farms.

  • Provide employment development opportunities, especially youth employment and development opportunities.

  • Provide educational opportunities as it relates to growing or consuming locally grown seasonal produce.

  • Provide urban greening, habitat restoration and environmentally beneficial services such as but not limited to planting hedgerows, native plant gardens or food forests.

​

What are allowable budget items?

Budget

• Indirect Costs:

  • Up to 30% of total award may be used for Indirect Costs, like grant administration, accounting, or utilities associated with the program.

• Direct Costs:

  • At least 70% of subaward funds must be used for direct program implementation including infrastructure, equipment, technical assistance, workforce development or community engagement, including but not limited to the following:

    • Infrastructure:

      • Site development, plans and drawings, permits, legal fees, consultant fees

      • Season extension such as hoop houses, high tunnels, shade houses, green houses

      • Irrigation systems including water connection, installation, improvements, meters, hardware

      • Tool storage sheds or containers

      • Wash and pack areas including shade structures, drainage pits or other needs

      • Community gathering spaces including picnic tables, DG pathways, seating for workshops or other engagement activities, shade structures, outdoor kitchens, demonstration sites

      • Aggregation and distribution preparation areas

      • Land improvements including soil testing, amendments, remediations, weed management

      • Innovations in production equipment such as hydroponic or aquaponic systems

​

Equipment

• Tools including hand tools, mechanized tools, harvesting tools, weed management tools etc.

• Post-harvest wash stations, bins, boxes, labels, packaging etc.

• Delivery vehicles

• Farm Stand, Community Supported Agriculture, or other marketing supplies

• Refrigeration units under $5,000 total. For refrigeration needs above $5,000 apply to CDFA’s Refrigeration Grant Program.

• Technology and software for sales, marketing, and communications.

• Technology, and software for field management

​

Technical Assistance and Operations

• Peer to Peer TA providers to mentor, train, and support urban farmers and community-based organizations

• Recognized experienced TA providers to mentor, train, and support urban farmers and community-based organizations

• Business Planning

• Forming Cooperatives

• Marketing and Communications

• Insurance costs

• Food safety certifications 

• Climate smart agriculture certifications, like transition to organic 

• Evaluation, data collection, quantitative and qualitative reports on impact of project. 

• Design, Planning and Implementation consultants and contractors for:

• Weed Management

  • Irrigation

  • Soils

  • Site Development

  • Navigation of Permits and Legal processes

  • Website development 

​

Workforce Development

• Staff capacity to operate programming

• Internship stipends or hourly pay

• Professional development opportunities 

• Ensuring youth from all backgrounds have access to paid positions developing urban food systems

​

Community Engagement and Education

• Community workshop development and materials

• Staff capacity to operate Community Engagement activities

• Translation services for community engagement at an urban farm

• Open house tours and field trips for residents, students, elderly or other underserved community members. 

• Festivals or celebrations highlighting urban agriculture

• Agritourism

​