OpportunityTitle: 2014 Farmers Market Promotion Program Grants
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: 1. Agricultural Business.  A business entity that provides, holds, delivers, transports, offers, or sells agricultural products or services.    2. Agricultural Cooperative.  A group-owned or member-owned entity or business that provides, offers, or sells agricultural products or services for the mutual benefit of the members thereof.     3. Producer Network.  A producer group- or member-owned organization or business that provides, offers, or sells agricultural products or services through a common distribution system for the mutual benefit of the members thereof.    4. Producer Associations.  An organization or other business that assists or serves, represents, or serves producers or a producer network.     5. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network.  A formal group of farms that work collectively to offer consumers regular (usually weekly) deliveries of locally-grown farm products during one or more harvest season(s), often on a subscription or membership basis. Customers have access to a selected share or range of farm products offered by the group of farmers based on partial or total advance payment of a subscription or membership fee.    6. CSA Associations.  An organization or other business that assists or serves, represents, or services CSAs or CSA networks.    7. Local Government.  Any unit of government within a State, including a county, borough, municipality, city, town, township, parish, local public authority, special district, school district, intrastate district, council of governments, or other instrumentalities of local government.     8. Nonprofit Corporation.  Any organization or institution, including nonprofits with State or IRS 501 (c) status and accredited institutions of higher education, where no part of the net earnings of which inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.    9. Public Benefit Corporation.  A corporation organized to construct or operate a public improvement, the profits from which inure to the benefit of a State(s) or to the people thereof.     10. Economic Development Corporation.  An organization whose mission is the improvement, maintenance, development and/or marketing or promotion of a specific geographic area.     11. Regional Famers Market Authority.  An entity that establishes and enforces regional, State, or county policies and jurisdiction over State, regional, or county farmers markets.    12. Tribal Government.  A governing body or a governmental agency of any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including any native village as defined in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 85 Stat. 688 (43 U.S.C. &#167; 1602)) certified by the Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and services provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Description: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced the availability of approximately $15 million in competitive grant funds in fiscal year (FY) 2014 to be awarded through the Famers Market Promotion Program. The Farmers&#146; Market Promotion Program (FMPP) is a component of the Farmers Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), which is authorized by the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3005). The FMPP is a competitive grant program administered by the Marketing Services Division (MSD) of AMS. The goals of FMPP grants are to increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets by developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to, or assisting in the development, improvement, and expansion of domestic farmers&#146; markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. The minimum FY2014 FMPP award per grant is $15,000 and the maximum is $100,000. An applicant is limited to no more than one grant in a grant-funding year. FMPP funding will be available for use beginning in October 2014. Project work should begin in October 2014 and end not later than October 2016. Matching funds are not required. NOTE: All applicants must follow the 2014 FMPP Announcement for application instructions and requirements found on the FMPP website at www.ams.usda.gov/FMPP.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: USDAFMPPQuestions@ams.usda.gov
GrantorContactText: Carmen Humphrey &lt;br/&gt;Branch Chief &lt;br/&gt;Phone 202-720-8317